Total pages in book: 167
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157175 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
‘Dad?’ Jacob’s voice is ragged and cracked as he collects his sister and walks her to the furthest edge of the enclosure, as far away from Lauren as he can get them. ‘Dad, no.’
‘It’s fine, mate.’ I force a smile at him. ‘Everything is going to be all right, I promise you.’ I don’t make promises I can’t keep, and I’m ignoring the voice inside my head that’s telling me I just broke that rule.
Lauren reaches the bottom of the ladder and stares up at me as she slips her feet into a pair of heels I recognise. Ava’s. The hair, the dress, the shoes. It’s all been planned. I’m her fucking date. ‘You can drive,’ she says, reaching into my pocket. Every muscle I possess freezes as she feels around inside. I hiss when she skims my limp cock. ‘We’ll fix that, I’m sure.’
‘Get your hands off him!’ Ava screams, the wild in her eyes reaching a whole new dangerous level.
‘Pipe down, sweetheart.’ Lauren pulls out the keys for my Aston and thrusts them into my chest. ‘Let’s go.’
My limp hand takes the bunch, my eyes darting quickly to Ava. She’s made it to the kids, and they’re huddled together in the middle of the trampoline, my babies’ faces in their mum’s chest, hiding from this horror scene. ‘I’m driving.’ I say the words as clearly as I can, praying Ava hears my silent message. ‘In my car.’
‘Yes, in your car.’ Lauren wedges the gun painfully in my rib. ‘Go.’
I’m forced to turn before I get the opportunity to check for any recollection on Ava’s face. I fear she’s too lost in the new memories to realise what I’m trying to tell her.
As I’m guided to my car by the gun held at my back, I tussle with the temptation to turn and wrestle it from her hands. I’m big enough to easily overpower her. But that gun. One twitch of her finger, no matter how fast I am, and I’ll be gone. And then Ava and the kids will be helpless. No way am I risking their lives. Fuck mine. Fuck this. I deserve it all. Had I enlightened Ava, grown some balls and told her everything, she would have been aware of Lauren. Would have maybe seen some signs. Instead, I was the coward I was years ago, and I’ve put the most precious people in my life at danger’s door. My feet are heavy, my heart slowing with each step I take. She won’t need to kill me. I’m dying little bit by little bit the further I walk away from my family.
Chapter 54
My attention is divided between the road and Lauren’s lap, where the gun is resting lightly, her finger curled around the trigger. I know fuck all about guns. I wouldn’t be able to tell you if it was loaded, or even ready to fire. This could be just a show. I’m unwilling to test could be. All I know for sure is this woman wants to make me suffer. I don’t know where we’re headed. I’m taking instructions as she gives them, following the road out of the city.
I don’t know whether to talk to her. Attempt to make her feel at ease. I have not one fucking clue how to handle this.
I’m just so thankful Ava and the kids are out of harm’s way. And yet Ava must be terrified – by what’s happening now, and by the flood of memories. My knuckles go white on the steering wheel, my heart pulsing with pain. I could go on a rampage. Destroy everything in sight, starting with Lauren. But I have to stay calm and sensible if I’m going to get through this.
As my phone persistently vibrates in my pocket, I mentally talk to Ava, telling her over and over to think about what I said as I left. I beg for the penny to drop through her despair and fear.
‘Right at the roundabout.’ Lauren breaks into my thoughts with her curt order, and I follow her instructions, taking the country road further out of the city. Every time I catch sight of her, I feel sick.
‘You like?’ she asks, scrunching her hair when she catches me looking. ‘You’re into brunettes, right?’
‘I’m into my wife and my wife alone.’ The venom in my tone is savage but unstoppable.
She ignores my scathing retort and proceeds to pat down her black lace dress. ‘She picked this for me.’ One foot comes up and rests on the dashboard. ‘And these are hers. You must like what you see.’
What I see makes me want to vomit. ‘You look very nice, Lauren,’ I say carefully, silently running through my options. There are three, as I see it: fight or flee being two of the obvious, though that gun she’s holding like it could be a vital part of her outfit is rendering those options redundant. Then there’s the third option, the one I’m going to take. Pacify her. Draw her into a false sense of security. ‘How did you find us?’