Page 65 of Taken With Trouble

I’m so fatigued my mind is playing tricks on me. Every shadow seems to jump out and capture me. It’s like I can feel Sebastian’s eyes on my back just waiting to strike when I’m at my weakest. I have no choice but to keep going.

I spy a street, and hope lights my chest, just like it has for every street sign for the past two hours. Green Street.

I stifle a sob and keep going.

Hunt Dr.

Snow Cottage Rd.

I have no idea where I am. Liam didn’t give me good enough directions, and I haven’t seen anyone all night. Everyone is in bed, and even if they weren’t, they wouldn’t want to help me. I look like a horror from the deep. I want to curse Liam, but he’s cursed enough as it is. Did he survive?

I need him to survive.

I’m about to give in to fatigue, hide myself under a weeping willow, and cry, when I see it. Lambeth.

My bloodied feet take on new life, and I race down the road to the corner house.

It’s got to be nearly three a.m. but I don’t care. I run up the rickety steps and pound on the door.

It immediately cracks open. “Yes?” asks a gruff voice from the darkness.

“I traveled through Vail with a bottle of Bordeaux.”

The door slams shut immediately.

Did I say it wrong? I can’t remember. I’m so tired and cold.

Then I hear the latch releasing, and I take my first full breath since jumping off the yacht.

The door opens, and the faceless person pulls me inside. A light flicks on, and I’m momentarily blinded. But when I can focus again, I scream.

Chapter 24

Liam

“You?” Serena screams. Her eyes are wild and manic. Terrified. I’ve felt the same for the last two hours, waiting for her to show up. I was convinced Sebastian had caught her.

“I thought you’d be a little happier to see me.”

It’s obviously too soon.

“I heard a shot!” She hits my chest, and I stifle a groan that seems to come from the depths of my soul. “I thought you were dead.” Her voice breaks, and I step forward, reaching for her with my right hand, but she shoves my arms away. “What did you do? How did you get here? Was this whole thing a ruse?”

“No, I swear. I managed to get off the boat a minute before they docked. Whoever shot had terrible aim. I came straight here. What took you so long?”

Another wrong thing to say.

Her eyes flame with fire. “What tookmeso long? You gave me two directions, Liam.Two!My feet are bleeding, I’m freezing and… and angry!” She picks up a book and chucks it at me.

“Would you stop throwing priceless artifacts?”

“Would you stop being so annoying?” she yells. And then she runs at me, but she doesn’t have the strength to take me to the floor. I catch her, holding her freezing body tight against my chest.

I can feel her fear like it’s crawling onto my skin from hers. I’m scared, too. Because my grandfather wasn’t on that boat. I’m scared because Serena is right. They’re afterher, which means they won’t stop searching. And I’m terrified that no matter what I do, I can’t get everyone I love out of this mess.

“I hate you,” she screams into my chest, punctuating each word with her fists.

“I know, sweetheart. I know.” I rub the back of her head. Her body crumples, and I scoop her into my side. Pain lances through my opposite side as I keep her steady, but it’s nothing compared to the agony she’s experiencing. I can deal with this torment. I deserve it. Each of her shaky breaths drives the dagger deeper into my heart as I walk her to the small bedroom off the kitchen.