Page 110 of Before the Night Falls

She glanced up at Wes as he stood at the helm. “What should I do now?”

“You can go into the cabin and wait if you want. It’s more comfortable down there. You should just relax for a while.”

Olivia thanked him before walking toward the glossy brown door leading below deck.

She opened it and paused as darkness stared back at her.

She swallowed hard, chastising herself for being irrational. Ofcourseit was dark. No one had been down here since they boarded.

She reached for the light and flicked it on.

She stepped down into the boat’s hull, curious as to what she’d see below deck.

But when she reached the cabin, her world began to spin.

A single rose waited on the table there.

* * *

Olivia took a step back and collided with . . . something.

She flinched and spun around.

Wes stood there. But his expression had morphed into one she’d never seen before.

He no longer looked like her friend. He looked . . . diabolical.

“Do you like it?” His voice sounded gravelly and intimate.

“Do I like what?” Her voice trembled as she tried to buy some time to think. To adjust to the fact that all this time she hadn’t known Wes at all. Not the real Wes.

“The rose.” His tone warmed. “This wasn’t how I planned to surprise you. But I think it worked out well.”

She took a step back, trying to put distance between them. The boat continued quietly rocking.

That was when she realized Wes had cut off the engine.

A lump formed in her throat.

“Wes? You’re not The Admirer . . . are you?”

He grinned and stepped closer. “I thought you would’ve figured it out. I thought you’d see through me.”

Her lungs tightened until she could hardly breathe.

This couldn’t be happening.

But it was.

How could she have been so stupid? But she’d never suspected Wes.

He had alibis.

She’d trusted him.

Thought he was her friend.

“Why would you do this?” Her voice trembled as she asked the question.