Page 97 of Cruel Possession

She closes her hand around his forearm. “Noah, just let him go. We can go back home, prove to everyone you’re still alive, and then we can continue on with planning how to get rid of the Lyndes for good.”

Noah smirks, snatching her by the wrist and hauling her in. “I have a much better idea.”

Zoe tries to wrench herself free. “What are you doing? Stop this shit.”

But Noah doesn’t let her go. “You’re going to take care of this little problem for me. That’s how you’re going to prove that you’re loyal to me.” Noah crouches down and pulls out a second gun from a holster on his calf, planting it into her hand. “You’re going to shoot him.”

Zoe’s jaw tightens. “No, I’m not.”

I swallow hard, catching her eye while Noah is laughing, giving her a slight nod.

She has to do it. If she kills me, then she has a chance. Gia and Bianca and Dominic have a chance.

The rest of my family might not have to die.

If she doesn’t, then I don’t know what’s going to happen.

Zoe shakes her head, her eyes filling with tears as she stares at me. “No. I won’t do it.”

Noah presses his gun against her temple. “You’re going to do it if you want Gia to live. What about little Bianca?”

“You wouldn’t kill her.” Zoe sounds confident for the first time since Noah walked into the house.

“You’re right, I won’t. She’s more useful to me alive. After all, I need an heir.” His mouth gets closer to her ear, and I want to close the distance between us and kill him.

I’m not going to risk Zoe, though.

“You, however, got into bed with the fucking enemy. You slept with him. You brought him here and, let me tell you, it didn’t look like you were just using him from what I saw. So, now you’re going to do whatever the fuck I tell you to do.”

Zoe raises the gun, her finger wrapping around the trigger. Tears stream down her cheeks, the tip of her nose turning red. “I’m sorry.”

I shrug, hands tucking into my pockets. “So am I. It’s a shame you brought this on yourself, isn’t it?”

Noah bursts out laughing. “Oh, this is going to be good. This will be wonderful. We’re going to have fun, Zoe.”

That glint is back in his eyes, though. There’s no way he’s going to allow her to live. Not after everything that’s happened. But he is going to keep her alive until he’s done with her.

Zoe’s hands tremble, the gun bobbing a little. “Aiden, you have to run.”

I scoff, putting on the best show that I can. “Don’t pretend that you care about me now.”

She looks like I’ve slapped her. “Aiden?—”

“Don’t bother. Just get it over with.”

I don’t want to die, not really, and not by her hand. It will destroy her. But she has to do this if she wants a chance to escape this fucking mad man.

Noah looks between the two of us, his smile spreading.

Zoe glances at him before her gaze is back on me, tears streaming down her eyes.

Her bottom lip quivers, and she squeezes her eyes shut for a moment before letting out a slow breath.

I wish this was the moment she realizes she loves me. That we can be more, can fight this together. The moment she chooses to save me. But I don’t think she’s going to choose me. How could she when he’s threatening the only family she has left. The only people she loves.

Sure, we might have been together for a while now, but how much of that was actually of her choosing? I kidnapped her. She didn’t choose this life with me, and I can’t be sure that she would. Not when she screwed me over like this.

And that’s why my stomach is tossing and turning, why the sour taste rises in the back of my mouth. Because even after all this, I’d still choose her.