Page 37

Jules

M y head is swimming. Whatever drugs she slipped into the coffee have started to wear off, but as it ebbs away, the fear kicks in. Even though I’ve never been in Odie’s place before, I know that’s where I am now.

There are photographs of him on the wall of what is clearly his study. Candid photos of various events he’s attended over the years. There’s even one of him and my grandfather at the last movie premiere they attended together.

It makes my heart ache to see them here. Even if he was involved, I still remember the boy he’d been before he lost his mother.

“It’s a shame you’re awake for this.” Helena comes into the room along with the large brute of a man who’d been there right as I passed out. He’s carrying a brown box of liquor bottles. “For your sake, I’d have hoped you would’ve still been unconscious.”

My mouth goes dry at the sight of the liquor, and my stomach churns.

“I’m not drinking that.”

She smiles. “Sure you are. You’re an alcoholic. It’s what you do. Set it on the desk.” He does as she says. Then she crosses over and takes out a bottle of vodka. “You know, my husband has made mistakes,” she says. “I won’t deny that. But should the rest of his life be ruined because of them?”

“He kept me prisoner for two years.” Tears burn in the corners of my eyes as panic consumes me.

“You ended up back here. And you had all those years to do something about it, but it wasn’t until he was running for governor that you decided to come forward. Your brother got plenty out of us over the years. The last thing I was going to do was let you capitalize on us too.”

“What are you talking about? I wasn’t trying to capitalize on anything. I kept my mouth shut. Even though I shouldn’t have, I stayed quiet.”

“Your grandfather certainly had quite a few details worked out then. I truly did feel bad that he had to go. Of course, Fletcher couldn’t seem to finish you too.

” She rolls her eyes as she opens the lid to the vodka and walks over toward me.

I press my lips together tightly. “So of course, he had to go. Christopher, here, doesn’t share the same issue.

He finishes what he starts. Your recently departed brother is evidence of that.

” She beams at the wall of muscle as though he’s her hero.

I don’t open my mouth to respond, too afraid that she’ll shove that bottle down my throat the second I do.

She raises it above my head and tips. Cold liquid saturates my hair and clothes, the pungent alcohol smell burning my nose. Bile burns the back of my throat.

God, please help me. Please, Lord. Tears burn my eyes, but I keep them closed as the alcohol continues to be poured over my head. The stench of it reminds me of a time I never want to think about again, and it takes all I have to remain calm.

“See, it’s such a shame. You were always so troubled, and after losing your grandfather and your brother?

Who could blame you for coming here and indulging in your vice?

If only you hadn’t left that candle burning.

” She shakes her head. “It must hurt so badly to know your boyfriend killed your brother.”

Helena steps away from me.

“You’re crazy,” I say, tugging on the ropes binding me to the chair.

“I’m in love with my husband. And I will do whatever is necessary to protect my life.

Your family is the one who pokes their nose in my business, with Odie blackmailing my Glen into letting him ship his contraband overseas and your grandfather poking his nose into the past. If you could have all just left well enough alone, it wouldn’t have been an issue.

Everyone could have gone on about their lives. ”

“Your husband is a monster. I know the real him. The man behind the mask.”

“You were a little harlot. I know all about you, Jules. He told me. Every single bit of it. How you lured him into that car and tempted him then threatened to expose him.”

It’s all lies.

Every word of it.

But arguing won’t do me any good.

The man she’d called Christopher starts opening bottles and pouring them all over the floor as she retrieves a lighter from her pocket and lights the candle sitting on my brother’s desk.

Fear threatens to consume me. Death never scared me before—it’s just a part of life. But now that I know Riley, for the first time since I was sixteen, I want to live. I want to see what the future holds for me. For us.

So I do what I should have been doing my entire life—I bow my head, close my eyes, and pray even as Helena gives Christopher more instructions on how best to make sure I burn up within the first few minutes.

Lord, please be with me. Please let Riley find me.

I don’t want to die, Lord. God, please. I’m so sorry for every bad decision I’ve made.

For the times when I turned away from You instead of running into Your arms. Tears stream down my cheeks.

I want to be better, Lord. I want to be Yours. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Out of nowhere, a calm washes over me, and I know that even if this is the end for me, I’m not here alone.

And that brings me more hope than I think I’ve ever felt.

Helena continues, “Don’t worry though. You’re the last of the loose ends to tie up. That should make you feel better, right? You did last longer than Riley did.”

I open my eyes and look up at her. “What is that supposed to mean?”

She kneels down in front of me. “Christopher’s brother here dealt with Riley himself.

Easy to do given he was chained to a table in an interview room.

Such a shame though. He was something to look at.

A handsome cowboy with a charming smile and a temper?

Delicious. Though I don’t have to tell you that, do I? ”

I know it in my soul that Riley isn’t dead. Not sure how, but there’s not a doubt in my mind that he’s going to come through that door any minute now and rescue me.

The question is: Is she toying with me? Or does she truly believe he’s dead?

“So your answer is to just kill an entire family to protect a man who deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars? The money is that important to you?”

“Money is everything, honey. You should know that. You grew up on a red carpet. Some of us weren’t so lucky.

Grab the box,” she orders. “Leave the bottles.” She retrieves the lit candle and heads toward the door.

“Goodbye, Jules. At least, now your pain will be over.” She throws the candle, and it hits the floor a few feet in front of me.

There’s a large whoosh , and flames begin to eat up the floor where the alcohol has been poured. I breathe deeply, trying to keep my panic at bay as they close the door and leave.

I rock my chair back, the flames growing higher and higher. I’m saturated with alcohol, meaning, if it gets too close—I won’t stand a chance.

The chair falls backward, and I hit the floor with a heavy thud. Pain shoots up through the back of my head, but I ignore it, knowing I only have seconds before this entire room—me included goes up in flames.

“Help!” I scream as I rock my arms, trying to break the fabric holding me to the chair. “Help!” Tears burn in my eyes.

Turn to Him.

The words glide into my mind, and as I focus on them, my panic ebbs. I’m not alone.

Only You can calm the storm, Lord.

I take a shallow breath, then cough as smoke fills my lungs. With one final struggle, the fabric loosens enough that I can slip my arm free. Carefully, I tug at the one on my other arm then undo the bindings on my feet.

I pull the top of my shirt up over my nose and mouth and stumble toward the door, but as I get closer, I pause. The flames were everywhere, and now—right in front of me—is a clear path. I can make it through the flames.

Thank you, Lord.

I push through the fire and pull the door open. My eyes burn as smoke fills them and my lungs. I drop to the ground.

The entire place is in flames. Heat licks my skin. Smoke fills my eyes and burns my lungs.

But I am not afraid.

Because I know that I am not alone.