Page 101 of The Devil's Deceit

“Please, Christian, I never meant for this to happen. I didn’t know he planned to kidnap you. Are you all right?”

“What do you care?”

“I care. I do. Please give me a chance to explain.”

I wall off my feelings, shutting down emotionally. It’s the only way I’ll be able to do what needs to be done. “Listen to me, Grace, and listen carefully.” Even I hear the ice in my tone.

She sucks in a breath.

“I have some advice for you, Little Miss Deceitful. Advice you’d do well to follow.”

“What?” she whispers.

I leave her question lingering in the air for a full ten seconds before I hit her with it.

“Run.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

GRACE

The clammy hands, shallowness of my breathing, and the violent tremors in my thighs are sure signs I’m in the middle of a panic attack. I’m clutching onto the phone so tightly my fingers are cramping, but I can’t let go.

Run.

There’s only one reason he’d say that. He wants to set up the chase, make me terrified, panicked, and in genuine fear of my life. To spend the coming weeks, months, and possibly years looking over my shoulder, constantly moving from place to place, trying to stay one step ahead.

Well, he’s got his wish.

I am petrified.

Stumbling into the walk-in wardrobe, I grab the single suitcase I arrived with before haphazardly shoving clothes and toiletries inside. My gaze passes over the two necklaces Christian gifted me before we were married, and I reach out to stuff them into my bag.

No, I can’t do it. I never wanted his money. I only ever wanted the truth.

I glance down at the third finger of my left hand, but as I go to remove my wedding and engagement rings, I stop. Juliet was right in what she said all those months ago. I will need access to fast cash, and pawning jewelry is the best way to get that. But just the rings. I’m not taking the jewels. They’re worth far more. Millions, probably.

My heart is in my throat as I peek into the hallway. Empty. On the balls of my feet, I scoot down the stairs, praying I don’t bump into any of Christian’s family. If they don’t already, they’ll know soon enough what a charlatan I am and how I duped them all. Then they will hate me, as I deserve.

Now my cover is blown, I’ll never truly know what happened to Mum and Dad, and maybe that’s my punishment. I’m more convinced than ever that Christian didn’t kill my parents. Perhaps his procedures were off, or his checks and balances were poorly constructed, leading to the collapse of Nexus, but outright murder? I don’t buy it.

If it hadn’t been for Daniel dripping poison into my ears from the moment we discovered my parents were underneath the rubble at Nexus, maybe I’d have jumped to a different conclusion, or possibly asked Christian outright what happened. I had the opportunity at the funeral, but by then our plans were already solidifying. The decisions were made, and I didn’t even consider a different path. Grief made me blind to other avenues. All I wanted was vengeance.

I make it outside Oakleigh without bumping into anyone, not even a single staff member. This isn’t unusual. It’s a gigantic monolith of a house, and for once I’m grateful for its size and how spread out everyone is.

Each step I take toward the garages, where my battered old car lives, and that I haven’t had cause to use since Imarried Christian, I keep expecting my bodyguard Powell to appear, his resident scowl in place, but he doesn’t. I make it to the garages and locate my car tucked away in a corner. I dig out the key and unlock it. The indicators flash and the locks clunk. I open the door and almost fall into the driver’s seat.

Please don’t let the battery be dead.

I turn the key in the ignition. The engine roars to life. Resting my head on the steering wheel, I take a deep breath and try to slow my racing heart, but it’s pointless. I’m not sure I’ll ever know what a resting heart rate is again. I steer out of the garage and make my way up the winding driveway to the main gatehouse, glancing in my rear-view mirror the entire journey. It takes a full two minutes to reach the grand entrance to Oakleigh. I brace for the guard to leave his station and demand to know where my bodyguard is. Instead, as I approach, the gates swing open, allowing me to drive through.

What?

How?

As soon as I’m through, I floor the accelerator and speed away from Oakleigh. It shouldn’t have been that easy. It just shouldn’t. Unless…

Run.