“Get out,” he said sharply. “Leave and don’t return until tomorrow.”
As if in a trance, the woman started down the steps, barefooted and only dressed in a nightgown, her gait jerky and stilted. She walked straight to a vehicle parked a short distance away, got in and then simply drove away, disappearing down the drive.
Panic swamped Eliza and she lifted her chin in determination, staring Thomas down.
“If you planted a compulsion for her to commit suicide, I’ll never forgive you.”
In a sickeningly sweet and soothing tone he said, “You have no need to worry about the woman. No harm will come to her. She’ll return to her home tomorrow and resume her pathetic existence. Now we need to hurry. We are also leaving this house and this town.”
“I didn’t pack a bag,” Eliza murmured, her tone regretful and apologetic. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, what your plans were or if you even still wanted me.”
Thomas’s eyes glittered, triumph and victory gleaming brightly. “You don’t need anything, my love. I will provide everything you need. I only have one task for you before we depart.”
Eliza sent him an innocent, puzzled look. “You know I’ll do whatever you want.”
Thomas nodded approvingly. “You will write a letter explaining that you are leaving with me and that you only want a quiet life with me away from the prying eyes of those who would judge and scorn you.”
“But why bother?” she asked. “No one would care. Everyone here hates me. They won’t care that I’m gone. In fact, they’ll be happy.”
Thomas made a sound of impatience. “If we both disappear, it will raise suspicion and we will never have the life I want for us. It will be suspected that I killed you in revenge so you have to convince the public that you willingly chose to go away with me.”
A chill slithered down Eliza’s spine. She had been wrong about Thomas’s obsession with her and her certainty that he would never harm her, only those he saw as a threat for her love. He was lying about the reasons for wanting her to write the letter. He had no intention of taking her anywhere. The letter would only serve to exonerate him when he killed her and she disappeared, leaving him free to also disappear and everyone would assume she went willingly with him. No one would even look for her body or blink an eye over her sudden disappearance.
Except Wade and Dane.
They’d never buy anything she wrote about loving Thomas and going away with him. But would they find the letter—or her—too late to save her? Did Thomas plan to kill her here or would he take her somewhere so he could make her suffer for as long as possible before finally killing her?
Thank God he couldn’t read her now or he’d know everything. Everyone she loved would be a target. And because he couldn’t read her he didn’t know about her ace in the hole. Wade. She just had to buy enough time for him to find her. He wouldn’t rest, sleep or eat until he found her. She knew that. She just had to pray that he found her in time.
“Of course I’ll write a letter. Is there anyone specific you want me to address it to?”
She purposely injected excitement into her voice and then asked, “Where are we going Thomas? Where will we live? I can’t believe we are finally free to be together. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”
His smile was smug and victorious. He thought he had her right where he wanted her and he was positively gleeful over the idea of retribution and escaping justice yet again.
“You don’t need to worry about a single thing. I’ll take care of you just like I always did.”
She smiled despite the fact she was screaming on the inside. She had to hold it together. She couldn’t fall apart. Everything was riding on her being able to deceive Thomas and buy enough time to either catch him off guard and take him down herself or for Wade to track her down and swoop in like an avenging angel and mete out his own brand of retribution.
“I know,” she said softly, her tone dreamy. “You always took care of me, Thomas. You always protected me. You’ve always been my hero.”
“Come,” he said, extending his hand to take hers. “We need to get you inside so you can write the letter and then we’ll leave immediately.”
Eliza let him take her hand and managed not to shudder or recoil. She even leaned into him as they entered the house, but the entire time she was fervently praying that she would live to tell Wade how much she loved him again.
Thomas urged her to the kitchen table where pen and paper were already laid out. He directed her to sit, forgoing any attempt to be tender and loving as he’d been earlier.
He stood over her, dictating word for word what she was to write and he watched closely, ensuring she did as commanded. It took all of Eliza’s hard-won and practiced self-discipline to maintain her composure and calmly write exactly what Thomas recited without her hands shaking or her handwriting being illegible.
She made a mental sigh of relief when she completed the letter without giving herself away. She signed her name and dated it and then tilted her head up to look at Thomas and smiled.
“So do we leave now? Where are we going? I’m so excited, Thomas. You have no idea how much I’ve longed for this. It’s like a dream come true.”
Thomas reached over and snatched the paper, folding it neatly and then laying it aside.
“Stand up,” he said coldly.
She adopted a hurt, confused look as she rose from the chair. “What’s wrong, Thomas? Did I do something wrong? I wrote the letter verbatim as you told me to.”
His hand slid inside his jacket and he pulled out a handgun, aiming it directly at her. Her heart sank. She’d known this was going to happen but a secret part of her had hoped she was wrong. Was he going to kill her right now? How could she buy time? Time had run out for her.
“What are you doing?” she whispered. “I don’t understand.”
His eyes glittered with rage. “Did you honestly think that I would just forget and forgive what you did? I loved you. I would have done anything in the world for you. There is nothing I wouldn’t have given you. And you betrayed me. You are a lying, deceitful whore. I’ve spent the last ten years dreaming of this moment. To return the pain and suffering you caused me. I lost years of my life because of you. You ungrateful bitch. I gave you everything and you gave me lies. Now it’s my turn to make you suffer. To cause you unspeakable pain and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.”