The Alpha's Assistant & The Dom Next Door: A Billionaire Romance Collection by Michelle Love, Eliza Duke (10)

Dan looked surprised. “No, darling, don’t you remember? Before I …went away, we were trying.”

Sarah shook her head and snatched her hand away from him. “No, Dan. I didn’t find out until after you left me.”

Dan winced. “Please, Sarah, don’t remind me of how foolish I was. I’m sure I’ve known since we married. Does it matter?”

Yes, it does. It’s private. Sarah looked away from his gaze. “Dan…I’m married to Isaac. I’m in love with Isaac.”

Dan laughed, a humorless sound. “Well, you certainly forgot that when you were screaming my name last night.”

Was he insane? Every second of last night was clear in her mind. At no point, she thought, did I ever scream your name except to try and get you to stop. But you didn’t stop, did you?

“Dan…I was upset last night, I wasn’t thinking. I asked you stop. More than once.”

He looked up sharply. “Sarah, what are you accusing me of?”

She swallowed, the anger was rolling off him. “I’m just asking if you heard me.”

He shrugged. “I’ve already answered you, Sarah. Now can we eat?”

The food was delicious but she felt her throat closing every time she started to swallow. She felt him watching her. She put her fork down and wiped her mouth.

“Dan, last night was a mistake. I don’t want to upset you but it was.”

He ignored her gaze. “You’re just confused, Sarah. That will pass. Eat your breakfast.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “Are you even going to listen to me?”

Dan slammed his fist down on the table, stood and swept the plates from it; they shattered against the counters, food spattering everywhere. Sarah jumped up in shock, her heart thumping. Dan’s face was red, his eyes bulging out at her, fists clenched.

“Why must you always question me?” He stepped towards her, backed her up until she was pressed against the refrigerator, feeling its handle dig into her back. She couldn’t catch her breath in the face of his overwhelming anger. He twisted a handful of her hair in his fingers, yanking on it. She gasped at the quick pain.

“Don’t you know how much I’ve done for you? Don’t you appreciate anything?” His mouth was close to her ear now. “I fucking own you, you ungrateful little bitch.”

Sarah was frozen. Then, just a sudden as his temper flashed, it was gone. He released her hair, blinked and his expression registered shock.

“Oh my God…Sarah, I’m so sorry, so sorry…” He gathered her to him but she stayed tensed as he rocked her gently. “I didn’t mean any of that. Please forgive me…I’m just so concerned for you, I’m just trying to do what’s right.”

His contrition seemed so genuine but Sarah couldn’t move. He kissed her, trying to get her to relax but she wouldn’t yield.

“Sarah, please…let’s go to bed, let me show you how much I care for you…” His voice was tender, seductive. He slid his hands, gentle now, around her waist, kissing from her neck to her ear. She could feel his erection pressing against her. A wave of nausea rose up.

“No. No, Dan, stop.” She pushed him away, hands flat against his chest. He stepped back and she felt a pang of guilt at the hurt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry…I just can’t. Not with you, I’m sorry.” She turned away from him, breathed deeply.

After a moment, he spoke. “Is this still about Isaac Quinn? The man who betrayed you? Because I seemed an adequate replacement last night or have you forgotten that we fucked? Am I just one of many?”

She whirled around then, angry. “So now I’m a whore?”

“I didn’t say that.”

She threw up her hands. “Well, go right ahead. Everyone else thinks I’m a whore, just like my dear old mama.”

“I don’t think you’re a whore. I just think you used me.”

His words, spoken in a gentle manner, stopped her. “I used you?”

He nodded. “I know you were upset last night. Was I just the nearest warm body?”

She sighed, exhausted. “Dan…I’m sorry but I love Isaac. If he’ll want me after this, I don’t know but I do know one thing. There is no future for you and me, Dan.”

He stared at her for a few moments then stalked out. She heard the front door slam, shaking the whole house. She let out the breath she had been holding. The house echoed with silence again. Sarah cleaned up, moving around the kitchen slowly, grabbing the broom from the pantry, thinking about Dan’s words.

You used me. You used me.

Did I? She shook her head, trying to remember the other night better; she’d been so upset, so hysterical. Had she initiated it? Been so desperate for security, for someone to hold her that…no. She’d take responsibility for her part but Dan had been a willing partner.

But you knew he would be…The thought of his cock pushing into her filled her mind and she gagged, dropping the broom and dashing up the stairs to the bathroom, where she threw up and up and up until she was dry heaving. After a while she staggered to her feet and rinsed her mouth out, glancing at her wan appearance in the mirror.

“Who are you?” she whispered to the reflection, but it had no answer for her.

Isaac ran the gauntlet of the press that had been camped outside his office building for the last week. The gutter press had had a field day with the news – helpfully delivered to them by Caroline Jewell – that he and Sarah had split. Gleeful headlines like “Secret Love Child Smashes Quinn Marriage After Two Weeks” and “Beauty and the Betrayer: How Isaac Quinn Lost the Love of His Life.” That last one had hit him hard. At home in the apartment, with Sarah’s clothes still hanging alongside his in the closet; her perfume bottle on the nightstand, her books mingled with his on the bookshelves, her absence seemed to echo around the apartment. He knew Molly had been right when she told him to make sure the foundation of their marriage was stable enough for Sarah to come back too but the reality was, he still wasn’t sure she would come back. If she did, how would she ever trust him again?

Maggie, his assistant met him at the elevator, her eyes huge. “You okay, boss? God, they’re like vultures.” She squinted at him as they walked to his office. “You do look better, though. Has Sarah been in touch?”

Isaac smiled at her. “We’ve talked. We’re working things out, she’s just taking a few days.”

Maggie patted his shoulder. “That’s good news.”

At his desk, Isaac called Sarah’s number as soon as he sat down. He reasoned she hadn’t said anything about not calling her. The call, however, went straight to voicemail. He left a message. “Just checking in, baby. Call me anytime…I love you.”

He sat at his desk, flicking through his emails without much interest, when Saul came into the office, shutting the door behind him. He sat down opposite his younger brother, eyeing him.

“Well…the prodigal son, etc. etc.” His tone was hard and Isaac nodded.

“Yup.” He didn’t know what else to say; Saul was obviously pissed, rightly so.

“What now?” Saul narrowed his eyes. “Another divorce? You’ve run rough-shod over that girl’s life and now this?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Isaac was annoyed now. “Yeah, I should have told her about the kid but apart from that…”

“You’ve been thinking that the threats and attacks have been coming from Sarah’s side but what if it’s someone targeting you?”

Isaac was confused. “Saul, it was Caroline Jewell who arranged the meeting with Clare. She and Sarah have hated each other from childhood. Caroline, who is fucking Dan Bailey, has been fucking him for months.”

Saul nodded. “Sure but why does it follow that both things are connected?”

Isaac shook his head, confused. “I’m not following.”

Saul sighed in frustration. “Isaac – I’m talking about Clare. Look, I didn’t want to have to tell you this but she’s been seen – she was seen – over the past year, turning up to events where you were, with and without Sarah. The first time she saw you with Sarah was at the Friedling Benefit at the Seattle Center a couple of months ago. Sarah was attacked three days later. Didn’t she say her attacker told her that he was going to make you watch while he killed her?”

“Exactly, he. It was a man.”

Saul’s jaw clenched. “Who just could have easily been hired by Clare.”

Isaac stared at his brother for a long moment. “Have you any other reason to suspect Clare than that?”

Saul shrugged. “You were always blind to who she really was. She thought by getting pregnant, she could trap you into marriage but you didn’t take the bait. Maybe she thought she could scare Sarah off.”

Isaac rolled his shoulders and stood. “Saul, I think you’re reaching. What about the attack on Molly? George’s murder?”

His brother sighed. “Look, I’m just saying, you’re so focused on the ex-husband, I think you’re overlooking another avenue of investigation. Isaac?”

“What?”

“Clare threatened Maika once.”

“What the hell?” Isaac was stunned. “When?”

“A little over two months into your relationship. I assume you told Clare the story of you and Maika?”

Isaac laughed without mirth. “I thought it best. For some reason, back then, I didn’t keep secrets.”

Saul nodded. “Well, it was when you and Clare came to dinner. Maika told me what she said, word for word, when they were talking together alone.”

“Which was what?”

“I’m quoting…”I want us to be close, Maika, like sisters, so I’ll say this only once. Don’t ever mess with my man again. I play dirty”.”

“Jesus.” Isaac put his head in his hands. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

Saul smiled. “Because Maika asked me not to. She was worried that you’d think she was a jinx on your love life. By the way, she says if you don’t get Sarah back, you’re a fool and she’ll kick your ass.”

Isaac chuckled, sighing, shaking his head. “She’s well within her rights, I was an idiot. Look, thanks, Saul, I mean it. I had no idea Clare was so unstable, I’ll…god, I don’t know, talk to her.”

“Might be worth mentioning to your cop friend. Anyhoo, glad you’re here, buddy. We got a big year coming up and I need your head in the game.”

Isaac nodded, distracted, as his brother left his office. He had been stuck in the headspace of “Dan Bailey is a psycho” that he never considered that the actual threat could be coming from his life. He resisted the urge to call Sarah again – although the need to hear her voice was killing him. Instead, he called the head of QuinnCorp’s security and asked him to come to his office.

If there was one thing he could do, was enlist an entire fleet of detectives and find out once and for all, who was threatening the life of the woman he loved.

She walked slowly across the park to the beach, sitting on one of the large pieces of driftwood. The water, unusually calm, was an emerald mirror. A large Labrador bounded gleefully into it, chasing a ball and Sarah smiled sadly, missing Wilson, the way he used to stick his muzzle into her hand when he wanted a fuss or wanted her to throw one of his tennis balls.

She moved down onto the sand, leaning against the wood, tucking her legs up under her chin, leaning her cheek on her knees. She felt hollow, drained. How the hell had it come to this? A week ago she was happy, married to the love of her life, ready to face head on any problem, any threat. How had she been so stupid?

“Hey, funny face.”

She looked up to see Finn smiling down at her. He eased down onto the sand next to her and bumped her shoulder with his.

“Thanks for coming, Finn. I needed to talk to someone and I couldn’t think of anyone else. I need to tell you something, something I did and I need to talk it out with you.”

Finn leaned against her then, balancing his chin on her arm. “You’re my boo, Sazzle. You can tell me anything.”

She studied him, suddenly unsure. “Can I? Or am I using you too?”

He looked confused. “Huh?”

To her horror, the tears came then and she started to sob, great desiccating sobs of heartbreak. Finn wrapped his arms around her and held her, saying nothing.

As her tears turned to gulps, she told him in halting words what had happened. Finn listened as she stammered out her fears, her desperation.

When she finally stopped speaking, Finn gave her a minute before he spoke. “Darlin”, the thing you’ve never allowed yourself is that you’re a human, a fallible human being who makes mistakes. You think that if you’re good and perfect twenty-four-seven then people will love you. Here’s the secret: People love you anyway. You can fuck up if you want. Yeah, sleeping with Mr. Charm was a mistake,” he grinned at her, “but, god, the mistakes I’ve made, that you’re Isaac has made…it’s okay, Sarah. I’m pissed that Dan took advantage but…”

“No, don’t do that. I’m an adult, I’ve got to take responsibility. It’s just…oh god, Finn, how the hell do I tell Isaac?”

Finn took a deep breath in. “Just say the words. It happened. He’ll have to deal.” He looked out to the ocean. “Maybe I’m not the right person to advise you on that point.”

“Finn, I wish I could make you happy, I wish I could give you what you think you want. But I love Isaac and I won’t lose you. I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, nothing,” he said fiercely. “I just should have figured out how I felt earlier. Isaac’s a good man, he is the one for you. I have to move on, I will move on and yes, I’m not losing you either. You are my family.”

Sarah leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I do love you, you know.”

Finn smiled and she was glad to see the smile reached his eyes. Only a trace of pain remained. “Love you too, shorty. Now…how about I give you a ride into the city?”

Isaac was distracted when he pushed open the door to the apartment that evening. He dumped his bag in the hallway, scooped up some mail from the floor and was flipping through it as he walked into his living room. He didn’t see her until she spoke.

“Isaac.”

Sarah was standing in the middle of the room, her hands twisting nervously at the hem of her shirt, her dark hair tumbling down her shoulders, her dark eyes full of tears. Isaac dropped everything and went to her, pulling her to him and kissing her, pouring every ounce of his love into the embrace, feeling her soft lips part and respond to him then her hands on his chest pushing him away.

“No, Isaac, don’t…please, I can’t...” she choked back a sob and his heart flipped, heartbreak and fear screaming through his body. He tried to touch her but she backed away.

“What? What is it, love? Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

Sarah started to sob in earnest and Isaac felt his heart go out to her, such was her distress. “Isaac, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”

She was leaving him. God, no. Suddenly the big man felt his legs liquefying. “No…no, please, Sarah, don’t leave me, I love you so much.”

She shook her head, trying to quell the tears. “No, it’s not that, I don’t want to leave you, not ever, but what I did…could you ever forgive me?”

And then he knew. He stared at her, his expression shutting down. “You have to say it. Say the words, Sarah or I won’t believe it. Say it.” His voice was like ice.

Sarah drew in a deep breath and when she looked into his eyes, he could see the bottomless grief in hers, the warm brown color, usually so alive and happy now sorrowful.

“I slept with Dan. Last night.” Her voice was flat, dead. “It was a mistake, I was having a panic attack but it happened.”

Isaac felt his heart crack wide open and then anger, rage, jealousy flooded his veins. Isaac turned and punched the wall. Hard. Sarah jumped, gave a small cry. She heard the cracking of bones, the tearing of skin. Isaac cursed, shaking out his hand. The door burst open and Isaac’s security guard stood in the door.

“Sir?”

“I’m fine. Go.”

“Sir, I…”

“Get out!” Isaac’s roar shook the windows, and, after shooting a concerned glance at a frozen Sarah, the guard left hurriedly. Isaac closed his eyes and breathed hard. The thought of Dan fucking Bailey putting his hands on her…he couldn”t, wouldn’t, believe that Sarah had been a willing partner to it.

“Why?”

“Isaac?”

“Why were you upset?”

Sarah hesitated then told him the whole story. Isaac listened, not looking at her. After she finished, there was another long silence.

“So, you asked him to stop?”

“Yes.”

“Then it was rape.” He looked at her finally but she shook her head.

“No. I could have tried harder, I was just so out of it and I was scared. It was over so quickly but, god…I feel sick to my stomach, Isaac. I would never cheat on you – it seems ridiculous to say that now.”

“And you’re sure you heard this singing? Your mother singing?”

“At the time but obviously…I think I’m losing it.”

Isaac was silent then, his eyes closed, he said in a low, broken voice. “I want to forgive you, I do, because god knows, I’ve made mistakes but I keep seeing his hands on you, thinking about him inside you…god…”

Sarah brushed tears away from her eyes. “I think I should go.”

Isaac nodded slowly. “I think you should.”

It was only after she’d closed the door quietly behind her that Isaac Quinn allowed himself to break.

Sarah made it back to the house before she fell apart. She dropped her bag and slid down onto the floor against the front door. She dragged huge breaths in trying to alleviate the crushing grief. And failed.

It was all over. Isaac would never look at her the same; they could never go back to what they had been.

“Sarah?”

Dan, obviously having come in the back door, stood in the doorway to the kitchen. She stared at him with hatred and scrambled to her feet. She pushed past him into the kitchen.

“I’m just getting my things together, Dan. I have to leave, you understand that, right?”

Dan was silent and she turned to face him. The moronic, knowing grin on his face made her shoulders tense, irritation mixed with dread.

“You went to see him.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you following me?”

“Yes.”

The blunt admission made her rock back. “What the fuck?”

Dan stepped towards her. “I need to know where my wife is, right?”

She was annoyed beyond fear now. “Dan, I am married to Isaac, not you anymore. You get that right or have you lost it completely?”

“But he doesn’t want you anymore, Sarah. Not after you let me fuck you last night.”

Sarah balled her hands into fists. “That was a mistake – how many times do you want me to say it?”

“Don’t be silly, Sarah, there is no Isaac. We are married, we are happy – if we weren’t, what would be the point of living?”

Oh god. The façade had dropped completely and now when she looked at him she saw only the madness, the murderous, terrifying madness.

“You are insane,” she whispered.

He smiled pleasantly at her. “Take your panties off.”

“Dan, stop it.”

“Take them…off.” He pressed his body against her. “Or shall I do it? C’mon Sarah. Let’s stop all the games.” He slid a hand between her legs, and she knocked it away.

“Don’t touch me.” God, this was all she needed.

Dan smiled at her, but it was not a friendly expression. He pinned her up against the counter.

“No need to be silly now, Sarah. I know you want this as much as I do.”

She closed her eyes, willed herself to block out her feelings. Get through this. What did it matter now anyway? Isaac was gone. She felt him tugging at her underwear and didn’t stop him. Gritting her teeth she opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“You’re right. Of course, you’re right.”

She kissed him, trying not to throw up as she did. He lifted her onto the counter, his hands all over her. Her hands trembling, she reached for his fly – and he stopped her. His eyes were alive with victory, his smile wide and mocking.

“No. I don’t need your pity fuck, Sarah.”

He stepped away from her, scooped her underwear from the floor and threw it at her. Humiliation swept over her as she realized what he was doing. She slid from the counter, balling up her underwear, shoving it in her pocket. She could feel her face burning and she heard him laugh softly. Bastard.

She moved away from him, putting herself between him and the door. She pulled a small jewelry box out of her bag, put it on the table, and slid across to him. This morning, in the shower she’d felt the ruby, blood red at her throat and had to resist the urge to tug it off and throw it away.

“I don’t want this.” She trailed off. Dan just stood there, watching her, reading her, smirking and a flash of annoyance ran through her. “Dan, you need to go. I can’t deal with…”

In an instant he was beside her, his hand gripping her arm and as he stared down at her, she noticed he wasn’t blinking, his pupils pinpoints. Angry. She didn’t like where this was going at all.

“Mmm,” he ran his lips down her throat, “you know something, Sarah?” His lips were at her ear and he whispered. “I could break you, baby girl.”

Sarah groped blindly behind her, felt the solid wood of the knife block. Her fingers felt the cold steel of a chef’s knife and she pulled it free, ready to use it. Dan gave a low laugh and she felt his hand close over hers, gently take the weapon from her. Sarah was paralyzed with fear. Dan put the knife out of her reach.

“Sarah, come on. If it came to a fight, is that blade more likely to end up in me…or you?” His voice was a seduction, a whisper. He reached out and ran a casual finger down her stomach. He pressed his index finger hard into her navel and Sarah’s stomach muscles contracted. She gasped, unable to stop the fear overwhelming her. He smiled slowly, cocked his head to the side.

“Shall we see, Sarah? Shall we see who would win?” He reached out and took up the knife again. Sarah’s throat constricted, she couldn’t breathe. Dan leaned in and whispered into her ear. “Here comes the horror.”

Suddenly she wasn’t frightened anymore but furious. Incandescent. Pissed as hell.

“Do it,” she hissed in his face, “kill me. I’d rather take that knife over and over than ever let you touch me again. You are repulsive to me, Dan. You disgust me.”

Dan’s eyes blazed and she suddenly felt the cool steel against the skin of her stomach. She didn’t back down. “Do it, you coward, finish this.” She pressed herself onto the knife, feeling the tip slice into her skin, a tiny rivulet of blood drip down her stomach. She was amazed how little the thought of dying bothered her now. She looked into the eyes of the man she had once loved and saw nothing but bloodlust. Time froze for a second then Dan laughed, tossed the knife away.

“Desperate to pin those crimes on me, aren’t you? I must say,” and he pressed his body against hers. “The thought of driving that knife into you is quite tempting, but it’s just not the right time.”

Sarah pushed him away and Dan laughed. “Dan, that’s enough. I want you to leave, leave this house, the island. I don’t want to see you, talk to you.”

“I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere, Sarah. Not unless you come with me. You don’t honestly think I’m going to leave you here, do you?” Not alive. Unspoken words in the air.

Anger, white hot, burning anger, overwhelmed any fear she had felt. She smiled mirthlessly, looking around at the house she had shared with this man. It had been their home. She had married him willingly – happily. That was another lifetime. She reached behind her and opened the door. “Goodbye, Dan.”

“Sarah, wait.”

Gritting her teeth, she turned back to face him and gasped. Dan was on top of her, making it impossible for her to move. She groaned in terror as he rammed his body against hers, burying his head in her hair. His teeth nipped painfully on her earlobe as he whispered in her ear.

“You have no idea what I’m capable of, baby girl. But I promise you this, you’re going to find out.”

Then, abruptly, he was gone. She moved, still half winded, and practically threw herself against the door and locked it. She darted around the house, making sure all of the windows and doors were locked and wondered how many times recently she had felt safe. Not many.

It wasn’t until she was sure the place was secure that she gave into the shock, the fear, and the utter, utter relief of being free of him.

At least she knew something for sure now. Dan wanted to kill her. He had made that clear – but not in any way she could prove. Damn it.

Sarah lay on the floor of the kitchen, wanting to feel the slate tiles beneath her cool her body and calming her mind. Her plans, her life, her marriage were in tatters and now she knew, it was time to regroup.

Pushing the thought of Isaac to the back of her mind, she went through the house methodically, scrubbing every trace of herself from it. She wanted out of that life for good. She knew she could stay with Molly until she figured out what to do. Maybe she’d leave the state for a while, go down to Portland or San Francisco.

There wasn’t much of her stuff left – she was clearing some photos of her from the living room when she saw it, leaning against a dark corner of the room. Her portfolio from college – from the first failed attempt when she had been studying architecture.

College. Her plans for her new start had been so far from her mind lately. She picked up the portfolio and opened it, smiling to herself at the sketches and diagrams. Maybe when this was all over, she’d get back on track, take up her place at college. She zipped up the portfolio again and then stopped. She reached into the corner and pulled out a cardboard tube. Pulling out the paper, she unfurled it across the top of the piano. It was the blueprint of the house. She looked it over, remembering why she loved architecture so much, the structure, the details of each corner and nook and…

When the thought came to her, it hit her full force. Her body started to tremble and she ran into the kitchen, flicking on the lights to the basement and pulling open the door to her cupboard. Hesitating a second, she grabbed a flashlight and headed down the stairs. The basement itself was brightly lit and had a slight smell of damp. She rarely came down here but it wasn’t a dingy space. But she headed for the far wall and pulled the cupboard away from it.

The door to the crawlspace was loose. She tugged it off and shone the flashlight into it, listening carefully. Nothing. She stepped into the partition. The house had crawlspaces in the walls, running all over the house. She and Dan had discussed blocking them up, for insulation more than anything but had never gotten around to it.

Now she shone the flashlight around the space. It was wide enough for her, even wide enough for a large man like Dan. She was still shaking and the light danced along the dark wall. She moved through the passageways. It was in the space behind the living room she found it.

A sleeping bag. Newspapers. An empty scotch bottle. She let out her breath in a rush, her heart thudding. Dan hadn’t been missing at all. His paranoia and controlling had been worse than she could ever have imagined. This was worse than she could even fathom.

He’d been living in the walls of the house.

Isaac pushed his way through the throng of reporters outside the apartment building and let out an annoyed growl as he finally managed to shake them off. He walked – he didn’t know where he was headed – but he just walked, the rain-slicked streets of Seattle mostly empty of people.

Fuck. He shouldn’t have let Sarah go like that. Let her walk out of the door. It was just…the thought of her being screwed by Dan Bailey, that she’d gone along with it, even under those circumstances. She was scared of Dan, he reasoned, it would have been easier to go along with it, especially if she were upset or, as she thought, was drugged.

Isaac stopped, realized he was down on the waterfront. He walked slowly along to one of the piers with seating and sat down. Twilight had fallen over the city and the restaurants along the boardwalk were getting full. Across the water he could see the lights of the island. Had she gone back there? He could call Molly but then, if Sarah hadn’t gone back, she’d be worried.

Jesus, man, you’re a fucking billionaire, an expert businessman and yet you can’t figure this out. It’s easy. Forgive. Go get your girl and keep her safe. Isaac stood and went to the sidewalk to hail a cab. Just get this done. Stop fucking around.

Go get her back and never let her go.

Nausea screeched up inside her and Sarah swallowed, trying to stop from throwing up. Fear. Anger. Horror. The sheer violation of her private space, her life.

“Motherfucker.” She whispered. She knelt and picked up the papers. Different dates, all over the past two years “Jesus. Jesus.”

She clambered out of the crawlspace into the basement and moved swiftly around, gathering every flashlight, hurricane lamp, anything she could find that would light up the passageways. She moved through the space placing a light wherever she could. Then she went back into the main house and switched off every ceiling light, table lamp she’d put on earlier and stood back. The evening had settled in now and it was pitch black.

Except the thin streams of light that flowed from the peepholes Dan had drilled in every wall. They were all bored in such a way that a casual observer wouldn’t see them.

Sarah, anger having completely overtaken any fear she felt, moved from room to room, the rage at the abuse of her privacy, every scenario Dan could have witnessed running through her mind. The kitchen where she spent the most of her time, the living room. The bathroom where she bathed, where she was at her most vulnerable. The bedroom where she and Isaac had made love all so many times. She went back into the bathroom and this time, she did throw up. Throwing the switches on around the house, she grabbed her phone and went back to the crawl spaces taking photos as best she could before lugging everything she’d found to the kitchen. Underneath the sleeping bag, she found a mp3 player and frowned. She scanned the walls and saw wires leading up to the wall behind her bedroom. She switched the mp3 player on, smiling grimly, already knowing what she was about to hear.

I got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart…

“Fucking motherfucking cocksucking asshole!” She screamed it now, her fury red hot. She started to kick at anything she could, blindly raging.

Dan had deliberately tried to make her feel like she had been going crazy. Sarah shook her head, catching her breath. She wondered how far he’d gone. She knew the answer of course. Drawing in a great lungful of breath, she carried the rest of his camp to the kitchen. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket just as it rang. Finn.

She told him everything she’d found and heard his angry hiss.

“Darlin”, we’re on our way. Stay inside the house.”

Isaac pulled the car off of the ferry and headed into town. As he pulled up to the Varsity he saw Finn’s police cruiser outside and inside, Molly and Finn stood, listening to whatever Sarah was saying. God, look at her. His stomach disappeared when suddenly Molly noticed his car and pointed it out to Sarah. She turned and their eyes locked. Like a robot, Isaac got out of the car and walked to the coffee house door, pushing it open. Sarah stood, and now he noticed, she was trembling. She didn’t move as he walked towards the trio. He nodded at Molly who smiled, and Finn, who nodded stiffly.

Then he looked down at Sarah. Her dark hair was messy, clouding around her head, falling down her back in chestnut waves. Her big dark eyes were swimming with tears, her face flushed pink. He reached out and placed his palm against her cheek and she leaned into it.

“You and me forever,” he said softly and pulled her into his arms as she began to sob.

She related everything she’d told Molly and Finn to an incredulous Isaac and afterward, they all sat in silence. Finn sighed and ran his hands through his hair, frustrated.

“For fuck’s sake. I just wanna arrest the son of a bitch, throw his ass in jail.”

Sarah took a deep breath in. “You can’t, Finn. We can’t prove anything, he’s too careful. There’s no way he’ll risk exposure. Unless….”

Isaac, his arm locked around Sarah’s waist, looked as confused as Molly and Finn. “Unless what, sweetheart?”

“Unless he’s provoked”

“No! We are not going to use you as bait. No way, Sarah, not gonna happen.”

Several of the customers looked over as Isaac banged his fist on the table. Sarah jumped. Isaac looked around, his face grim. He spoke again, lowering his voice so only she could hear him. “Do you honestly think I, or Finn, or Molly would let that happen? No.”

“Agreed.” Finn was stone-faced. “Jesus, Sarah…” He put his head in his hands. Sarah reached over to grab his arm.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Finn gripped her hand for a second then let go. “Dumb idea. Dumbest I ever heard.”

“I know. “

Isaac laughed softly and they all looked at him in disbelief. He smiled, holding his hand up. “Sorry, it’s just…Saul was trying to sell me on the theory that Clare was somehow responsible for all of this. Guess this blows that idea out of the water.”

Sarah put her head on his shoulder. “Guess so.”

Molly had been silent, watching them, her eyes hooded and tired. Sarah looked over at her. “You okay, Mols?”

Molly tried to smile. “I’ll just be glad when all this crap is over.”

In the motel room, Caroline lay naked in Dan’s bed, smoking and sated from an evening of screwing. Dan was in the shower. She sat up and checked he was still in the bathroom then darted over to his closet. She opened the door and rifled through his stuff. She found his gun, his wallet – her eyes lit up when she saw the amount of cash in there – and a plane ticket. A plane ticket. Single.

“Find what you were looking for?”

She started but then anger took over. “Going somewhere?” She waved the ticket at him. He smirked.

“No Caroline, I thought, after I kill Sarah, I’d stay and enjoy the fishing. Maybe take up golf.” He took the ticket from her and shoved it back into his jacket. She gaped at him.

“What about me? What about us?”

“Us?” He looked bored

“Us. I love you.”

He gave her an incredulous look. “Caroline, I doubt you’ve ever loved anyone but yourself.”

“Bastard!” She started to hit him. He laughed and easily pulled her off of him. She started to cry. “What about our child?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know that it’s mine.

She changed tactics. She put her hands on his chest. “Dan, I do. I love you. And I had thought, especially after everything I’ve done for you, that I’d earned your trust. Your love.”

Dan was silent, studying her for a long moment. She was beginning to feel uneasy when he smiled, his whole face softening. “You’re right. Of course, forgive me, darling, I was thoughtless.

He pulled her down onto the bed with him and kissed her.

“Listen,” he said, “You once told me that you’d do anything for me, help me hurt Sarah for betraying me. Did you mean that?

Caroline beamed at him. “I did. So what are you waiting for? Finish the bitch and we can get out of here, wait for our child to be born free of this goddamned place.”

Dan smiled. “Patience. It’ll all be over soon.”

Molly had gone home by the time Sarah locked the Varsity. Isaac and Finn were still talking. Sarah joined them and Isaac took her hand.

“Come home,” he said simply and she nodded. Finn smiled at her.

“I’ll see you later, bubba. Isaac.” He shook Isaac’s hand and then they were alone. Isaac wrapped his arms around her.

“Sweetheart, let’s go home, and for a few hours, just think about us. You and me.”

“Deal.”

The doorman smiled at them both as they returned to the apartment building. In the elevator to the penthouse, they didn’t speak, just held each other. Inside they went to straight to the bedroom and undressed each other slowly. Sarah was hesitant at first, not knowing how Isaac would react, knowing that only twenty-four hours earlier, she had been having sex with Dan.

God. Even the thought of it made her feel sick. Isaac tilted her face up to his and searched her eyes, his own green eyes soft.

“I know what you’re thinking…don’t worry about it. You and me, that’s what matters here, whatever has happened… I love you.”

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her softly at first then as her fears fell away, the kiss deepened and his fingers twisted in her hair, holding her tightly. Delicious sensations ran all over her skin as Isaac moved his lips across her throat, downward, taking her nipple into his mouth and teasing her into a frenzy. He picked her up and she wound her legs around him as he carried her to the bed and laid her down. Sarah lost herself in the feeling of the weight of his body on hers, feeling a frantic pulse beating between her legs, her cunt swelling and ripening for him. She took his cock into her mouth, flicking, sucking until she could taste the pre-cum on the smooth head, the veins filled with blood, becoming heavy and engorged. He pulled away and moved so he could kiss her mouth. She moaned as he slid two fingers, then three into her aching sex, his thumb strumming a rhythm on her clit, almost overwhelmingly sensitive now, her legs hitching themselves around his hips, the tip of his cock nudging at the entrance to her cunt.

Agonizingly slowly, he entered her, grinning down at her as she wriggled with anticipation, begging him to please fuck her now, fuck her hard but he held back, pushing slowly, inch by inch until he filled her completely, his cock swelling further as he began to slide in and out of her.

Sarah caught his bottom lip between her teeth, nipping it and he ground his mouth down on hers. She couldn’t stop looking into his eyes, the love, the protection in them. She felt her limbs liquefying as she reached her peak and gasped Isaac’s name over and over, feeling his body tense then tremble as he came, groaning and holding her so tightly she felt his heart beating through his chest.

She was home.

Molly’s legs pumped hard as she ran through the forest, lungs burning with the effort, cheeks red, dripping with sweat. Metallica pounded on her mp3 player, and as the ground sloped upwards, Molly forced herself to keep going. The endorphins had kicked in and she grinned to herself as she pushed her body harder.

Dan stepped out of the shadow of the big pine ahead of her. She skidded to a stop, breathing hard, her hair sticking to the sheen of sweat on her skin. Dan ran his eyes over her, appreciating the hard body, the toned slim legs. He smiled at her. Molly folded her arms across her chest, not appreciating his scrutiny.

“What do you want?”

Dan’s smile disappeared. “Where is she, Molly?”

Molly could feel her heart thump unpleasantly against her ribs but she kept her expression hard. “What’s it to do with you?”

Dan gave a little laugh as if she was an annoying child. “Molly. I asked you a question. Sarah’s still not home. I simply want to see her, is that too much to ask?”

Molly rolled her eyes. “Get the message, Bailey. She’s married to Isaac now, she loves him.”

She tried to step past him but he put his arm out. Molly stopped and turned to him, anger rippling across her face.

“Bailey, what the fuck do you think you’re doing? Do you think you’re scaring me?” Her raised voice echoed around the empty forest. It was only at the end her voice broke, giving her away. She cursed and turned around but his hand was on her shoulder, pulling her back. She spun around and punched him as hard as she could but he just laughed at her. He pushed her against the tree, ramming his body against hers. She struggled but his hands were clamped like steel to her arms. He stared down at her.

“Where is Sarah?” He pressed his face against hers, his lips at her ears. “Where is she, Molly?”

“Get the fuck off me, you psycho. I know what you are, Bailey.” Anger made her careless and she saw the look in his eyes and cursed her own stupidity. His smile was without humor.

“You know “what I am”? What is that exactly, Molly?”

Dan pressed his body against hers until it was painful, the breath being squeezed out of her lungs, her ribs being crushed by his body weight. Molly gasped for air, trying not to let the terror break through. She smelled his body, cologne mixed with sweat, his breath stank of stale coffee and cigarette smoke.

“I asked you a question.” His voice was flat, hard. “Where is she?”

The pressure was beginning to get unbearable. Molly couldn’t breathe but it wasn’t that which terrified her.

“Leave her alone.” She gasped as, unbelievably, Dan increased the pressure on her.

Just as suddenly, he let her go. She bent double, trying to drag oxygen into her lungs. Dan watched her, a sneer on his face.

“I’ll find Sarah whether you want me to or not. Whether either of you wants me to.” He bent his head to Molly’s ear, nuzzled it. His voice dropped low, sensual. “She belongs to me, Molly. You remember that. Tell Quinn that. And if you “know what I am” why would you want to piss me off? Why on earth? Think about that.” And he barked out a laugh and was gone. Molly didn’t hesitate, she sprinted out of the wood and home. Slamming the door of her house behind her and double locking the door, she curled up on the couch, shivering and cursing her own stupid bravado. She shouldn’t have antagonized him. The look in his eyes made her stomach curl. Obsession. Even the way he said Sarah’s name…dread and worse, a sense of inevitability, filled Molly as she thought about that.

An image flashed into her mind before she could stop it, and it made Molly want to scream, want to howl her terror. Isaac, sobbing, curved around the body of the woman he loved; Sarah, her dark eyes open but unseeing, limp in his arms, her blood covering them both and Dan Bailey, demonic, standing above them, laughing

When she saw Finn arrive back at the police station, Molly gave a cry and ran out of her house into his arms. Finn, astonished, picked up the sobbing woman and carried her into the warmth of the station.

“What is it, honey?”

Molly couldn’t speak for a few minutes and he let her cry herself out, not used to seeing the normally feisty Molly so vulnerable. It scared him a little. Finally, she calmed down enough to choke out “He attacked me…Dan…”

His face grim, Finn found a blanket and wrapped it around her. “Okay honey, breathe. Tell me…what happened?” He grabbed the coffee pot and poured a cup for her.

Molly took a few deep breaths and told him, including what had happened in the woods that afternoon. Finn listened, nodding his head, his big hands holding hers. She wiped her eyes.

“Finn, he’s obsessed. I mean, seriously obsessed.”

Finn chewed this over. “Where’s Sarah now?”

Molly looked exhausted. “She’s in the city with Isaac. She called me this morning and I told her not to come back, just to take the day with Isaac. She sounds happier.”

“Good…hey,” Finn’s phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen, “this is her. Hey –,” he said into the phone, “You okay?”

For a long moment he just listened, his face set, his jaw clenching. “Yeah, that’s a good idea, but…wait, no, Sarah, I think I…”

He frowned, rubbing his hand over his eyes and Molly felt her fear return. She waited for her brother to speak. “Okay, well, let’s hope you can persuade him to tell us what he knows. Isaac there with you? Good.” He looked at Molly and mouthed “Should I tell her?”

Molly shook her head vehemently and Finn nodded. “Okay then…yeah, call me later bubba.”

He ended the call. “Shit.”

“What?”

Finn sighed and Molly baulked at the worry in his face. “I think Sarah’s gone Magnum P.I. on us. She’s remembered the name of the lawyer, she’s going to call him and see if she can find out anything.”

“Well that’s good, isn’t it?”

Finn sighed. “I don’t know, I just don’t want to give Dan any reason to escalate.”

“A phone call won’t hurt.”

Finn looked at his sister, his eyes tired. “That depends on what she finds out.”

Sarah ended the call to Finn and immediately dialed Corcoran’s number. Her fingers tapped impatiently on the table as she waited. Ever since she’d woken and remembered about the lawyer, she’d wanted to get in touch with him, find something they could use to get rid of Dan.

She’d told Isaac about the layer as they showered together and he’d been encouraged.

“Call him,” he’d said as he dressed then fixed her with a look. “But no heroics – if you find anything out, don’t go challenging Dan by yourself. He’s dangerous, Sarah.”

She’d tried to smile. “You don’t have to remind me, baby.”

He’d kissed her as he left for work. “You need anything, call. Jay and Flynn will be outside that door – no-one’s getting in unless you want them to.”

At least, if I have to be locked up for my own protection, she thought now, waiting for the call to connect, at least she could do something.

“Corcoran and Associates, how may I help you?” The woman’s Southern accent was warm, friendly.

“May I speak with Mr. Corcoran please?”

“Mr. Corcoran is on vacation at present but I can leave him a message to call you back. Whom may I say is calling?”

Sarah hesitated for a moment. “My name is Sarah Bailey Quinn – my ex-husband’s birth family was the Petersen’s and …”

The woman interrupted. “Oh Mrs. Quinn, yes, Mr. Corcoran has mentioned you.”

Sarah was astonished. “Excuse me?”

“Mr. Corcoran told me that if, on the off chance you or Mr. Bailey were to contact this office, that he wished to know straight away. He’s currently on vacation with his grandchildren in Hawaii but I will contact him there and ask him to call you as soon as he can.”

Sarah was speechless.

“Mrs. Quinn?”

“Yes, sorry, I’m here, I just…he knows who I am?”

“Yes, dear.”

A pause.

“Well then…yes, yes please, if you could ask him to call. I’ll give you my number.”

She gave it and the woman repeated it back to her. Sarah, still bemused, thanked her.

“You’re very welcome, honey. You have a good day.”

“Thank you, you too.”

Sarah hung up. William Corcoran knew who she was? She’d expect him to know who Dan was, she supposed, so it wasn’t a great leap but the woman on the phone had given the impression that Corcoran was expecting her call. Which meant what?

She didn’t want to think that it meant that he knew something was wrong with Dan, that he’d already thought about contacting her. Had Dan told the lawyer he was married? To distract herself, she called Finn back and told him what she’d just learned. Finn listened to her then sighed.

“That doesn’t sound good, honey, I gotta say.”

“I know. God, Finn, what a mess.”

“You got that right. Hey…everything okay there? You guys doing better?”

Sarah felt awkward talking to Finn about Isaac. “We are, truly.”

“Good.”

She hesitated then asked in a gentle voice. “Really?”

Finn gave a low chuckle. “Darlin”, as long as you’re happy, I’m all good.”

His kindness, his friendship made tears spring into her eyes. “You’re the best. I love you.”

“Love you too, sweetcheeks and hey, look, if they perfect cloning in the near future, I’ll expect you to give up some of your DNA.”

Sarah burst out laughing, feeling the weight in her chest lift. “You’ve got a deal.”

The next day, Sarah was driven to the island by Isaac’s two massive security guards, Jay, and Flynn. They were friendly but very professional and she sat in a vehicle that could only be described as a fortress on wheels.

“I bet it’s even got bulletproof windows,” she’d moaned as an unrepentant Isaac grinned at her. He’d come down to the parking garage in the basement of his building, wanting to make sure she was in the car and safe before he left for work.

“Stop whining, woman, it’s your tank. It’s the price you pay for me letting you go to work.”

She grinned. “Oh, you’re letting me go to work?”

Isaac kissed her then steered her into the back seat. “You are a pain in my ass. Go to work.” But he was smiling.

Molly squinted at her friend as she walked into the coffee shop an hour later. “Are you walking funny? Yes, you are, definitely. Those legs have been bent back in quite unnatural ways, I can tell.”

Sarah snorted with laughter. “You bet your sweet ass they have.” Molly laughed and hugged her then studied her.

“Really? Everything good?”

Sarah nodded and Molly hugged her. “I’m so happy for you. Truly.”

“Thank you, honey. For everything. I don’t know how I would have got through these last few months without you.”

Molly grinned but then pushed her away. “Ugh, I suppose both of you will be revoltingly loved up now, all love notes and secret smiles.”

“Yup.”

Molly rolled her eyes but Sarah could tell she was delighted. “Where’s your errant brother?”

Molly rolled her eyes. “Lord knows. He was supposed to come in earlier but I expect he got called out.”

“To an actual crime?” Sarah grinned at her and Molly laughed. She peered out of the window at the huge black car parked next to the sidewalk. “Think I should take them coffee?”

Sarah smiled. “I’ll do it.”

She took the steaming drinks out to the car. “I’m sorry you guys got landed with this duty, must suck to just hang around all day.”

Jay, an African-American with distractingly blue eyes, smiled. “It’s our jobs, Mrs. Quinn.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Sarah.”

Flynn chuckled. “You sure you don’t want us in there with you, Sarah?”

She shook her head. “I think customers might feel a bit intimidated – plus, you two would take up all the room.”

“Well, okay, but holler if…”

“I will.”

Molly was at the market, Sarah alone in the coffee shop when she heard the door open. She looked up and her stomach disappeared.

“Hello, Sarah.”

Dan’s face was friendly, his manner relaxed. She reached underneath the counter, made sure her purse was there, the gun within easy reach. She glanced out to the tank, saw Jay rolling down the window. She gave him a slight shake of the head. No need for this to escalate yet.

“Dan.”

“How are you? You look so much better than when I saw you last.”

“You mean when you threatened me? Yes, Dan, I’m much better.”

He laughed. “Oh come on, that’s a little dramatic don’t you think? Threatened! I see you have that covered anyway, or at least, your husband does.” He gave Jay a sarcastic wave; Jay stared back at him stone-faced. Sarah would have laughed if she weren’t so nauseous. He smiled but his eyes were dead. “May I have some coffee, please, Sarah? I’ve missed your particular flavor.”

Sarah hated that she trembled as she poured out the coffee from the pot. He steadied her hand with his, she snatched it away. He laughed.

“Honestly, Sarah, what is it you think I’m going to do to you?” He sipped his drink.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Jay and Flynn get out of the car outside. They didn’t come in but both of them leaned back against the car, facing into the coffee house, watching Dan’s every move. They both had their jackets tucked behind their holsters, their guns within easy reach. It made her relax a little, made her a little braver. Dan smiled at her.

“How does it feel to have those goons at your beck and call?”

The phone rang, and she snatched it up gratefully.

“Hello?”

She knew who it was as soon as he spoke.

“Mrs. Quinn?”

Corcoran.

A rush of adrenalin. She flushed bright red and turned away from Dan. She was sure he had caught her flustered reaction and she struggled to make her voice sound as normal as possible. She could feel his stare on the back of her neck.

“Oh hi! How are you? How are Joe and the kids?”

Corcoran caught on.

“Raymond - I’m sorry, Daniel - is he there?”

“Oh yes, kids can be a handful.” She cringed to herself, she sounded like a Stepford wife.

“Mrs. Quinn, just answer me a question yes or no, would you, please? Are you in any immediate danger?”

The question hit Sarah like a sledgehammer and she hesitated. “No.” Her voice cracked. “No, I’m fine.”

The break in her voice had attracted Dan’s attention and she indicated she was going to take the call in the kitchen. She didn’t want Dan finding out she was talking to the lawyer, didn’t want to put him in any danger. Even through the wall, she felt Dan’s presence, a sensation she knew was heightened by her fear. She realized Corcoran was talking.

“Obviously Mrs. Quinn, we can’t talk freely now. Perhaps you can call me back on this number unless you need me urgently.”

“Of course. Honestly, there is no hurry.” She chose her words carefully to maintain her façade.

Corcoran hesitated. “If you are sure. Mrs. Quinn I don’t wish to concern you but please, may I beg a favor?”

Sarah started as Dan came out into the kitchen, turned and smiled at her. He pointed to the bathroom and went into it. She heard the lock click.

“I’m sorry, yes of course, anything.”

There was a pause.

“Try to be vigilant…” he sighed, “May I speak frankly?”

“Of course.”

“Be careful of Daniel, Mrs. Quinn, he is troubled. He is dangerous. Try not to antagonize him. I will wait to hear from you but please know I will come to Seattle or wherever you need. You need to know about Daniel, Mrs. Quinn, you need to know about his history.”

His words sent icy chills through her body. Memories of the violence that crackled in the air around Dan. She shivered.

“I understand.” They said goodbye and Sarah tried to compose herself before Dan emerged from the bathroom. She went back out to the coffee house to see Jay and Flynn had come inside and were tensed. She gave them a grateful look. Dan followed her a few seconds later, smirking at the men and raising an eyebrow at her. His smile was terrifying. He knows. Sarah couldn’t breathe, she moved closer to the counter and slipped her hand around the gun. Dan sat back down opposite her, smiled and finished his drink.

“Hey.” Jay moved to her side, his eyes riveted on Dan. “Everything okay in here?”

Sarah nodded at him, gave him a grateful smile. Dan smirked.

“Of course. Just visiting with my wife. Although she might say different.” He turned and looked at Sarah, his eyes cold. “She may have a good reason for having a gun pointed at me under the counter but I couldn’t say what that reason might be.”

Sarah turned red and dropped the pistol back into her purse. Jay looked over at her and smiled, a reassurance.

“Well, now, I’m sure Sarah doesn’t have anything to worry about – does she?”

“Of course not.”

“Perhaps, if you’re making her uncomfortable then you should leave, Mr. Bailey.”

Dan stared at him with contempt.

“What a wonderful idea.” Molly walked in behind Flynn, a grocery bag in her arms. She winked at Jay as she passed him and, dumping the bag on the counter, went to stand beside Sarah. She linked her fingers with her friend, feeling her tremble. “In fact, I think you should leave the island, let alone the coffee house.”

Dan was amused. “Really?”

“Yep.”

“So, in addition to being an exemplary muffin peddler, you’re also a travel agent? Well, who knew? May I please have a refill, Sarah?” He held his cup out to her. Molly took it.

“No, you may not. Please leave.”

Dan smirked. Flynn cleared his throat.

“You heard her, Bailey.”

Dan stood. Molly sneered. “And consider this a lifetime ban.”

Dan laughed. “My lifetime or yours?”

“Asshole.”

Dan sighed, still grinning. He looked at Sarah. “Careful with that gun, Sarah. I wouldn’t want you to have an unfortunate accident.” He ran his eyes over her body. Sarah cringed.

“Get him the fuck out,” Molly stepped in front of Sarah.

Flynn and Jay stepped forward but Dan held his hands up. “I’m going. What’s it come to when a man can’t express his concern for his wife’s safety?”

He walked out of the door. Sarah breathed again and Molly hugged her. She looked at Jay and Flynn gratefully.

“Thanks, dudes. That could have gotten really nasty without you here.”

Jay shook his head. “He’s…damn, I don’t know what he is.”

Sarah felt sick. A few minutes was all it took to make her feel so vulnerable, unprotected. Useless. Even with two enormous bodyguards. She rubbed her face, trying to disguise her distress. Her heart was pounding, her stomach twisted. Hopelessness flooded through her.

He’s going to kill me and no-one can stop him. She felt so weak. Sarah turned away from her friends, the easy tears coming again. Damn it.

Molly slid her arm around her waist, studied her face, and guessed what she was thinking.

“You did okay, Sarah. If I had been you, I probably would have blown his head off the second he walked in here.”

Jay rolled his eyes and grinned. ““Because that’s the way to go. Not that I’d blame you.” He added quickly, seeing the expression on Molly’s face. She thawed.

“You deserve a hug.” She wrapped her arms around the blushing security guard. Sarah smiled but then she caught sight of Dan watching them from the other side of the street. He grinned when he saw her watching him. She walked over to the window and let the shade down. She turned to Molly and the two men who were watching her.

“I don’t want you two saying anything about this to Finn.” Her voice was firm and they gaped at her.

“Why the hell not?” Molly’s eyes were huge with disbelief. Sarah shook her head at them.

“Because. I don’t want to make any mistakes because of Dan’s goading. We don’t react, he has no power. But Finn is, well, you both know how he is. Shoot first, ask questions yadda yadda…Guys? We can tell Isaac, but not until later, okay?”

Neither Jay nor Flynn looked happy but she knew, they worked for her, and would respect her wishes. Molly, she wasn’t so sure of.

Almost on cue, Molly shook her head. “I don’t like this.”

Sarah tried to smile. “Mols, we have these two Sasquatches here. We’re fine.”

Molly looked doubtful. “I don’t know.”

Sarah sighed and sat down. “It’s going to be hard but we need to hang back, give him enough rope.” She rubbed her eyes wearily. “I mean it. No missteps.”

“I get it.” Jay was nodding, ignoring the little dig Molly gave his ribs. “And I agree. Steady does it.” Sarah got up and moved to the counter.

“Thank you both.” She sighed and rolled her shoulders. Jay squeezed Molly’s hand and turned to go back to the car outside. He stopped when he heard Sarah speak.

“Jay? The word you were looking for is monster.” Her face was pale, haunted as Jay stared at her but her voice was hard. “Daniel Bailey is a monster.”

Sarah lay awake next to Isaac. He’d been home when she came back from the coffee shop and had greeted her in such a good mood that she was glad she had made the guys promise not to tell him about Dan’s visit. She did tell him about Corcoran’s call, though. She’d called the lawyer back as soon as she was able and he said he would be in Seattle the day after tomorrow. She’d mentioned a restaurant and had agreed to meet him there. She didn’t want him on the island, not where Dan could see him. She’d made it clear to Finn, Molly and Isaac that the last thing she wanted was to ramp up Dan’s campaign by antagonizing him or by putting Corcoran in any danger. If Dan was backed into a corner, he would be lethal and she wanted more time to be able to get something real, something that would stick, put him away forever. And above all, she wanted to keep the people she loved safe.

She thought back to when Finn had told her about the other women, the ones who had been murdered. The ones who looked like her. She made him tell her everything, every detail. Finn had balked but she had insisted. She needed to know what Dan had planned for her, needed to retain some control over her fear. They still had absolutely nothing to tie Dan to those killings but she knew, she knew, he had killed before. George. The girls across the country. The poor girl in Seattle. Finn had shown her the cutting from the Times. Sarah couldn’t get the dead woman’s face out of her mind. Her chest ached for her, for her family.

I won’t let him hurt anyone else.

Sarah saw him as soon as she entered the restaurant. He sat, straight-backed, an air of old-fashioned gentility about him, an oasis of calm amongst the chatter, the noise of a Seattle eatery on a Fall day. Excitable kids and curious tourists. A heavy glass of sour mash sat in front of him, hardly touched. He studied the menu, distracted, uneasy. She approached him.

“Mr. Corcoran?” He looked up, blinked twice.

“Mrs. Quinn?” He stood and shook hands with her, pulled out her chair, waited until she sat.

“Thank you,” She smiled at him. He stared at her as he sat, his expression troubled. After a beat, Sarah felt herself flush, embarrassed at the scrutiny.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Quinn, it’s that you…well, you remind me of someone.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry - it is a pleasure to meet you.” He offered her the menu. “Can I order you a drink?”

“Just an orange juice, please.”

He waved at the waitress, politely requested the drink. There was an awkward pause.

“Mrs. Quinn, I’m sorry to have frightened you like that on the phone, I didn’t mean…”

“Mr. Corcoran, please don’t apologize. If you have any information about Dan Bailey – or Ray Petersen - I want to hear it. Good or bad. Good or bad, Mr. Corcoran.” Her gaze was steady and he nodded. He cleared his throat.

“Mrs. Q…”

“Sarah.”

“Sarah. Please call me William. Sarah, I can give you some concrete information about Raymond, other than that, I’m afraid all I can give you are my thoughts, my opinions based mostly on instinct.”

Sarah shifted in her seat as he paused, the waitress had returned with her drink.

“Are you ready to order?” Hurriedly, they both made the same choice, and the waitress left.

Sarah leaned toward the elderly lawyer.

“Please go on. How did you become his lawyer?”

“His mother Amelia was the daughter of a rich man, a rich man who had high expectations. She married Yann when she was just nineteen, and her child, Raymond was her world. I mean, the whole world revolved around that little boy. He was doted on by his entire family but Amelia and he shared a bond like none I have ever seen.”

“Raymond was prone to fits of rage, especially when his mother’s attention was diverted from him. He would scream, even bite her sometimes until she tended to him. Amelia, at first, didn’t see that his behavior was extreme.”

His father soon grew tired of being ignored and began to punish his son, never with violence, just by restricting his access to his mother. They started to find animals, dead animals, on the estate. At first, no-one suspected – Raymond was only five years old at this point – no one suspected that he could have killed them. Until he brought home a cat that he had killed. Brought it right into the parlor. Amelia was sickened of course, and punished the boy but Raymond didn’t care about the punishment, he had his mother’s attention.

He started to set small fires on the estate, nothing was damaged, really but they were numerous and occasionally their neighbors would complain and Raymond would be punished. In response to the punishments, he would deliberately wet the bed – mostly his own but on several occasions the beds of his family and their staff. Their overnight guests. He seemed to revel in their discomfort.”

William sighed, deep in the memory. “Amelia was increasingly distraught. She had adored her son and now he was behaving in such a profoundly disturbing manner. Amelia came to recognize that her son was…”

“A monster.” Sarah whispered. William nodded sadly.

“She was destroyed.”

“You loved her.” Sarah studied the elderly man’s face, watched as it creased with pain.

“With all my heart. Yann was a cold man, a cold, cold man. She was lonely and I was weak.”

Sarah reached across the table, took his hand. “I understand, William, believe me.” She gave a little laugh and shook her head. “You wouldn’t believe how much I understand.”

William squeezed her hand gratefully.

“She was an extraordinary woman, warm, brilliant. Beautiful. Forgive me for saying so, Sarah, but you remind me so much of her, you appear to share many of her qualities.”

She flushed and William smiled kindly at her.

“Dan…Raymond,” she corrected for his benefit, “Raymond told me that his was an abusive childhood and that’s why he was sent away.”

William sighed. “That’s not true. Yes, Yann was not an affectionate father and could be a harsh disciplinarian but no, Raymond wasn’t abused. For a time in fact, when he was six, he seemed to change, behave well.”

“A new family came to live in the estate next to theirs, Chinese immigrants. A young family, with an infant daughter, she would have been four or five at the time. They weren’t as rich as the Petersen’s but Amelia and the girl’s mother, Suyin, often would visit with each other and Suyin would bring the little girl to play with Raymond. The two children would play on the grounds of the estate, making a den out of a little boathouse on the bayou. Raymond’s behavior seemed to improve and, for Amelia, the relief was palpable.”

William coughed quietly, and as he brought his coffee to his mouth, his hands shook. Sarah’s stomach began to roil with unease. William put his cup down slowly.

“One day, they were playing out in the den when Raymond came back to the house, alone. He was covered in blood.”

“Oh my God.” Sarah covered her mouth with her hands, horror sweeping through her, ice in her veins. William nodded.

“Yann came running from his study when he heard Amelia’s screams. Later he would tell me that Raymond just stood there, smiling, and blood dripping from his little hands. He had killed the girl, Hotaru, I think her name was, with a knife he had stolen from the kitchen. When they found her, she had been disemboweled.”

Sarah felt the bile rise up into her throat, her head shook from side to side, not wanting but needing to hear the rest.

George. The other women.

“Of course, it was all hushed up. The other family was paid off, a huge amount, and Raymond was sent away to boarding school. Amelia refused to ever see him again and killed herself shortly afterward. As for Raymond, his father visited occasionally but even that tailed off. Eventually, when Raymond left school, they lost contact. He had given him a lump sum allowance that he withdrew from his account on his eighteenth birthday but he never saw or spoke to him again. Yann died just over two years ago.”

“Where was Raymond?” Sarah’s voice was gruff, her throat dry. William shrugged.

“No one knows. It was only after the notice of Yann’s death appeared that he contacted my office. Where he was, or what he was doing is anybody’s guess.”

Sarah remembered what Finn had said. The invisible man. William Corcoran was watching her, his face sympathetic.

He cleared his throat. “Sarah, should I have told you all this?”

She nodded, vehement. “Yes, William, yes. It’s better to be informed.” Then, all her bravado disappeared and her shoulders slumped.

“Do you think he’s killed since?”

“I couldn’t even begin to...” He sighed. “There’s no evidence.”

“But you think so?”

“Yes. Sarah, Raymond Petersen is a malignant narcissist, a bully, a sadist. He enjoys inflicting pain, both physically and mentally. I imagine his victims are…legion.”

Her face drained of color. William looked at her, worry etched on his kind face. She murmured something and he frowned.

“I’m sorry, my dear, I didn’t catch that.”

She looked up at him then. “I said he’s going to kill me.”

William paled. “My dear…”

“It’s okay, William. It helps to say it out loud, believe it or not. Otherwise, it would be too easy to pretend all this wasn’t happening, that it was some insane nightmare.” She sighed.

Corcoran finished his drink and signaled to the waitress for another. He leaned across the table, his face serious.

“Sarah, tell me everything.”

“I met him in college. He was charming, friendly, loving. I saw nothing in him then that would point to who he became. It was after we married and moved back to the island that he changed. My friends – my family, really – always had reservations but I was blind to them. I had a bad childhood and here was someone who told me he would take care of me. I feel so stupid now. He became possessive, verbally abusive. Then he disappeared and – I can admit finally – it was more a relief than a sadness.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I just said that. Of course, I was upset, it was such a shock but after a while, I just got angry. I divorced him in absentia. And then, last year, I met Isaac and I finally knew what real love was. I was happy and then my father figure was murdered – just like that poor little girl and things fell apart. I was beaten pretty badly, my life threatened, my best friend Molly was attacked. And then Dan came back and it’s been a living nightmare ever since.”

She could feel the curious glances of the other diners on her. William looked appalled. After a moment, she brushed the tears from her face.

“I’m sorry, William.”

“My dear, there’s no need to apologize. I’m just so sorry. I should have gone to the police with my suspicions.”

“But you haven’t any proof so…” she almost gagged on the words and William reached across the table. “How are we going to stop him when…?” Her voice trailed off, and she couldn’t finish the thought. William squeezed her hand.

“You married again? Is he a good man?”

“Yes.” She said without hesitation. “He’s a proud man, he loves me and this is killing him.”

“I see.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Sarah, Raymond is a very dangerous man, and if he’s already assaulted you…my dear, forgive me but when I saw you...you look so much like her. Like little Hotaru. For an old man’s piece of mind, please be vigilant. Don’t be alone with him, don’t get into any situation where he could harm you.”

“I promise I won’t take any unnecessary risks, William. And thank you.” She smiled at him and he returned it with just a little hesitation. He bent down and pulled a folder from his case.

“I have something for you.” He slid the folder over to her. Curious, she opened it and gasped.

“I took this photograph just a few moments before Raymond was taken away.”

Sarah stared at the photograph. Amelia, her soft dark hair curling down to her shoulders, her ruby pendant crimson at her throat, gazed down at her son with abject horror in her eyes. The tears poured down her face as she looked at the unbearable, searing grief on the face of a mother who knew her son was an abomination.

Isaac stood and shook the hand of QuinnCorp’s new client, showed her out then called in at his brother’s office. “Hey.”

Saul smiled. “How’d it go?”

“In the bag. Look, I’m done for the day. You going soon?”

Saul pulled his tie down. “Hell, yes. Maika’s mom has the kids for the weekend.”

Isaac grinned. “Damn.”

Saul laughed. “Yeah, we’ve been married a long time, Iss, our idea of a sexy-time is watching crap t.v. in bed and eating ourselves into a carb coma. Wait till you and Sarah are married as long, you’ll see.”

“I gotta say,” Isaac dropped into the chair opposite his brother, “I think Sarah would go for that now.”

Saul snorted. “I knew I liked that girl for a reason. How is she?”

“Better. She’s meeting with the lawyer from New Orleans today. Maybe he can tell us something we can use.”

“You didn’t want to go with her?”

Isaac smiled wryly. “I was forbidden.”

“Whipped.”

“And happy with it. Anyhoo, I’m going, have a good weekend.”

“Let’s hope so.”

Sarah stepped out of the restaurant into a world that was altered. She remembered feeling like this once after she, Finn and Molly had seen a violent movie when they were teenagers – a film crew becoming entangled with a serial killer – they’d left the theater eyeing everybody suspiciously and raced back home, feeling foolish and giggling to themselves.

But this wasn’t a movie. Outside, despite the sultry weather, she felt chilled to the core. She walked slowly along the waterfront, wanting to scream, to cry, to anything. Anything but this, she thought to herself. This numbness.

She let Flynn and Jay, following her at a discreet distance, steer her back to the car. Sitting in the backseat, she hugged her arms around her, trying to get some warmth back into her bones. Her thoughts were like scatter-shot in her brain, nothing coherent, but each one like a spike of terror stabbing at her.

She didn’t even realize she was crying until Jay asked her if she was okay.

At seven Molly left the Varsity in Nancy’s hands and wandered over to the police station. Steve, the deputy who had saved her from the attacker, smiled at her. “Hey you, what’s going on?”

She half-smiled. “Have you see Finn?”

Steve looked blank. “Is he at work today?”

Dread started to tighten her chest. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since yesterday.”

Steve looked confused. “Hang on…”

She watched Steve with frightened eyes as he punched out some numbers on the office phone.

Molly tugged out her cell and tried to call Finn. Finn’s voicemail clicked in.

“Finn…please….” Molly’s voice broke. “Call me as soon as you get this. Where are you, honey? We’re worried.”

She hung up then looked at Steve. “I’m going to check his apartment.”

Steve, phone pressed to his ear, nodded. “I’m calling in help. We’ll find him, Mols, don’t worry.”

William Corcoran walked slowly, his brow furrowed. His intention had been to walk to the Space Needle, take the glass lift to see the city at night. His hotel wasn’t more than a few blocks from Seattle’s most famous attraction and, a once-keen photographer, he couldn’t resist the chance to capture the city’s beauty from on high. He bought his ticket and rode up to the viewing platform, only half listening to the guide’s oft-repeated speech about the “62 World Fair.

The view didn’t disappoint. The water, Puget Sound, Elliott Bay Lake Washington, glistening with the lights from the city, the Downtown rising like the turrets of a castle. The hills, Queen Anne, and Capitol; in the distance he could see the planes taking off from Sea-Tac Airport and there, just to the left, the snow-capped Mt. Rainier rising like a dream from the violet twilight.

Corcoran sighed. So much beauty. He thought of Sarah – his heart had broken for her, for the fear and sadness in her eyes. He had warmed to the young woman, her grace, and femininity and felt only remorse and sorrow for the horror that had entered her life. That he, William Corcoran, had brought to her life. He berated himself – why, why, hadn’t he warned someone about Dan when he’d seen him reappear two years ago? And now this lovely young woman…Corcoran felt, with every bone in his body, that Sarah Quinn was in terrible, terrible danger. Would his telling her about Dan help her? He couldn’t answer that.

He gave a frustrated grunt, startling an elderly woman next to him. Her little jump brought him back to the present.

The evening was cooling, a breeze started to whip around the viewing platform and he joined the queue of people heading back down. In the gift shop, he treated himself to a tiny pewter replica of the attraction and while the clerk was counting out his change, he asked him how to get down to the waterfront. The clerk gave him directions.

“My advice is to walk down, sure, but take a cab back, buddy. Those hills are a killer.”

Isaac opened the door, his face set and stressed. Jay had called him from the car to warn him that Sarah was, in his words, “out of it.” He saw her face now and knew that whatever the lawyer, Corcoran, had told her, it was bad.

Sarah finally focused on his face after he’d shut the door and taken her into his arms. For a long time, he held her, saying nothing. She didn’t cry, she didn’t shake. She was just still, rigid in his arms.

Finally, he looked down at her. “Is it bad?”

Sarah looked back at him with eyes that were full of horror and defeat. She opened her mouth to speak but all she could do was nod. Her body slumped and then her legs gave way and they were falling to the floor. Sarah dragged air into her lungs whilst Isaac, shaken to his core, whispered over and over to her.

“Don’t give up, please, don’t give up…”

Molly skittered back to the Varsity and told Nancy what was happening. Then she ran up the stairs to the apartments above the Varsity. The door to Finn’s apartment was closed but unlocked and Molly walked in, calling her brother’s name. No answer. Nothing was out of place, it was even tidy – she grinned to herself. So unlike her scruffy brother. She checked the bedroom, the bathroom, nothing. She gave a frustrated huff and stepped back into the hallway. The apartment opposite Finn’s had stood empty for years – Sarah had sold it a few years ago but no-one had ever lived in it and Molly only gave it a passing glance now.

Then she froze. A shadow moved across the strip of light under the door. The new owner? She hadn’t seen anyone move in. She stepped closer to the door, pressed her ear against it. From within she could hear low mumbling, a man’s voice maybe, or a radio? She chewed her lip, considered for a moment then knocked. The murmuring stopped. The breath caught in her throat. She knocked again.

“Hello?”

Nothing happened. She waited but couldn’t hear anything else. Feeling slightly embarrassed she dropped to her knees and peered under the door. She couldn’t see anything. No one there. She pushed the door and it opened.

William found himself at a parking lot of a hotel on a pier. He studied the map the hotel concierge had given him and saw he was at the far end, away from most of the nightlife. A seafood place was the nearest restaurant and he hesitated, deciding to look around before eating. He wandered over to the water’s edge and looked across the bay. Even at night, the ferries continued to sail and he toyed with the idea of taking a ride for the hell of it. It looked like a peaceful way to spend an evening.

He heard the step behind him a fraction of a second too late. A strong hand gripped the back of his neck and he felt the hot breath of his assailant on his face.

“Hello, William.”

Dan. Corcoran struggled against the big man’s grip to no avail. With a swift merciless movement, Dan smashed William’s head against the corner of the hotel’s wall. A blinding explosion of pain ripped through the elderly man and Dan jerked the lawyer’s head back against him and jammed his mouth against his ear.

“Telling tales out of school.” Smash. Blood pouring into his eyes.

“You should think yourself lucky, William.” Smash. Pain screaming through him.

“For you, this will be quick.” Smash. The synapses in his brain began to misfire – he saw Amelia, she smiled at him, held out her hand to him.

The dying man felt Dan pull him even closer, heard him breathing in the metallic smell of his blood.

“But when I kill her…” Smash. The very edge of consciousness, of life. Through a throat full of blood, gathering all of his remaining strength, William Corcoran choked out his final words.

“Leave her alone.” A gurgled plea. Dan laughed.

“When I kill her,” he repeated, “when I murder my beautiful ex-wife….” his voice dropped to a sensual whisper, “I’m gonna do it very, very slowly.”

Smash.

Skin, bone, muscle connected with the unyielding concrete, and with a final, bright white burst of pain, William Corcoran’s head split open.

The window to the apartment was wide open, the cotton drapes blowing out into the room. But Molly wasn’t looking at the window. Her attention was riveted on the floor of the apartment. Plastic sheeting, or at least a corner of it, sticking out from a trunk set in the center of the floor. And on it, blood. There was more blood, seeping out between the slats of the wood. The smell of blood and death was everywhere. Molly gagged, her entire body ice.

Slowly, carefully, she tucked her fingers under the lid of the trunk and opened it. “Oh, god, god, no, no, no…” She fell to her knees.

Finn’s abdomen had been almost completely hollowed out, his face stretched in an agonized, eternal scream. His skin, his teeth, his clothes were stained, his hair sodden with congealed blood.

Molly reeled away from her brother’s body, screaming.

Dear God, please help me, please help me…

She almost fell down the stairs, delirium in her head, incoherent now as she staggered over to her home and burst into the kitchen, where her husband and their children were eating at the table. She was gibbering with grief and mania as Mike dashed to her side and her children started to scream…

Saul arrived just after three a.m., a scared-looking Maika beside him. Isaac hugged them both.

“Where is she?” Maika asked softly. Isaac nodded towards the bedroom and Maika, squeezing his arm, went into the darkened room.

Saul steered Isaac to an armchair and poured him a scotch. “What happened?”

Isaac could barely make sense of it. Finn Jewell was dead. Murdered. When Mike had called Sarah an hour ago, she had dropped the phone and curled up on the floor. Isaac had rushed to her side but she wouldn’t look at him, wouldn’t respond to his touch. He’d picked up the phone and Mike had told him that Finn was dead, and Molly was in the hospital. She’d found her beloved brother’s body.

“We’ll come,” Isaac said immediately but Mike had refused his help.

“Keep Sarah away from the island. Molly’s being transferred to Seattle. I don’t want anyone I love in this fucking hell hole.” Mike sounded angry, beyond angry. “If the cops don’t find Dan Bailey first, I’m gonna kill that son-of-a-bitch.”

Finn was dead. Isaac couldn’t process that information. Even though he’d known the blonde haired cop was in love with Sarah, he’d still liked him, respected him, and knew how important he was to Sarah. And Molly…god. Sudden rage flooded through him and he grabbed his phone, calling his head of security.

“Hire every detective you can find. Find this asshole.” He barked off instructions as ideas came to him but the message was crystal clear: find Dan Bailey and when they did, put a bullet in his brain.

Saul watched his younger brother, a growing dread inside him. When he got off the phone, Saul got up and put a hand on Isaac’s shoulder. “Calm down.”

Isaac rounded on his brother. “Don’t tell me to calm down! He’s killing people I care about…he wants to kill the woman I love. He wants to gut her like he did to George Madrigal, to Finn Jewell, to countless women.” He stopped, was silent for a moment, looking over to the closed bedroom door, checking to see that Sarah couldn’t hear him. “I can’t lose her,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “If he kills her…oh God.” The pain bent him double.

Saul didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to comfort him. He wanted to tell him that everything would be okay but he couldn’t lie.

Maika came out of Sarah’s bedroom then and Isaac stood. Maika tried to smile.

“She’s asleep.”

Isaac nodded. “Listen, thanks for coming over, you guys, I just didn’t know how to…what to…”

“Of course. Look, I think you should get some sleep. We’ll stay in the guest room.”

Sarah stared out of the window at the dark sky. Finn. Gone. The pain was so raw it made her want to scream and scream and never stop. Maika had been kind but all Sarah wanted to do was be alone. She had pretended to fall asleep and when she felt Maika get up off the bed, she waited until the door closed before opening her eyes.

She heard Isaac come in, the bed dip as he climbed on beside her. He curled his body around hers, his big arms enveloping her. She sank into the warmth of his body and turned to face him.

“Are you okay?” She saw him flinch as he asked the question, knowing how redundant it was. She pressed her lips gently to his, softly at first and then with real meaning, probing his mouth with her tongue. He responded at first then when her fingers slid under his t-shirt, he pulled back, confused, alarmed. “Sarah?”

“Please,” she whispered, “Please, I need to feel something other than this, this breaking. I need love, Isaac, I need you…”

With a groan, he gathered her into his arms, pushing her skirt up and tugging her panties down as she freed his cock from his underwear. She didn’t want foreplay but straddled him, guiding him inside her and grinding her pelvis onto him roughly. Isaac gripped her hips, looked up at his beautiful, broken wife as they moved together. There was no pleasure for either of them, it was functional, physical and for the first time, neither of them came. Sarah rammed her sex onto him, desperate to come, wanting that release but as it became clear it wasn’t happening, she finally broke, started to sob, great wrenching, painful sobs.

Isaac took her into his arms, wanting to make her feel better, reassure her but he couldn’t speak, couldn’t form the words.

Later, still wrapped in Isaac’s arms, she felt her cell phone vibrate on the nightstand. She checked it and her heart began to pound. A text message from an unknown caller. Ten words.

You know how to end this. Molly’s kids are next.

Outside it had started to snow.

“I want to go visit Molly,” she said when they woke, stiff and cold, both of them looking drained. Maika fussed around the pair of them, making breakfast that neither of them barely touched.

Isaac, his eyes heavy and tired, nodded. “Okay. I’ll get Jay and Flynn to take us.”

Sarah sighed, her face drawn and wan. “Do we need them to take us to the hospital, really? I hardly think Molly needs to see our protection when her brother was just murdered.” The words came out harder than she intended and she put her hand on his, tried to smile.

Isaac didn’t smile back. “They’ll wait outside in the car but you’re not going anywhere without them.”

Sarah removed her hand and tried to eat some more food. “Fine.”

Maika and Saul glanced at each other. The atmosphere was thick with sadness, tension. Sarah saw the look and turned to Maika. “I’m sorry for all this, you’ve been wonderful, thank you.”

Maika rubbed her arm. “It’s the least we could do but I think,” and she looked to her husband for affirmation, “You need some time alone to process this. I think seeing Molly is a great idea, start the grieving process. Saul and I will always be here for you if you need us.”

Sarah’s eyes filled with tears and she smiled through them. “I hit the family jackpot when I married Isaac. Thank you.”

They left shortly after and Isaac and Sarah went to shower. The tension between them had dissipated and, afterward, Isaac held out his arms and Sarah, wrapped in a towel, went into them. Isaac buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. “I wish to God this was all over.” He felt her nod then pull away, gaze up at him.

“Me too, baby.” Her eyes were intense on him but he found it hard to look at the bottomless sorrow in them. He stroked the hair away from her face, instead concentrating on the soft apples of her cheeks, the shape of her rose-pink mouth. She caught his chin, made him look her in the eye.

“I love you, Isaac Quinn. You have given me what I never thought possible – true, untamed, and unbridled love. You made me come alive. No matter what happens from now on, I want you to know that.”

Isaac stared down at her. “Sarah Quinn, you are my life. I would give up everything for you. Everything. I am so in love with you, so in love.”

She pressed her body into his. “Show me.”

He pulled the towel from her and dropped to his knees, burying his face in her belly, kissing the soft skin, moving down, parting her legs with his hand. Sarah drew in a sharp breath as his tongue found her clit, lashing around it, her sex swelling and pulsing at his touch. He pushed her back onto the bed and his tongue found her again, sweeping along the swollen peachy folds of her labia to dip into her opening. Sarah gripped the headboard, her body wracked with spasm after spasm of pure pleasure. She came over and over as he worked his tongue on her, his fingers exploring every part of her skin. She felt his cock, swollen, rigid, brushing against her as he moved up her body then it was plunging deeply into her cunt and she moaned at the feel of him inside her, her eyes rolling back in her head then closing, concentrating on every sensation spiraling through her body.

“Look at me,” Isaac said softly and she opened her eyes and gazed up at this incredible man, this man who loved her so deeply and knew whatever happened, she would always have this moment, this pure connection with him.

She reveled in the feel of his hot cum shooting deep into her belly, begging him to never stop, to fill her with his seed and when he had climaxed, she squeezed her legs together wanting to keep him inside for as long as possible.

“Never let me go,” he said to her then,” …promise me you won’t give up. Promise, Sarah, please.”

Sarah nodded. “I promise, Isaac, I promise.”

They both knew she was lying.

Molly took one look at Sarah and burst into tears. Sarah went to her side and wrapped her arms around her and Molly clung on as she cried. Tears were pouring silently down Sarah’s face and she closed her eyes.

Isaac went to Mike’s side. “Hey, man.”

Mike tried to smile. “Thanks for coming.”

“How is she?”

Mike just shook his head and Isaac could see he was trying to hold it together. He put a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “Where are the kids?”

“My mom’s,” Mike rubbed his eyes. “They don’t know what’s going on, they’re scared, I don’t know what to do.”

Isaac motioned for Mike to follow him into the corridor. Nurses and assistants bustled past them as they spoke. The noise of the hospital - machinery beeping, announcements, and pages, people talking - was a constant hum in the background.

“How long will Molly be here?”

“They said she could go home today but – “

“Listen, anything you need, just ask. I can have somewhere rented for you within the hour – wherever you want, have someone pick up your clothes from the house. Trustworthy people who will respect your privacy. I mean it – just say the word.”

Mike smiled then, a half-broken thing. “Thanks, man that would be good. I can’t fathom that Molly will want to go back to…anything. The house, the Varsity, the island. It’s all tainted with blood now.”

Isaac nodded. “Consider it done. Look, why don’t you go see the kids and we’ll stay with Molly for a few hours?”

Mike nodded and the two men went back into the room. Sarah was seated in a chair next to Molly’s bed. Molly was talking in a low tone to her. They looked up as the men entered and told them the plan. Molly nodded and smiled at Isaac. “Thank you.”

“It’s no trouble. I just want you to be safe.”

Mike kissed Molly, thanked Isaac, squeezed Sarah’s shoulder and left. Isaac perched on the end of Molly’s bed. “How are you feeling?”

Molly sighed. “Empty.”

Sarah rubbed her arm. “Let me go see if I can find something to drink for you. Baby,” she smiled at Isaac, “would you like some coffee?”

He nodded and she kissed him as she passed him. “Be right back.”

After she’d gone, Molly seemed to slump. “She thinks it’s her fault.” Isaac nodded, sighing.

“I know. There’s no way she’ll get over this.”

“I don’t think any of us will,” Molly studied him. “I’m so glad she has you to love, to help protect her.”

“I’m here to protect you too, Molly. I’m just sorry this has happened. Finn was a good man, even a great man. I’m still not sure he wouldn’t have been better for Sarah than me.”

Molly half-smiled. “You know what’s weird? I wanted them to be together for years, they seemed so perfect for each other. Then Sarah met you and it suddenly made sense to me. Sarah and Finn were family, regardless of any romantic feelings that may or may not have been between them over the years. Family wins. You are her family now.”

Isaac patted her hand. “And you are mine. I’ll do anything to make you all safe again.”

He looked at the door. “She’s taking her time with that coffee. Let me just go see if she needs help. You’ll be okay on your own?”

With Molly’s assurance she would be okay, Isaac closed the door to her room and wandered down the hospital corridors. His cellphone buzzed. Jay.

“Hey boss, just thought you ought to know…that lawyer Sarah saw? His body’s just been pulled out of Elliott Bay.”

Isaac stopped, shocked, and closed his eyes. Another one. He’d wait to tell Sarah about William Corcoran – she was hanging on by a thread as it was. He took a deep breath and went to find her.

Sarah was nowhere. He looked into the small cafeteria on their floor but it was empty except for an elderly couple and the woman at the cash register. He went out to the nurse’s station.

“Hey, have you seen my wife, Sarah? Dark hair, five-five, beautiful? We were visiting with Molly in room seven.”

The nurse looked surprised “I saw her about ten minutes ago. She didn’t tell you she was leaving?”

Isaac frowned, trying to ignore the biting panic starting to build inside of him. “I’m sorry?”

The nurse came around the desk and handed him an envelope. “Mrs. Quinn said to give you this and to tell you she was sorry.”

Isaac’s heart began to thump unpleasantly as he took the note and when he read it, every nerve ending in his body went numb.

“Oh my God…” He whispered. “God, no, no…”

He walked slowly back to Molly’s room and looked at her with horror-filled eyes. “She’s gone. She’s gone to him.”

“Oh my God, no…Isaac…” Molly couldn’t believe it. “Did she say…?”

He passed her the note.

There’s only one way to end this.

He says he’s going after Molly’s kids next and I won’t let that happen, I won’t let anyone else die because of me.

I’m sorry, you have my heart, Isaac, I love you.

Goodbye, my love, Sarah.

“She’s gone to the island. She’s trying to find Bailey.” Isaac’s voice was flat as he tried to understand.

“Is she trying to find him so she can kill him?”

“That…or she wants him to kill her. Finish this so no-one else gets hurt. Oh Jesus, no…” And Isaac broke down completely.

Where do you want me to meet you?

Go to the ferry terminal, buy a ticket, go to the ladies” room. Don’t be late, Sarah.

Sarah followed Dan’s instructions to the letter. On the ferry boat, she moved slowly as if in a trance down to the ladies” restrooms. She pushed open every stall – empty. As she let the last stall door swing open, she heard him behind her. She stopped, closed her eyes. Would he kill her here?

No. Dan was a showman – he would want to draw this out, make her suffer, enjoy every moment.

His hot breath on her neck. “Hello, beautiful.”

She was frozen as he turned her. There was a gun in his hand, a long thin silencer screwed onto the muzzle. He pressed it into her belly. “This will be easy, my darling. We get to the island, go to where I have laid out our little scene, our denouement. We have a little goodbye talk and then, finally, Sarah, I’m going to kill you.”

He made her sit next to him in the lounge, his lips against her cheek, her mouth. As they’d walked to the busy lounge, he murmured into her ear, “One word from you, I’ll kill everyone in this lounge.”

She had no doubt he would.

For the journey, she felt numb, already dead, at least inside. She kept her mind on picturing Isaac’s face, the fine angles of his cheekbones, the dark green of his eyes, his full mouth as it pressed against hers. She remembered everything about his body, his broad shoulders and hard chest, his muscled abdomen, his hips, his long legs, his large, beautiful cock. Everything.

As the ferry docked, Dan pulled her up, the gun jammed against her side, hidden from view. They walked down to a car – not his – he must have stolen it. He shoved her into the back seat. Crawling behind her, he pushed her down then stopped, smiling. “This is it, Sarah, are you excited?”

She smiled, a fake rictus, sarcastic, mocking. He was going to kill her anyway, what did it matter? Dan narrowed his eyes, leaned in to grind his mouth on hers. She clamped her teeth on his bottom lip. Dan yelped as she let go, wiping his mouth. Sarah smiled in satisfaction to see the blood on his mouth. His face twisted with rage.

“Fucking bitch!” And he slammed the butt of the gun into her temple, knocking her cold.

Isaac went over everything Jay and Flynn had told him over and over as he sped the car to the ferry terminal. No, they hadn’t seen Sarah leave the hospital, no, they hadn’t taken their eyes off of the entrance. Shit, Isaac cursed to himself, I should have been more vigilant. Gotten more bodies at every entrance. Seen this coming.

Molly sat beside him in the car, having insisted on coming with him. She stared out of the window looking out over the snow-covered city, sidewalks and roads starting to show through now the rain had started to fall. She felt Isaac take her hand. She gazed up at him, in her eyes a world of pain.

“Do you think she’s already dead?”

Isaac looked over at her, took a hand off the wheel and took hers.

“No. Absolutely not. Dan planned this meticulously. He’ll want to enjoy the moment.”

Molly swallowed. “So she’s not dead, she’s just going to wish she was.”

Isaac hoped that wasn’t true.

It was the singing that woke her. Angelic. Plaintive. Sarah slid back into consciousness. She lay there, unmoving as her eyes brought the room into focus. A room, not a car. She squinted, dust, water, something misting her vision. The room was hexagonal, dirty, obviously abandoned. The top of the lighthouse. Moonlight gleamed off the darkened lantern. She heard the insistent rattle of rain on the windows. The singing. It was the wind across the wires. Haunting. Lonely.

Lonely.

A cough, a moan. She started, turned her head toward the noise and gave a gasp. Caroline Jewell was tied to a chair across the room, blood streaking from her nose, down her chin. Sarah tried to say her name but found her throat too dry, too scratchy. She rolled over onto her stomach, pulled herself onto her knees. Her body ached, her clothes torn and bloody but flexing, she found nothing broken. She crawled over to Caroline and fumbled at the ropes binding her hands, wondering why she herself was not bound. She pulled Caroline free and helped her stand. She coughed, casting desperate glances around the room. There were two entrances to the lantern room, one from below – Sarah quickly realized Caroline would never make it down the steep ladders that led up from the ground – or the door to the lighthouse’s balcony. Sarah knew the staircase outside was shaky and decaying, prayed it would hold both their weights. She moved towards it, but Caroline held her back, gazing at her, her eyes watery and red.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Her voice was a whisper. Sarah, surprised by the question, felt her face go red.

“We don’t have time for this, Caroline…”

“No. I won’t go anywhere unless you tell me why. You could have left me to die. Why didn’t you?”

Sarah sighed, edgy, frustrated. She tried to pull Caroline’s arm towards the door but Caroline held back stubbornly. Sarah shook her head.

“Honestly? Because I want to believe that you’re not all bad. I don’t pretend to understand you, Caroline, or understand why you hate me so much. But I won’t let him ruin anyone else’s life. Caroline, look at me. We need to go now.”

She turned towards the door but stopped when she heard it. Caroline giggled. It was not the hysterical giggle of the terrorized, the shocked. No, it was something else. Victory. Sarah turned as Caroline started to laugh. The redhead’s face was exultant. She leaned forward, a nasty smirk on her face.

“I got the joy, joy, joy, joy” she started to sing and cackled at the confusion on Sarah’s face. Sarah stepped towards her.

“Stop fucking around, Caroline, we – “

Another voice started singing now, male, but high-pitched, mocking, demented. Sarah’s breath stopped.

Caroline turned her head towards the darkest corner of the lantern room.

“You can come out now…”

Sarah’s stomach disappeared as, smirking, Dan stepped out of the shadows.

“Hello again, baby girl.” Dan’s smile was friendly but his eyes bored into hers, flat and dead. Caroline was skittish, pulling at his jacket. He glanced at her, irritated, but she kissed him, oblivious.

“Dan, Dan, Dan, I did good, huh?”

Dan turned back to Sarah, who was staring at Caroline with a mixture of horror and disgust. She shook her head at her long-time enemy, who grinned back nastily. Sarah narrowed her eyes.

“I should have known. You really are a skank.”

Caroline was smug. “A skank that’s going to live to see the morning, bitch.”

“Shut up, Caroline.”

She looked at Dan in shock. “What does it matter? She’ll be dead soon anyway.”

Dan didn’t speak but his expression made her quell. She stepped back from him and moved around the lantern into the darkness. Sarah heard her give a little whimper, a sob. Dan smiled at Sarah.

“She’s right about that. Do you know how long I’ve waited for this day?”

“You killed Finn” She hissed the words at him and he grinned and nodded.

She choked back a sob and Dan laughed. Gathering herself, she met his eyes.

“Why?”

Dan laughed, sat down on the chair that Caroline had left. Sarah vaguely wondered what the other woman was doing, but her focus was on Dan.

“Those last moments, when he realized what was happening, when I told him exactly what I was going to do with you, to you…were exquisite. His terror was never for himself, even when he was dying?”

Sarah was shaking, trying not to throw up. “Why not just kill me then?” Her voice shook but she raised her chin, staring him down, “Why kill George? Finn? Why all of this? Why not just kill me?”

He smirked and she balled her fists up, tears threatening.

“Answer me,” she said. “Why? Why kill Finn? George? Even Buddy?” Her voice broke and she could feel her mask slipping away. She heard Caroline laugh softly, and Dan grinned. He stood and walked to tower over her. He cupped her face in his hand, tightening his grip as she tried to pull away. He brushed his lips over hers, across the soft down of her cheek, until his mouth was at her ear. His voice was a whisper, a seduction.

“Because it was fun.”

Her temper exploded and she threw herself at him, screaming all her anger, her grief, everything, pounding him with her fists, with every piece of strength she had left. Dan caught her and threw her back against the wall. The wall, iron, and wood, shuddered, the window smashed with the impact of her head hitting it. She clambered to her feet, ready to rush him again when Caroline stepped around the lantern, calmly raised the gun and shot her.

***

They’d abandoned the car in Seattle and Isaac had paid the first person he found with a speedboat to take them to the island. Above them he could see police helicopters racing to the island, all searching for Sarah. Steve, the new police chief, met them at the island’s small port, told them that the island was being searched with a fine toothcomb.

“If he has her here, we’ll find them,” Steve promised them but Isaac and Molly shared a look.

“We need a car.”

Steve wasn’t keen on them going to search but one look at Isaac’s face told him he wouldn’t be able to stop this desperate man searching for his wife. With a quick glance at Molly’s face, he gave Isaac the keys to Finn’s police cruiser.

The bullet struck her shoulder, spun her around and Sarah slammed into the hard metal floor. The shockwave of the gunfire in the confined space made every sound, even her own groans echo dully in her ears. She clutched at the wound, blood gushing from the torn skin. She felt the collarbone shift under her touch, smashed in two by the bullet. The pain was nauseating. She kept her eyes pinned to Dan, though, despite her agony, watched him as in the ringing silence as he roared his disapproval and snatched the gun from Caroline’s hand, cuffing her hard across the face. Caroline’s laughter broke off and she gasped in pain, in shock.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Dan’s voice was ice. Caroline caught her breath and tried to smile.

“I’m sorry, baby, I just thought she was playing for time, I thought she was going to hurt you.” She slid her hand up his chest. “The sooner she’s dead, the sooner we can get out of here, start our life together. All three of us.” She ran her hand down her belly and smiled up at him, her gaze adoring, and so, so sure.

Dan smiled humorlessly. “Oh yes, Caroline, of course. Of course, that’s what’s going to happen now.”

Caroline frowned at the sarcasm in his voice and she hissed in frustration. “Just fucking kill her then. Get this over with.”

Sarah dragged herself up into a sitting position. Dan’s eyes met hers and she saw, with a sickening lurch, the depth of his evil as she realized what he was about to do. She shook her head at him, desperately. Dan’s hand moved and she shook her head, terrified now.

“Dan, no….no…don’t.” Her voice seemed like a whisper.

Dan smiled, triumphant, and pulled the trigger.

Caroline gasped, staggered away from him, looking down at her swollen abdomen. Blood bloomed out from the bullet hole in the center of it. She gaped at Dan, confusion, betrayal, in her eyes. Sarah couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound, the horror of it both so real and yet unbelievable. Her ears ringing from the gunshot, she felt her body go numb as she watched Dan raise the gun again. Caroline held both hands up in front of her, pleading, begging.

“Please…baby…no…”

Dan shot her in the face and Caroline dropped. Sarah cried out, horrified. Dan gazed down at Caroline’s body dispassionately. Sarah whimpered involuntarily. Dan’s head turned and she saw that whatever humanity had been in him was forever gone. He calmly reloaded the gun.

Sarah managed to get herself to her feet, bracing herself against the wall. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the corpse of the woman she’d been enemies with since childhood. The baby. The baby. Finn. George. Blood, so much blood.

Dan walked slowly around to face her. He was grinning but his smile was tender, this time, almost reverent.

“Just you and me now, baby girl.”

And then he was on her.

Isaac tore through Sarah’s old house, screaming her name, even going deep into the crawlspace from where Dan had watched her all those months. Nothing.

He scrambled up to the hallway. Steven and Molly met him there, the cop talking on his cell phone. “They’re not at the Varsity or Caroline’s house. Caroline is gone too – I assume she’s helping him.”

“Fucking bitch,” Molly growled then when she saw the desolation in Isaac’s eyes, the hopelessness, she grabbed his hand. “Come on. They don’t get to win this.”

She dragged him outdoors into the night.

Dan shoved his hand against her throat, choking her but Sarah, furious as well as terrified, dug her fingers into his eyes, and Dan rocked back, yelling in pain. Sarah rolled away from him, scrambling to her feet

She scooted to the switch box and flipped every switch she could find. The vast lantern flickered into life. In its weak beam, she saw Dan slowly getting to his feet, his face a mask of pure rage. She tried to make it to the door but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to him. Her body fell hard against the iron floor, the back of her head cracking against a fire bucket, the rusted metal slicing into her scalp. She didn’t look at him, tears coursing silently down her face. Dan caught his breath and smiled down at her.

“Time to die now, Sarah. It’s all over.”

He bent to kiss her – and she threw the sand she’d grabbed from the fire bucket into his eyes. It wasn’t much, less than a palm full but it worked. He roared, blinded, and she kicked with all her might, connecting with his groin. He folded in half and she was up, her legs shaking but the will to live sending adrenaline through her body. She grabbed the bucket and smashed it down on his head, then when he groaned and reached for his head, she kicked him again and again in the genitals. Dan grunted in agony and she couldn’t help smiling. She flung the bucket down at him and, darting around Caroline’s body, she dove for the door, yanking it open.

As she clambered down the outside stairs, it took her a while to register how cold it was, the rain sticking her clothes to her skin. Above her, Dan appeared in the doorway, the lantern casting him in shadow. She pushed every other consideration aside, one thought pounding her brain.

Run.

“The lighthouse!” Molly screeched at the two men, pointed towards the east.

They spun around to see the old lantern cranked into life, flickering weakly in the pitch darkness. Without hesitation the three of them ran, cutting through the woods to the lighthouse. Steve helped Molly up the hill, while Isaac went ahead, desperate to reach Sarah. He got to the door. Locked. He scooted around the lighthouse and started up the stairs. At the foot of the stairs, Molly stopped a confused Steve.

“If he finds her and she’s…” she couldn’t finish. Steve hugged her swiftly, understanding.

“Come on. Best thing is to face whatever we’ll find together.”

They followed Isaac up the staircase, seeing him reach the top and disappearing into the lantern room. Steve was helping Molly onto the balcony when Isaac, his expression one of utter despair, came out of the room and threw up. Molly covered her mouth, trying not to scream.

“Oh no…no…please, not Sarah.”

Acting quickly, Steve turned to her. “Stay out here.” He ordered, making her look at him. She nodded, going to Isaac and rubbing his back as he choked and gasped for air. Steve was back in seconds, his face an echo of Isaac’s. He shook his head at Molly.

“Not Sarah.” He seemed to have trouble swallowing. “She’s gone. There are signs of a struggle, there’s blood, a lot of blood but I don’t know if any of it is hers.” He sucked in a breath, and he and Isaac exchanged a look.

“Let’s head towards town, if he’s taken her somewhere or she’s running, it’ll be that way.” Isaac’s voice was steady now. He started down the stairs. Steve shepherded Molly down behind Isaac. At the bottom, Isaac took off, they heard him shouting Sarah’s name. Steve took Molly’s hand and they ran after Isaac. Molly glanced at Steve’s still stricken face.

“Steve? What is it? What did you see in there?”

Steve didn’t answer. Molly touched his arm, seeing the horror in his eyes.

“Steve? Steve…who was it?”

Steve swallowed, not meeting her eyes. “Caroline.”

Molly recoiled. “The baby?”

“Yes.”

Molly turned and threw up as Steve looked out into the darkened woods and wondered how the hell much worse this night could get.

Sarah ran around the lighthouse, heading straight for the woods below. Blood from her arm dropped onto the snow, a trail straight to her. She could hear his shouts, his rage - “You fucking bitch!” – as she stumbled her way into the wood. She saw light coming from the other end of wood – just a faint glimmer but it gave her hope. She was almost free.

Isaac plunged into the wood and sped, his eyes searching, searching, and searching. The sound of a man’s voice, an angry man, a raging man, screaming her name. Dan. I’ll find you, you fucking bitch! A sudden lightness lifted Isaac’s heart. She was escaping him, she was running. She hadn’t given up.

“SARAH!” Isaac screamed her name, praying that she heard him, that she knew he was coming for her, that he would save her. “Sarah, I love you, run!”

He pelted off in the direction of Dan’s voice that was still cursing her still threatening her. Isaac hoped beyond hope that she heard his, Isaac’s voice, a voice of love as well as the vitriol Dan was spewing. Sarah, I love you, I love you.

Then he heard it, her voice, and her wonderful beautiful voice. “Isaac!” His heart felt about to burst.

Then a gunshot split the night air.

She wasn’t sure she had heard right, the sound was still so far away. Her name, her name being shouted on the wind. “Sarah! Sarah, I love you, run!”

Isaac…Isaac was coming for her. Her body flooded with warmth, she turned in the direction of his voice and began to run. Mistake.

Dan tackled her from the side and they rolled together, Sarah desperately fighting him, his hands everywhere, grasping and hurting. She fought, fought like hell but Dan was too strong, grabbing her wounded arm and twisting it until she cried out in pain.

Dan straddled her, grinning

“It’s all over now, Sarah.”

He took her t-shirt between his hands and ripped it open. She could feel the icy cold of the snow against her bare skin. Dan pulled the gun from his waistband and aimed it at her, running the muzzle of the gun from her throat down to her navel.

“Shame we’re going to have to rush this. I was going to use my knife but we don’t have time so a bullet or two or three will have to suffice.” His voice was sing-song, the look in his eyes pure bloodlust. She curled her left hand into a fist and smashed it as hard as she could into his face. He laughed and grabbing her arm, stood and smashed it down over his knee. She heard the bone snap. The pain was excruciating and she whimpered, unable to keep it in. Nausea roiled through her, dark spots started to swim at the corners of her eyes.

He rammed his face against hers. “Does it hurt? If you think you’re broken now, Sarah, you have no idea. You’ll beg me to kill you before the end.”

All at once, Sarah was furious, beyond furious.

“How fucking dare you?” she whispered. “How dare you play God with other people’s lives? Deciding who lives and who dies. Destroying other people’s lives on the whim of your fucking ego. You’re pathetic.”

Her words shocked him; his face, uglier than she’d ever seen it, contorted with rage.

“Don’t test me, baby girl.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me? You’re going to kill me anyway. Is that the best you can do, you cowardly motherfucker? Because that’s what you are, Dan, a pathetic coward. You think just because you want something you should have it. I’m not a possession. You repulse me. Even if you weren’t the hateful psychopath you are, I could never love you. I never did...”

She could hear Isaac crashing through the wood, shouting her name.

Just keep him talking, she thought, just a few more minutes.

Dan struck her hard across the face. She tasted blood in her mouth. Dan grabbed her face, pinching it hard between his fingers.

“You little half-breed whore.” His voice was calm, dispassionate. “You think he’s going to save you? Really?”

“Sarah!” Isaac’s voice was desperate, panicked.

Dan smirked. “Nothing’s gonna save you, baby girl. This is what I do best, Sarah.”

She felt the cold steel muzzle against her belly. Dan smiled. She pulled every last ounce of breath into her lungs and screamed.

“Isaac!”

Her scream cut off as Dan pulled the trigger.

Isaac burst into the clearing just as Dan shot Sarah again, her body arching with the impact, blood gushing from the horrific wounds in her abdomen.

“No!” Isaac threw himself at Dan and knocked him away from Sarah, who moaned in agony. Still alive, keep breathing baby. Dan and Isaac rolled away from her. Dan managed to keep hold of the gun and he jerked it up towards Isaac and pulled the trigger. Isaac punched him out just as a bullet buried itself deep into his bicep. Isaac barely registered the pain. His rage, his love for the dying girl in the snow overcame him and he managed to drive his fist up under Dan’s chin. Blood spurted from the other man’s mouth as he bit through his own tongue and he screamed, gurgling blood in his mouth. Isaac smiled. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Molly with Sarah; she was sobbing, begging her friend to live. He heard Sarah choke, cough. More blood. He turned his head to look at her. God, she so was broken, the sight of her blood on the snow seared itself into his brain. Sarah…Sarah, please breathe…

Then Dan Bailey hit him with the butt of his gun.

Sarah’s eyes opened and she saw his beautiful face fill with horror as he took in her broken body. Isaac. She saw him, the man she loved, fighting for her and she smiled. Hands were there then, pushing against her, keeping the blood in. Rolling her onto her side so she could clear her throat of blood. She choked, coughed and breathed in a blessed lungful of air. Blood on the snow. So much pain. A soothing voice, a familiar voice – Molly?

“Honey, we’ve got you, just hang on in there please, please, please.” Molly’s voice broke and Sarah wanted to comfort her, but she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t remember how to talk. The darkness was coming. She tried to breathe and make sense of what was happening at the same time. Her world was shattering onto fragments of consciousness.

Breathe…

Shouting, the sound of skin hitting skin, of struggling, men grunting and cussing. She saw Isaac, his face bloodied, scramble to catch up with Dan.

Breathe…

“Sarah, please hold on, you can’t die, please please please…”

Breathe…

“Steve! Help Sarah!” Isaac’s voice was growing distant now. Steve’s voice. “Isaac, take my gun!” There were more hands on her, Steve’s voice. She’d never noticed before how kind it was and she wanted to tell him…

Breathe…

Gunshots. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered Isaac had Steve’s gun – had Dan had time to reload? God, Isaac…

He’s fighting for me.

“That’s it, that’s it, come on, good girl, just breathe…”

I am. I am. I…

Her entire belly felt like it was on fire from the two bullets tearing through her tender flesh.

God, this is it, I’m dying.

Her breath was coming in little gasps now, her own body fighting against her will to live. She swallowed another mouthful of blood and looked away up into the trees above her, the rain had turned to snow now, covering her face, soothing cold. The little light there was left in the day made the sky a beautiful violet. Sarah closed her eyes.

Isaac. Isaac. I’m sorry. I love you.

Isaac broke through the trees and sprinted up the hill after Dan. He heard Molly scream “Steve! She’s not breathing!” and his heart faltered but he pushed the thought away as he darted into the clearing near the lighthouse…where Dan was waiting for him. Isaac raised the gun and Dan laughed, bowing extravagantly.

“Do you think I care if I live or die now, Quinn? Really? I did what I came here to do. I shot her, I killed her. She’s dead, Quinn. Sarah’s dead.” He held up his blood-stained hands. “She bled for me. She bled for me. And God, it was beautiful...”

Isaac shot Daniel Bailey between the eyes. Dan dropped immediately, the grinning rictus still on his face. Isaac shot him another couple of times, dispassionately firing into the dead man’s head. You can’t be too sure, he told himself. Something inside him had died too; he was now a killer.

And Sarah was still dying…

Isaac felt his world shift, and he was aware that the crushing grief he was holding back was starting to encroach. He heard Molly scream.

Sarah.

And he was up, off into the trees, racing to get to her, to his love.

Please, please, don’t let me be too late…

He stumbled into the clearing. When he saw Sarah’s body, he faltered.

“Oh my God.”

Molly looked up and went into his arms. He tightened his arms around her, not taking his eyes from Steve, still trying desperately to save the woman he loved. Molly sobbed.

“She’s gone, Isaac. Sarah’s dead.”

Isaac growled. “She is not dead.” He pushed Steve away and took over, stopping compressions to blow a lungful of air into her. He could taste her blood in his mouth. Sarah didn’t respond, blood still spilling from her wounds onto the melting snow. Her eyes were closed, her lips pale.

“Please, please, please, sweetheart, breathe.” Isaac kept up compressions. Molly looked at Steve and nodded, tears still streaming down her face. Steve stepped forward and put his hand on Isaac’s shoulder.

“Isaac…she’s gone. We did everything. She didn’t stand a chance. I’m sorry.”

Isaac shook his hand off and continued his efforts. Molly put her arms around him, he struggled but she held him fast.

“Isaac.” She whispered, grief making her voice crack, “She’s gone. Sarah’s gone. I’m so sorry, you have to stop. She’s dead, Isaac.”

Isaac let her hold him then, his face disbelieving. He stared at his wife’s best friend, her sister. “No. This isn’t the way it ends. I don’t believe this. My darling girl…” His voice broke as he looked down at his love. So much blood. He gathered Sarah’s broken body into his arms, felt for a pulse at her throat. He bent his mouth to her ear and whispered, more in desperation than hope. “Please Sarah, please. Live. For me, please, please.”

From the very edge of life, she was sure she heard his voice, could feel his hands holding her face. He was begging her to live, sobbing now.

She felt his kiss and sighed. Oh, my love, she thought and drifted into night.

The helicopter landed on the football field and the medics stretchered Sarah onto it, Isaac and Molly scrambling aboard. Steve would follow them later, he said. Molly grabbed him just before they took off.

“Thank you.” She whispered, looking into his eyes. Steve got choked, nodded.

“Tell Sarah to keep fighting. Tell Isaac.”

She nodded and then they were in the air.

Now in the air ambulance, Isaac and Molly huddled together as the medics fought to keep Sarah alive. She was so still, so pale. The medic at her head suddenly bent his head, listening.

“No breath sounds. Sarah? Sarah, honey? Can you hear me?”

He pressed his fingers to her throat and shook his head. Isaac moaned.

“Crash.” The other medic swirled the paddles together while they were charging. “Clear.”

He placed the paddles on Sarah’s chest and clicked. One. Nothing. Again. Nothing. The medics looked at each other. The first medic looked at Isaac who shook his head.

“Please.” He whispered. The medic nodded.

“Try again.” They shocked her again and Sarah drew in an enormous breath, hyperventilating, suddenly conscious. She collapsed back onto the stretcher. Isaac leaned forward and kissed her.

“Hey, darling. Hold on, please, we’re nearly there. They’re gonna fix you right up…” His voice cracked. “God, Sarah, I love you, please don’t leave me.”

Sarah gazed at him then her eyes closed again. The medic checked her and grimaced.

“Charge up again. She’s not responding.” They shocked her again and again. Finally, he leaned over her, listening. Isaac and Molly couldn’t breathe.

The medic looked up at them and smiled. “She’s back. She’s a fighter, this one. A warrior.”

Isaac nodded, tears falling down his face. “Yes, she is.”

She understood now that pain wasn’t a symptom but a way of being. Every nerve in her body screeched with the agony and Sarah Quinn begged whatever higher power there was to release her from it. Only the thought of him was keeping her from letting go. The bullets ripping through her; the bloodlust in Dan’s eyes as he shot her; they were nothing to the brief glimpse she got of the unimaginable grief on Isaac’s face before she passed out. She drifted between conscious states, little snapshots coming back to her. Hands pushing on her body, trying to stem the blood. Molly’s sobs. Then his voice, broken but devastatingly beautiful, saying her name over and over. Isaac, I love you, she thought, I love you. She had let the darkness take her.

Isaac sat by her bed, his fingers laced with hers as he watched her breathing in and out, the tube down her throat helping her to live.

“Please don’t go. I know that’s monumentally selfish of me, I can’t imagine the pain you must be in. But, Sarah….please. You are my love. For all time. All time. You are in every beat of my heart, every moment with you I realize why I’m here on Earth. Don’t go. Stay with me and I promise I’ll never let anyone hurt you ever again. Please don’t leave me.” His voice, so steady and sure, cracked at the last and he choked back his emotion, tears dropping down his pale face. Her hand in his felt tiny, so still, too still. He squeezed her fingers gently, willing her to return the gesture, his senses heightened, waiting and waiting. Nothing.

Isaac let out a long, shaky breath and laid his head down on the bed. Silence broken just by the beep of the machinery. Eventually, the steady rhythm invaded his exhausted mind and he slept and when he slept he dreamed of Dan pumping bullets into Sarah over and over and over, vicious, merciless and Sarah falling, bloodied and broken, drifting further away from him. He reached for her but she slipped further and further away…

There was a strange feeling on his head, a pressure. Fingers stroking his hair tenderly. He knew that touch, would know it anywhere. He opened his eyes and raised his head.

Sarah smiled down at him, her face pale, dark shadows under her eyes but still…alive and smiling and so, so, so fucking beautiful…

“Oh god, thank you, thank you…” he choked out as he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

A year later…

Sarah Quinn swept her hair up into a loose ponytail and went out of the back door to find her husband. She soon found him in the large garden of their new home, running around and playing like a teenager with Scooter and Biggs – their two large and very silly rescue dogs. Sarah joined in with their game, passing a drool-soaked tennis ball back and forth to Isaac as the dogs barked and snapped at it. She started giggling as the dogs tackled Isaac to the ground and went crazy both trying to get the ball and licking their new master.

“Yeah,” she said, “you look like…what was it… America’s Hottest Billionaire…right now.”

Isaac grinned up at her and she pulled him up. He locked his arms around her and kissed her, nibbled on her ear to make her squirm. “Tickles,” she protested, chuckling. “Anyway, I came out to find you. Molly and the kids will be here soon.”

Molly, who had always been a Seattle girl, had politely turned down Isaac’s offer to buy her and Mike a new home in Portland. Now that Isaac and Sarah had moved down there permanently, they didn’t see her as much and Sarah missed her.

“You’ve already been so generous,” Molly had said, the night Isaac had asked her and Mike the question. Sarah had still been in hospital but well on the way to recovery and she and Isaac had decided very quickly to leave the city, leave the state.

“I love this city,” Sarah had told him, “but too much has happened here. I need to move on.”

Within the week, QuinnCorp’s had opened a new office in Portland and Sarah was looking at properties. Isaac had told her to choose whatever she wanted and now they had this beautiful European-style home, all exposed brickwork, and massive fireplaces. So different from her old home. That had been her only other condition. She wanted to start again – completely. She even let Isaac have free-reign about how much money he spent on her. Everything was different. New.

Sarah had enrolled at the University of Oregon to finish her architectural degree, much to Isaac’s delight. “When you graduate,” he said, “I have the perfect project for you.”

She had looked at him curiously but he wouldn’t tell her what it was.

Now, she tugged him into the house. “Come on, wash up. You’re a bad influence on those kids.”

Molly arrived and they were soon surrounded by hugs and love and kisses and the kids, hopped up on sugary drinks from their journey. Mike had come too, deciding at the last minute to join the gathering.

When they were settled in the garden, Isaac fired up the barbecue and began cooking while Sarah excused herself.

Molly watched Mike and the kids playing with the dogs for a moment then went to see if Isaac needed any help.

“How’s she settling in?” She asked after some easy chatter. Isaac grinned widely.

“Wonderfully. She’s doing so good, Molly, you should see her.”

Molly smiled and hugged him. “I’m so glad.”

Isaac looked up to see Sarah coming out of the house, a loving smile on her beautiful face – and a small child in her arms. Her dark skin looked like her mother’s – despite the fact they shared not one drop of DNA. Sarah brought her and Isaac’s newly adopted daughter over to see her aunt and uncle, handing her to Molly, who cooed and trilled at the little girl, Sophie.

Isaac wrapped his arms around his wife then, as they watched their daughter being fussed over, and kissed her temple. “Mrs. Quinn,” he murmured, “God damn but I think we made it.”

Sarah turned in his arms and kissed him. “We sure did. We made it through hell. Now we get the good stuff.”

Isaac smiled down at his beautiful wife, who had survived the darkest hell of what humans could do to each other and still had a heart full of love to give and knew, without a doubt, that they would only see the sunshine from now on

The End.