Chapter Three
6 Days Ago
Drake Morrison pressed Delete after reading the file the head of his security team emailed him. Afterwards, he calmly proceeded with destroying all the information he had filed about Mairi Tanner. But when he came to the new data he had received regarding Damen Leventis and all his interests, Drake hesitated. He recalled the earlier conversation he had with his security head on the phone.
‘How grave was her injury?’ Drake asked. He had a difficult time not reacting to the photo he held in his hand. Being ex-army had made him immune to the sight of blood a long time ago. But the fact that the photo showed evidence of Mairi suffering, of Mairi bleeding – the fact that he had forced a young woman to such desperate straits was what was making his stomach turn over.
“The nearest hospital was just a block away, but she didn’t admit herself there. She went straight to Damen Leventis’ hospital. She also appeared not to have any money with her as she paid the cab driver with her bracelet.”
Drake breathed harshly. “Did she get treated right away there?”
“No. She insisted on seeing Damen first. She went hysterical when the staff didn’t allow her into his room. Damen’s sister arrived about thirty minutes later and that was when she was finally able to get in.”
Slowly, Drake swung his chair around so he could hold the photo over the wastebasket. He lit up one corner using his lighter. As the tip of the photo began to burn, the flame engulfing the entire photo in seconds, Drake slowly allowed the ashes to fall.
It reminded him of the time he still had nightmares of, a day when ashes rained all around. He remembered her. A short-haired brunette whose eyes were always compassionate, even when they had witnessed inhumane acts over and over during the war. Even when Drake had been forced to abandon her, she had not stopped looking at him like he was her hero.
Go, Drake. I can’t keep up and I won’t be able to save the hostage.
I can’t fucking leave you—
Yes. You can. You have to. Now go! It’s either me or the hostage, and you know I’d rather kill myself if an innocent dies because of me. So please go.
I’ll come back for you.
I know you will.
And he had gone back for her, but by then he was too late. She had disappeared.
In a moment of uncontrollable rage, Drake kicked the waste basket away as he got to his feet. He punched the wall in sheer fury, and the cement cracked under his fist. He was no hero, never was, and never would be. His failure to rescue her had been proof of that, and all these years the only thing he had been able to do was find ways to convince himself that Paige could have survived. That Paige was alive.
Now he understood why he had been so damn determined to woo Yanna Everleigh away, even if it had been obvious she was in love with her Dutch billionaire boss. If Yanna had fallen for him, her secret bodyguard, then maybe Paige could have suffered from Stockholm Syndrome and fallen for her own captor. If she had, life would have been good for her. She was the kind that any man could fall in love with.
But if she had not, then she would have fought to the death.
Now he understood why he had been so damn determined to push Mairi past her limits and force her to be strong. If Mairi had been able to cope, even when it felt like the man she loved more than life had abandoned her, then it would have meant Paige could also have survived.
And Mairi had survived, but at what cost?
If he had the chance to turn back time, would he have changed his mind?
The answer had Drake stalking back to his table. He transferred all the data he had to make or break Damen Leventis into a memory stick. He had used Mairi callously, selfishly, and ruthlessly. He would never be able to make it up to her, but at least what he had in his hands could secure her future with Leventis.
I’m sorry, Mairi. I’m sorry I had to use you.
He had needed to see Mairi fight with everything she had to be strong. It was the only way to make himself believe that somewhere in this world, Paige was alive and was waiting for him to save her.
Stay alive, Paige. Stay alive for me.