The Widow Maker (Dark Vows Duet 2)

I huddle in the corner of the small space, watching with horrified eyes as blood droplets soak the floorboards above me. My body aches for Heath. I’m left wondering whether the fact that he’s gone cold turkey will serve him well or be bad for him. I know he’s trying his best, but I also know his drugs made him more ferocious and bloodthirsty. Did I ruin everything by forcing him to go off with them? I may have just cost everyone at the Palacio their lives.

Swallowing thickly, I force myself to stop shaking and wait for the gunshots to stop. But they seem to never end.

I don’t know how much time passes. I switch from huddling in the corner to anxiously staring at the floorboards. But then I hear voices above me, and I hear them calling my name.

They’re looking for me.

I hide in the darkest corner of the hiding place and hope my heartbeat isn’t loud enough for them to hide me. When I know they’re right above me, I press my palm to my mouth and force myself not to breathe. I can’t give out my location. They’ll take me again, separate me from Heath. I can never let that happen.

I feel bile rising in my throat. I can tell it’s early morning now and I feel sick to my stomach. This has been happening all too often and I’m sick and tired of feeling so useless and sick.

I clamp the hand over my mouth even harder, but then my eyes widen with a sickening realization.

I was supposed to get my period weeks ago, when I was taken by Xander. But distracted by the events that transpired with the madman, I realize I forgot all about it. Now I’m late. And not just a little—it’s been at least a month.

My eyes widen as I realize what this could mean. My whole life, my body worked like clockwork. There’s only one reason I could be late now.

My hand shivers as I slowly lower it, forcing myself not to make a sound. I let it rest over my flat stomach, looking for the smallest of bumps, but there’s nothing there yet. I must be early on in my journey, but suddenly there’s not a doubt in my mind. I’m pregnant.

I want to scream. I want Heath. My eyes fill with tears as I realize I may never see him again. If our enemies had our way, we’d both be dead, or Heath at the least, while I was turned into a sex slave. And I’m also painfully aware of how pissed off Xavier will be about this. After all, I’m still married to him.

Cringing, I remember Adelina, my maid at the Casa, sneaking birth control pills for me and helping me not conceive. Having Xavier’s child would be my worst nightmare, but I know judging by the timeline and the fact that Xander’s men only fucked my ass, that this baby is Heath’s.

That makes my heart swell with warmth. Is it possible I’m finally going to have the baby I spent my whole life wishing for? And not with a man I hate, but with one I want to spend eternity with.

A shaky smile fights its way onto my lips. As terrifying as my current situation is, I can’t help but get excited by what I know is in store for us next.

But then I hear another gunshot, and I could swear the grunt that follows belongs to Heath. I rush up the stairs in the small space and try to look through the boards, but I can’t see anything. Someone’s moved the dead body that lay there before, and now even more blood pools and drips between the floorboards. Pure, undiluted panic pounds through my veins as I wait for the terrifying scene to end. Sooner or later, it will have to.

I do not know how much time passes in that claustrophobic space. But then I hear footsteps above me and realize it’s been a while since I heard someone scream. I can see someone moving the rug above me, and more light shines into the small space I’m locked in.

Fear reverberates through my body.

This could be the enemy, or it could be Heath coming to collect me now that everything is over. I wait, filled with anticipation for the intruder to reveal himself.

The trap door is raised with a creak. My heart pounds as I come face to face with Liberato.

“Oh, thank God,” I let out in a choked cry, launching myself at the man and enveloping him in a hug. But it’s not reciprocated, making me realize pretty quickly something sinister has happened.

And once I pull back and inspect the mess left behind, I know why.

There are so many dead people on the ground. So many lifeless pairs of eyes staring into nothing, and so much fucking blood it makes my stomach turn.