“Yeah, I’ve got some things to take care of. Business, you know,” I reply, laughing it off, but I’m terrible at lying, and she knows. “Besides, I don’t wanna bother you and Luca when you just got back from your honeymoon.”
I don’t like lying to my sister, but if I told her the truth, she’d try to stop me.
She’s already sacrificed enough for me.
It’s about time I was the big sister.
“Oh, okay,” Jill says as I hurry toward the front door. “Well, text me when you get home safely, all right?”
“Will do, bye!” I wave and exit the penthouse.
When the door closes behind me, I pause and close my eyes.
I’m sorry I’m leaving without a proper goodbye, but I hope you’ll forgive me.
I’m doing this for you, Jill.
I breathe out a sigh … only to rush down the hall to the elevator, smashing the buttons as fast as I can so I can get out of here before I run into Luca.
Because if either of them finds out I stole some important information, they won’t be happy.
My heart practically beats out of my chest as the elevator finally stops, and I hop out and head straight for the exit, where I parked my rental. No driver, no guards, no one from the family to intervene or disclose my secret to my parents.
Because when I get into that car and start the engine, no one will stop me from going after the one thing that’s haunted me for the past three years.
Liam.
Here I fucking come.
Chapter 3
Liam
* * *
Two and a half years ago
* * *
When I slam open the door and march into Brauhaus Jonas, the sound of chatting people suddenly disappears. Even though everyone in this goddamn bar is glaring at me, I still park my ass on a seat right in front of the bartender. “Bier.”
The guy looks at me as though I’m the devil incarnate, but I’m just trying to lubricate my thirsty throat with some fucking beer. So I look at him and growl, “Bitte.” Please.
I look at the board on the wall to my left. There are some leaflets on there, but one in particular catches my eye. I get up, my footsteps clonking through the establishment, as I make my way toward the board and rip off the little paper. On it is a tiny little wooden cabin situated near a snowy mountain, between almost magical green-as-fuck pine trees. At the bottom, it says “for sale.”
“That offer’s been there for a decade. Looks can be deceiving, Liam.” Always this bartender with his unsolicited advice. “It’s a five-hour car drive to no-man’s-land.”
Car. Drive.
A flash of blinding light strikes me to my core.
Nothing but snow is outside this bar, yet I feel the water rising, my body floating in the cold, and the air in my lungs evaporating.
A loud scream fills my ears, and I cover them with my hands.
I see only one thing in front of me.
The face of a girl with short blond hair and eyes like those of a demon.