Dark Lies (House of Sin 2)

I blink a couple of times and turn around again. “Let me know when the helicopter arrives.”

Before he can say another word, I escape into my study and close the door. I can’t breathe a sigh of relief even though I want to so desperately.

My little angel is out there all by herself, alone, afraid, and struggling to survive. And I can’t do anything to help her. She won’t let me … because I’m the one who chased her away.

“Fuck!” I slam the door with a fist and march to the fireplace, stuffing the hot iron inside the flames again.

I know I shouldn’t do this, I don’t want to do this, but my conscience weighs down on me. And the only way to make the heartache go away … is with pain.

Suddenly, someone knocks on my door, and I stand again, hiding the iron with my body. I don’t need more judgment from Tobias, and I know he’s itching to let me know what he thinks.

But I’m surprised when Soren pokes his head inside.

He holds up a key.

I frown. “What’s that?” Then it hits me. “The jet ski!”

I forgot we even had one. It’s rarely used.

Soren nods, and he clutches the key and points at himself.

“You’ll go?” I ask. He’s the only one who can operate that thing. I’ve never managed to get the hang of it because it belonged to him, and I didn’t see the need. But I wish I had used it more now. It could mean the difference between finding her alive … or dead.

Soren’s face turns serious, and he nods again.

He’s doing this for me. To save Amelia and bring her back.

I march over to him. “The water current should’ve led her straight to the guard east of our island,” I say. “He says she’s not there, but I don’t trust him. You have to go check.”

He grunts in agreement.

“Bring her back,” I say as I squeeze his shoulder tight. “I know you can do it.”

He gives me an even firmer nod, and I know then and there that he will do his utmost best to get her back safely into my arms.

Amelia

The man puts his phone in his pocket while I shiver in place, frozen to the floor.

“T-Thank you,” I mutter, hoping he won’t turn around and call them in the end.

He pauses and briefly gazes at me before continuing to gather some supplies from a big box near the door. Then he rips a shotgun off the wall. My eyes widen. I grab ahold of the kitchen counter, my eyes darting around the room, searching for a weapon or a way out as I face death in the eyes.

But then the door opens, and the man steps outside.

“I’ll be back in a few,” he growls, and he slams the door shut behind him, leaving me in complete disarray.

Where is he going?

What is going on?

No time to waste on thoughts. He could come back at any moment.

I start rummaging through all of his things to find a clue as to who he really is and where I am. Maybe he has some documents somewhere that could prove if he’s just a guy or one of Eli’s guards.

Because that was definitely him on the phone … and that was no random phone call.

Eli is searching for me, which means I have no time to waste.

I go through his closets, under the bed, and every drawer—nothing is left unturned. I find a loaf of bread and some cheese in one of the cupboards and cut some up on a clean plate. I chow it down as quickly as possible and follow it up with a large cup of water. I checked the fridge, but I don’t know if I can trust what’s in there. I stuff everything that’s safe into a bag I found underneath the bed. I don’t want to steal from this man, but I need to get out as soon as possible before Eli’s guards find me here and take me back to him.

So I grab a coat hanging on a hook and put it on along with a pair of shoes I find in the closet, and then I open the door to step out.

Right into the man’s arms.

I stop in my tracks as he towers over me with the gun in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other.

With a gulp, I step back as he steps forward.

My cheeks flush as his eyes flash to the bag in my hands and the coat around my body. The closer he comes, the more I back away until I’m back inside his hut again, and the door closes behind him.

He clears his throat and hangs the rabbit on the same hook I took the coat from. But as he turns, his eyes bore into mine, and the fear pushes me back another step until I drop the bag in my hands.