Blackbird (Redemption 1)

I paused from reaching up to place it over her eyes and lifted an eyebrow. “If I grabbed you right now, would you defend yourself?”

“No,” she said with a laugh that hinted at her frustration. “That’s why I think this is pointless.”

“You were abducted four months ago,” I began gently, “and someone attempted to take you just last week. If you can’t see me, those memories are going to resurface and that fear is going to grip you, and you’re going to react. Trust me,” I said, the word almost a plea as I placed the material over her eyes, wrapped it around her head, and tied it in a knot. I pressed a soft kiss to her cheek, and then her lips, and whispered, “I’m sorry I have to force you to relive those days, but I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

I stepped away from her and moved soundlessly to stand at the opposite side of the room so I was lined up with her shoulder.

I watched and waited as minutes passed, until her body began trembling and her lips began moving, like she was trying to keep a song from leaving them.

“Briar,” I murmured, just loud enough for her to hear me.

Her head whipped to the left, but I was already silently slipping up behind her.

I forced myself to be calm, telling myself repeatedly that she needed this, until neither Lucas Holt or her devil was standing behind her—but a man I swore I would never be again.

Her trembling was increasing and her song was now a whisper when I leaned closer so that my breath stirred against her neck.

And it was the Reaper’s voice that demanded, soft and low, “Fight me.”

Chapter 42

Shatter It All

Briar

A tear fell and hit the marble countertop of my bathroom. Another dull splash. And then another.

Each tear heavy with every emotion I couldn’t comprehend in those minutes.

Happiness, worry, love, denial, joy, terror . . .

I had thought I’d known fear. In the last five and a half months, I’d experienced more than most people were ever plagued by in their nightmares.

I’d been stolen from my life. I’d been sold to a devil. People had tried to take me from the man I loved and then more had come, looking to take my life.

But this? This made those moments seem like childish fears. This made those moments seem like nothing more than being terrified that my parents would abandon me, or that I would be forgotten somewhere again.

Two weeks until the celebration. Two weeks until the raid. Two weeks until this world would be nothing but a nightmarish memory.

My hand dropped to my stomach as a strained sob tore from my chest.

Because those two pink lines could potentially shatter it all.

Chapter 43

Hello Girl

Briar

“Hello, girl,” an odd, familiar voice called out from the doorway to my room.

I straightened from where I was making the bed and looked over my shoulder slowly. Surprise and confusion swept through me as I took in the woman standing just inside the room with a smug expression on her face.

The shopper.

“Hello,” I replied, my tone giving away how stunned I felt seeing her there. I hadn’t seen her since the beginning of my time there. I turned to face her fully, my head tilting as I did. “No ‘stupid’ this time then?”

The woman just sent me one of her challenging grins, and lifted a slender shoulder. “You tell me.”