There’s a loud knock at the door and everyone holds their breath. Maria glares at every single person standing around the room, warning them that if they were to even move a muscle that they’ll be seeing the last of me.
My eyes flick toward the door, impatiently listening to the loud silence.
There’s a short wait with tensions rising high. I watch as Damian grips Nessa’s hand. She wants to do something, she wants to help me but he won’t let her risk it.
My heart thumps heavily in my chest as Slade stares at me, not once taking his eyes off me. He knows I want to do something, call for help or make a run for it, but he refuses to allow me to gamble with my life like that.
I wonder if I slammed my elbow back into her stomach if she’d drop the knife or if her natural reaction to pull in on herself would have the knife slicing deeply across my throat?
She wouldn’t care if I died tonight, she wouldn’t miss me if I was to pass on to a better place, and she wouldn’t even blink an eye if I was to bleed out at her feet.
The knock sounds again, this time heavier and more demanding. There’s a short pause before a loud booming voice comes through the wooden door, almost as though the guy is leaning into it. “Skylah Mahony? This is officer Lucock. Please answer the door. I am very aware that you are home.”
My eyes bug out of my head as Maria tightens her hold on me. “Who called the cops?” she whisper yells, spitting the words through clenched teeth.
Everyone’s hands move higher, making it clear that no one has a phone. This is pure coincidence with perfect timing. In fact, timing is never good like this, especially when it has something to do with me. This has to be a sign from above. This has got to be my mom and dad looking out for me and Blake. I’m sure of it.
“Mrs. Mahony? The lights are on and there are four cars outside your home. Please open the door before I am left with no other option but to use force. We need to speak about the fire at the Valentine’s mansion. We have some unfortunate news regarding your new husband.”
Damian meets Slade’s eyes and Slade shakes his head.
I’ve never felt tension like this before.
The silence is killing me. I could hear a pin drop.
There’s a noise on the other side of the door before a shadow passes in front of the window. The shadow steps in closer and soon enough, officer Lucock is pressing his face right up against the glass and peering in.
His eyes widen in shock as he takes in the scene before him.
I meet his eyes over Slade’s shoulders, silently sending up a ‘thanks’ to mom and dad. ‘Help,’ I mouth, trying not to move an inch.
Officer Lucock nods and looks slightly to the left, taking in Maria’s face. I don’t know what he’s seeing there but I know it couldn’t be good as her fingernails bite into my arm. There’s no way the officer is just going to walk away now. He’s coming and there’s going to be a showdown. Maria knows it just as well as the rest of us do.
I watch as officer Lucock grabs hold of the radio on his uniform and speaks into it before he moves out of sight. I can’t help but look back at Slade as another voice sounds. “We’re coming in.”
There’s a loud bang that makes me jump as has Maria desperately trying to drag me back toward the kitchen. Slade steps as she does, not allowing the distance to grow between us.
There’s a fire in his eyes. He’s worked out his plan.
Chapter 25
There’s another bang followed by another and not a second later, Shaylee’s wooden door splinters as it’s broken off its hinges. Officer Lucock and his colleague comes storming into my home, guns out, and pointed right at Maria. One directed at her head, the other at her chest, but it just so happens that for a clean shot at her chest, it would have to go through mine first.
Maria’s not stupid. She knows they’re not going to shoot at me. Though, if they knew the kinds of things I’d done over the past few weeks, maybe it’s in their best interest to take me out.
Is my life ever going to be normal? I thought I was finally in the clear and now this? This is complete bullshit. Maybe Slade should go and find a girl who doesn’t attract drama like a magnet. Who am I kidding? Slade would still take me even if I was the devil himself. Love’s a funny thing.
“Put the knife down,” Lucock warns, inching in closer to us.