Chances (Mystic Nights #1)(43)

Jonathan saw the anguish in Aliya’s friend’s face. He began to have doubts, a flicker of hope. This girl’s faith in her friend was persuasive. He looked over her head at Joseph who began to approach.

“Brie,” he asked. “What makes you so sure she would not be involved?”

Brie turned to him. “I’ve known her my whole life. She once walked out of a store and had an item that she had forgotten to pay for, and she went back in to pay for it. She found a wallet once with two thousand dollars on the casino floor and turned it into security.” Tom who had returned at the moment was nodding.

“I remember that.”

Brie turned back to Jonathan. “Jonathan, she is a good girl. Yes, she made a few mistakes. But she is kind, loving, generous, and these things just don’t add up. I’m worried about her. She always answers her phone. Always. I don’t know why you think she’s involved. Maybe Simon and Peter are framing her, to lead you on a wild goose chase. I don’t know. But please, we have to find her.”

Jonathan looked down at the girl, a true friend, begging him to believe her. When Tom cleared his throat, he looked up.

“What do you have?” he asked, seeing the panic in the man’s eyes.

“Simon’s dead. The police found him in his apartment. It was a blood bath.”

Brie cried out. “Oh, no!”

Joseph cursed.

Jonathan was now in full blown panic. Had he made a fatal assumption? He fled towards the door. “Follow me,” he called over his shoulder. Both Tom and Joseph followed. “Dawn, call down and have a car brought around for us. One of the security vehicles.”

Dawn was on the phone in an instant as the men could be heard running down the hall to catch the elevator.

And he had been wrong, Jonathan thought as he hurried towards the elevators. Was Aliya a victim here? And she might be carrying his child? The fear he felt in that moment was greater than anything he had ever felt in his life. His woman. His child. They were in danger. He had to find them. Save them. He had to.





Chapter 19




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Killing Simon had been easy. Easier than he’d thought. The man had been careless, and plus he was going to die anyway. With both of the accounts now in his name, he was going to make his getaway, and he’d be very comfortable. But he had one final act to do. The Sassacus’ had to pay. And not just with money, but with blood. Aliya would have to do. She was his ticket out.

He’d been on his way to get her, when Simon called. He was five minutes from Simon’s when he called again. Told him he managed to slip out. He’d crawled out the window and into an adjacent office. The place had been crawling with security. When Peter arrived, Simon stupidly let him in. Peter pulled out his gun. Simon sputtered and begged for his life, and Peter, of course said ‘I’ll let you live’ but he just wanted the the access codes for the accounts in the Bahamas. He wasn’t leaving Lantern Hill without his revenge on the Sassacus empire. Simon had given them to him. And then he shot him. In the face. Point blank range.

It had been too easy. Simple. Leaving the bleeding man on the floor, he knew he had no time to lose. The place would be crawling with cops and probably Aliya’s too, and if not now, soon. That’s when his next idea had come to fruition. He didn’t like doing things on the fly, without prior planning, but he had to. There was just too much at risk. Instead of heading to her place, he would lure her out. If they did not have her yet. Again he had been in luck. A quick phone call managed that.

He told her to meet him at his fishing cabin by the Mystic Marina. He told her Jonathan was with him, and they needed to clear the air.

Then he hung up.

Aliya, confused and shattered from her earlier encounter with Jonathan, grabbed her keys and left. She didn’t think about anything else as she sped towards the marina. She saw Peter’s car parked in front of the small cabin.

As soon as he opened the door and she stepped inside, she glanced around the small room. And not seeing Jonathan, she whirled around to face Peter, confusion written all over her face. She demanded answers as the door slammed behind her. The moment she heard him slip the bolt into place, she knew she had made a grave error. She pushed down her fear. “What is going on?” she demanded.

Her question was answered by a backhand to the face, so forceful that it knocked the wind out of her and made her crumple to the ground.

Holding her throbbing face, she cried at the pain, as she also scrambled backwards out of the man’s reach. “I would have gotten away with it. But it’s whores like you who ruin everything,” he cursed standing over her. She was still seeing stars, and was unable to form words. She glanced up at him. He was furious, angry, sweating profusely. “First my mother. Then Tawny. Now you.”

Thorough her tears, she cried. “What are you talking about, Peter?” She knew she needed time. Keep him talking. She had to figure out what this was all about.

He still stood over her. And then he laughed. It was pure evil. The man had obviously lost his mind. That was her sole thought as the dizziness began to pass. “You come back to my reserve and you spread your thighs wide open for Tawny’s spawn. Fill his head with your goddamn suspicions. I would have gotten away with it all if you kept your mouth shut.”

She needed time. To think. And to get away. She needed to stall him. Keep him talking. “Please, Peter. I’m so confused. I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” And she didn’t, but the pieces were starting to come together.