Crown Jewels (Off-Limits Romance #1)(88)

Lucy





Sand. It’s in my mouth and eyes, it’s in my hair and every crevice of my body. I think it’s the worst thing that could happen. That’s until I hear a door creak, and I’m dragged down steps…into a shallow pool water.

Oh my God. They’re going to drown me.





*





Liam





“I wanted to meet up with you, but now I’m busy,” Dru says.

“Busy doing what?”

“I’m at a party here in Clary.”

“Whose?”

“I’m in a club, Liam. Are you lonely? Want to come and join me?”

I feel cold. So fucking cold and scared for Lucy. “I don’t know. I might. I need a drink tonight myself,” I lie.

“Bad day?”

“You have no idea,” I tell her, fishing for some comment showing me she knows that Lucy left.

“My poor brother. Not much going right for you these days. Are you sorry you threw me out of your party the other night? That wasn’t very nice. I could have ruined you then, but I gave you another chance.”

“So kind of you, Dru.”

“Let’s meet somewhere new tomorrow. I’ll come up near Haugr. I could use a change of pace.”

My heart trips. “Where?”

“Maybe one of the beaches. Or the castle. Something easy for you. I heard you’re detoxing.”

“What?”

“I know, I know. It’s a secret. I can keep a secret.”

Who told her? The only person who knows—besides the doctor—is Heath.

“Where are you tonight?” I ask her. “I may come to Clary.”

“I was at Pike’s Bar, but now I’m leaving. Not sure where. Why don’t you call me if you come down here. We could meet up tonight I guess. Get it over with.”

I hang the phone up, get out of the car and bash my fist against one of its windows.

“FUCK ME! FUCK!”

Something is going on, and Dru’s involved. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know how to find Lucy.





*





Lucy





I know where I am. At least I think I do. The water is rising. I’m alone, and I’ve screamed so much as the water climbed up to my shoulders, I can’t even really hear my own voice anymore.





*





Liam





I step out of the Range Rover, her cat in my arms, and start toward my Jeep. I’m hit so hard in the back, I drop the cat and stagger, almost falling on my ass as a blur of darkness interrupts my vision.

Then I’m face-down on the pavement with my arms behind my back. Someone’s straddling my back, patting me down. I feel a hand in my back pocket, realize that my phone is being stolen.

“What?” I croak.

It’s the Librium. Got to be the fucking Librium that’s making me so heavy.

I buck under the weight atop me, kick and try to use my arms, and he’s off me. I’m free for long enough to get up to my feet, find myself facing a man in a black ski mask, and receive a right-hook to my jaw with my eyes wide open.

The last thought I have before going down is fucking alcohol.





*





I wake to the sound of ocean waves, to the smell of an island. It’s bright outside. Brighter than nighttime. I wake in a boat: one of my own canoes, a green one that I keep at Sheep Island. By the look of the sky to my bleary eyes, it’s sometime not long before dawn.

I look down at my body. Fuzzy. Heavy. I remember the masked man in the parking lot and feel for my phone. And…I’ve got it?

I fumble for the passcode—same as always—and look at my texts. The last one sent, to Heath, says ‘I can’t believe she’s fucking doing this to me. I’ve got a plan, though. Something she and I discussed before she went crazy.’

Did I send that text? I didn’t. I know because the voice-to-text feature doesn’t punctuate exactly like that.

After a moment of staring at my phone’s screen, I jump up. That’s when I realize: my canoe is broken, and it’s dragged atop…the door that leads to the sandy dungeon. I’m on Sheep Island. What the fuck is going on?

I toss the canoe aside and try to pull the top of the dungeon open. It won’t open. Fuck!

“Lucy! Lucy!” I lean down against it. “Are you in there?”

I finally get the door open, go downstairs… and Lucy’s floating. Oh God. Lucy’s floating on her back. As soon as she sees me, she makes a crying sound. I pull her out and notice that her head is bloody. Her pupils are dilated. Her hands are tied, but loosely. Her wrists are bleeding, and she’s coughing like she swallowed water.

I shut the door behind us, pull her against me, murmuring her name. And there is Ronald.

“You didn’t think I was going to let you get away? Take her back downstairs, Liam. Maybe Lucy will get to live.”

I’m so stunned by the sight of him, I almost drop her. My hands grip her more tightly on reflex.

“No.”

“You won’t get off this island, Liam. Do you want Lucy to be with you?”