The Atonement (The Arrangement, #3)(62)

“Sit down.” He pointed to the seat in front of his desk.

“Not a chance.”

“Did you meet Beth out there?” He nodded toward the door. “Nice old lady. Beat breast cancer twice. She has twelve grandkids. Can you imagine? Twelve.” He twisted his lips. “Be a shame if she didn’t get to see those grandkids this Christmas, wouldn’t it?”

A wave of panic washed over me, and I sat. “What do you want, Peter? How are you here?”

“Jim left quite a few useful things behind, didn’t he? Sedatives, fake identities…”

“You impersonated Burt Stover?”

“I created Burt Stover,” he said. “Way back when I needed a way to contact you the first time. When I thought you’d be harder to find. I thought I’d keep him in my pocket, just in case. Turns out, it was a good plan because I was going to lose my job and need a replacement anyway.”

“What do you want, Peter?”

He took a seat on the desktop in front of me. “You. Don’t you see that? I want you. I’m never going to stop coming after you. I’m never going to stop searching. If you won’t be with me, you sure as hell don’t get to go off and live a perfect little life as if I don’t exist.” He moved behind my chair, his voice in my ear. “I’ll be the noise you think you heard in the shower.” He bounced to the other side. “I’ll be the bump in the night.” A chill ran down my neck. “The person you swore you saw in a dimly lit parking garage. You’ll never escape me. Never be rid of me. Never—”

I rammed the stun gun into his neck and engaged it, stopping his words. He fell forward on top of me, quivering with the pulse of it, and I pushed up out of the seat, holding it out in front of him.

“Do you really think I expected any less? I know you, Peter. I know that you’re relentless. I’ve been waiting for you. Trying to anticipate when you’d strike. You’re never quite as smart as you think you are. The day Tina told me about Burt Stover, I looked him up. Company pictures are public info. I saw who you were. It’s why I stopped trying to get the job. I knew what you were up to, knew you’d use it to try and catch me. I never thought it would take this long, though. Patience was never your strong suit.”

“We’re…all…having to adapt, aren’t we?” he asked, finding his voice again. He stretched his arms, popping his neck. “What’s your plan here, Ainsley? What can you possibly do to me right now?”

“Right now? Nothing. But Beth goes to lunch at twelve thirty. I’m the only interview for this position, so no one will be on this floor while she’s gone, which means I can get you to the elevator and downstairs in one of the empty conference rooms. Then, I just have to wait until Marcus takes a bathroom—actually social media—break, and I can get you outside. I’m assuming you shut off all the cameras today, planning to do the same thing to me.” I pursed my lips, watching the rage flash through his eyes in confirmation. “You should’ve just stayed away, Peter. Really, you should’ve. But I told you if I ever saw you again, it would be for the last time, and I meant it.”

He lunged at me, shoving me into the desk, and I pulled the syringe of sedative out—the last one I had.

How fitting.

I bit the lid off as he fought to swipe it from my hands. I was too fast. I wrapped my legs around his waist with every ounce of strength I had to keep him from moving and shoved the needle into his side.

“You…bitch…” he mumbled, trying and failing to fight. The dose was strong, it would work fast and last a long time, which was what I needed.

I grinned at him, my chest swelling with pride as I shoved him to the ground. He panted, trying yet failing to get up. It was over. Finally, it was all going to be over. I leaned down, staring into his eyes as they went hazy.

Seconds before he closed them for what would be the final time, I whispered, “Sorry, honey. This bitch just won.”





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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS





First and foremost, to my phenomenal husband and amazing little girl—I love you both more than you will ever know. Thank you for believing in me, cheering me on, traveling with me, taking leaps with me, and for being there every step of the way. I couldn’t do this without you two.