Six(41)

We stepped onto the beach walk that ran in front of a bunch of hotels. It seemed a weird route and an even stranger way to go to meet someone, but what did I really know about the way he operated? Hell, I didn’t even know sociopathic killers operated a certain way.

Keeping up with Six’s long strides was difficult, and I’d fallen a few feet behind him when a familiar laugh hit my ears. Looking back out onto the beach, there was a toned body I knew all too well, with a smile that used to make my day better.

Chiseled features and blue eyes. Tall, blond, and built—my Norwegian pile driver.

Digby.

I stared out at the man who I’d wished for a month now that I’d gone with so I wouldn’t be in the hell I was in, as he laughed on the beach, talking with another woman. They looked like strangers, but flirting strangers.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I stared. He wasn’t thirty feet from me.

Why? Of all the places and all of the times, was he exactly where I was? He had to be on vacation, but what were the odds I’d run into him?

I wanted to run to him, but the looming terror a few yards ahead of me kept me locked in place. There was no tearing my gaze away, no matter how much I told myself to. Because I knew what would happen if he looked up and recognized me, despite my blonde hair. But I couldn’t look away, because my past was staring at me in disbelief.

It was a gut punch. Crushing my entire being with the weight of his recognition.

And I had to run.

Six was ahead of me on the beach walk. If Digby caught up to me, if Six saw…

“Paisley?”

I froze at the name I hadn’t heard in a month. The pain twisted in my chest, propelling the frantic need to get as far from him as possible. I promptly dashed through some palm trees and up some stairs that led to a pool deck. There were a ton of people, and I hoped to lose him in the swarm.

I’d deal with the repercussion of leaving Six’s side later.

He called after me again as I worked my way through the crowd. If Six knew… If Six saw…

Digby.

I couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t forgive him.

Couldn’t forgive myself.

What cruel twist of fate would put him in Six’s path?

My eyes were wet, blurring my vision. With a set of exterior doors in sight, just through the hotel’s lobby, I breathed a sigh as I spotted the road to our hotel.

It was short lived though, because a strong arm grabbed on to me, stopping my getaway.

“Paisley?”

No.

No.

No, no, no!

I couldn’t turn, couldn’t look at him. Just froze. My mind spun, trying to figure out what to do.

“Let me go,” I said, yanking on my arm.

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

I shook my head. “No.”

There was no stopping him from turning me around, no matter how much I resisted. He was almost a foot taller than me and twice my weight—there was nothing I could do. But I refused to look up. I couldn’t. If I showed interest, he would see. Six would come.

I cursed the heavens and prayed to hell that the devil wouldn’t take away the angel before me.

“Please.” With the warm hand I knew so well, he tipped my chin up.

His blue eyes were as soft and caring as I remembered. I wanted to get lost in them and have them take me back to another time.

My face scrunched up as I held in a sob, shaking my head back and forth. “Let me go. Please, you have to let me go.”

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Over the side of his arm I saw the figure I dreaded the most headed our way. My eyes popped wide as my breath sped up.

“Please, Digby. Please, if you ever loved me, let me go.” My bottom lip trembled, tears flowing down my face.

“Pais, calm down.”

“He’ll kill you,” I said with a hiss.

“You didn’t do it, did you?” It wasn’t really a question, but more of an affirmation to himself of what happened.

I nodded. “I didn’t do any of it.” My whole body shook as I glanced frantically around. “If he sees you—”

I didn’t get to finish as he leaned down. Soft lips I’d almost forgotten pressed against mine. Strong arms that held me with care and a possessive desire slipped around my waist.

“I thought you were dead.” Tears trailed down his cheeks as his forehead rested on mine.

“You have to leave here. Go home. Please.”

“I’ll get you out of here.”

I shook my head. “No. You can’t.”

Confusion swirled in his eyes. His thumb swiped against my cheek. “Let me help.”

“Then leave and forget you saw me. Leave. Today.”

“I’ll get the cops.”

I shook my head. “You can’t. He’ll kill me. You can’t tell anyone. If you say anything, if you alert the police, he will kill me. He will know. Trust me.”

His eyes switched focus between each of mine. Utter pain and devastation etched in the growing fine lines of his face at my words.

“Please, Digby. Don’t do anything. He’ll come after you, and I want you to live. I need you to live.”

He scrunched his brow and gritted his teeth. “I want to help you.”

“Then give me a last kiss and run for your life.” I ran my hand up his chest to his face to wipe his tears while my own continued. “Give me some time. I’ll contact you. Just… Don’t die for me.” My chest constricted, each second the panic growing. “Promise me you won’t do anything.”