I Know Lucy (A Fugitive #1)(49)

I nodded, knowing he was right. I breathed out a long sigh and leaned my head back. It was pounding with questions, aching with the revelations I’d uncovered. I could no longer disprove that Dani was just Dani. She was a con artist; it’d be stupid to deny it.

But why’d she come after me? Was I her next target? Was she planning to win me over then swindle me for money? That’s obviously how she operated, made people fall for her then ripped out their hearts.

But I wasn’t the rich one. Elliot and Liesl were the ones in our group with money. Was I just her way in?

As the questions continued to mount I found my emotions going from sadness to outright rage. I wouldn’t let her use my friends this way. She wasn’t getting a penny from any of us!

As I started the engine I found myself almost looking forward to confronting her and getting it all out in the open. It would feel good being able to vent my frustration. I didn’t care how sad and beautiful her eyes were. I would switch off every protective instinct I had and go after her. It’s what she deserved.

She was a callous, money-hungry leech and there was no way in hell she was going to hurt me or my friends.

The flash of anger blew away my sadness and it was a small respite, but not enough to stop my heart from aching. Dani would never be mine and it didn’t seem to matter that logically it was a huge relief. Finding out that the sweet Dani I’d fallen for was nothing more than a liar, ripped me apart, just like I knew it would.





Chapter 23





LUCY


December 2013





Lucy felt ripped apart. She sat on the couch, sobs wracking her body as Shorty paced in front of her.

“So tell me what happened again?”

“I’ve already told you,” she wailed. “It was him. The guy from the Sorrento’s gig.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes! Shorty I know that face. It was burned into my brain a long time ago.” Her breath hitched. “And now he has Marlin. He’s gonna hurt him, Shorty.” She covered her face with her hands, unable to control the rage, the panic, the debilitating fear.

“Alright, alright. Calm down. We ain’t gonna let Marlin get hurt. He’s a tough kid. If he can survive his dad, he can survive anything.”

Lucy tried to slow her breathing, bring it back to a normal pace, but it was impossible. Her chest heaved, making her hiccup and shiver.

“You know, Cy, you’re scared bloody shitless of this man. Are sure you don’t just want to cut and run?”

“WHAT!” Lucy felt like her eyes might pop from her face. “No!” She stood tall, wanting to pummel Shorty for even saying it. “Marlin saved my life. I’m not leaving him.”

Shorty tssked, then pursed his fat lips. “If this guy is as powerful and evil as you think he is, we might already be too late.”

When it came to comforting, Shorty sucked. Lucy let out a mix of a wail and a scream, her legs buckling as she fell to the floor. “You just said we could get him out!”

“I’m thinking off the top of my head here, love. I’m just trying to weigh up all the options.”

“There are no options.” Her voice went steely. “We are getting Marlin out. That son of a bitch is not taking him too!” It was the first time she’d felt rage. As a thirteen-year-old kid, seeing her parents killed had filled her with such terror she’d run. She’d fled and that’s all she could think to do. Every time he tried to invade her thoughts, she’d blocked him out. Resentment and anger had tried to wiggle their way inside a few times, but it had never been strong enough for her to want to face him, to take him down.

But now.

Now that he had Marlin, she was pissed.

“We don’t know for sure that the police have him. We don’t even know if the guy is still in law enforcement.” Shorty threw up his hands. “Marlin might be safely tucked away in a jail cell just waiting for a rescue.”

“He’s not.” Lucy’s voice sounded dead, just the way she felt. “I know he’s not Shorty. I just know.” She pushed her fist into her stomach. “You were listening in when I told Marlin everything. You know what happened, but you didn’t see what he did to my parents, the way he stood over their dead bodies with no emotion.” Tears welled in Lucy’s eyes, pushing to break free. “He has no heart and he will not hesitate to damage Marlin.”

“Why? To get to you? He doesn’t even know who you are.”

A tear broke free as she shook her head. “There was something in his gaze today. He recognized me.”

“Probably from the hotel gig you screwed up.”

“It felt like more, Shorty.” She swiped at her tears, fear creeping around her anger, choking it away like it always did. “If he gets me, he’s gonna kill me and he’s gonna do it slow. He wants to make me suffer. That—that look in his eyes. He enjoyed it. He liked inflicting pain on my parents and he’s gonna love doing it to me. I just know he is. I just know it.” She lurched forward, gagging and coughing, bile surging up her throat and splattering over the carpet.

“Aw, gross, Cyan!”

Ignoring Shorty’s curses, she let her stomach empty, not even caring about the vile smell. She couldn’t have stopped the puke if she’d tried. Her innards were quaking so much she was surprised they didn’t rise up her throat as well.