Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
I shake my head. “I’m wasting time. I need to focus.” My involvement in the case and my psychic instincts might be the only way to catch the Bondage Killer. “I need to get to work.”
“I’ll set up a meeting with the NRPD. They can interview you here.”
“What? Why?” I glance up and take in his impassive expression. “I need to go in.”
“You can’t be thinking of going into the city. There’s a killer looking for you.”
“All the more reason for me to go in. I might be the only one who can stop him.” I turn to find my way out of this cave, and suddenly, Rex is looming over me, standing in my way.
“If you think I’m going to let you leave here to hunt down the Bondage Killer alone, you’re delusional.” His voice is as hard as I’ve ever heard it.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” His gaze is so cold and hard it’s like looking down the barrel of a gun. He’s never looked at me like this, glaring at me like I’m the enemy.
I’m the one willing to cross him, so I guess I am his enemy. “Rex, you can’t keep me here.”
“Can’t I?”
“You wouldn’t.”
He leans in. “Watch me.”
4
Inara
* * *
My breath comes faster, staring him down. He’s a formidable opponent and there’s no way I can overcome him physically. And I haven’t had much luck fighting him any other way.
I have to get him to see reason. “Let’s just slow down.” I raise a hand. “We want the same thing—to stop the murders.”
“I’m not willing to sacrifice your safety for that.”
I open my mouth to tell him I’ll be perfectly safe, but I can’t make that promise. Ever since he came for me, I’ve dreamed of dying. Ever since arriving in New Rome, I felt that my time would come soon.
If it’s at the hands of the Bondage Killer, so be it. I’ll just have to make sure I take him with me.
Knowing the end is close tears me up like knives in my insides. But my visions always come true, so I might as well resign myself to it. No one can save me from my fate.
Not even a man as wealthy and powerful as Rex.
“It’s not your decision,” I say. “It’s mine.” I whirl and look to the left and right. “Get me out of here.”
“Inara, wait.” His voice has softened, so I pause.
“I can’t let you. . . I don’t want to lose you.” For a moment, I hear the little boy he was, begging for his parents not to leave him. Begging the gods to let his mother and father live. “It’s not safe out there. Please, let me keep you safe.”
“I’m going to be safe. I’ll be smart. But Rex. . . I have to stop him.”
“You’re leaving me,” he says.
No, I want to insist, but I clench my teeth and nod instead. It’s for the best.
For a second he turns to stone, as if bracing himself for a blow that already came. Then, his torso deflates with a sigh. “The elevator’s this way.”
I want to open my mouth and tell him I’m sorry it has to be this way, but what good will that do? Any bit of hope I give him that we can be together will be cruel.
He leads me over a metal bridge suspended with cables. The elevator doors open when we approach. I’m surprised and grateful when he steps in with me and hits the button for the correct floor. It’s awkward standing with him, staring at the stainless-steel wall, but I would never find my way out of this place without him.
“There’s nothing I can say to keep you here?” he says without looking at me.
Oh, Rex. My heart is breaking for us. Maybe if we were different people. Maybe if I had more time. But the circumstances that brought us together are the same ones that will rip us apart. “No.”
The elevator doors open, and I exit, only to halt in confusion. I’m in an unfamiliar hallway.
“This way,” Rex says, leading me to the right.
“This place is a maze,” I mutter. I don’t like this hallway. It has a low ceiling and not enough lighting. Rex opens a door and holds it for me, waving me through. I go through without looking first, which turns out to be a mistake.
I’m in a small, windowless room. The walls are black panels, there’s a thick carpet on the floor, a low gray chaise lounge, and a bed made up with black satin sheets and a velvety coverlet, but no other furniture.
The door slams behind me, along with the unmistakable click of a lock. I grab the handle, but it doesn’t budge. “Rex?” I pound on the door, but it’s solid. “What the hell?” I ride the wave of anger, ignoring the tinge of panic. “Let me out!”