That fucker.
“She was acting weird last night,” he continues. “I shouldn’t have left her alone.”
“Okay, okay, we’ll find her.” I pace the length of the kitchen. “Any ideas where she could be?”
“No, but I have a GPS tracker on my car, or rather Dad does so he can locate me whenever he wants. I’ll send you the signal — it’s closer to you.”
Thank God.
“What do you plan to do with him? His blood is messing up my kitchen,” Lars asks after I hang up on Knox. He’s glaring down at Eduard as if he’s mentally sharpening the best knife in his collection so he can drive it into his chest.
“Do you have a rope?” I ask.
He smiles. “Of course, sir.”
I hope I’m not too late.
Don’t do it, Teal. Don’t make this mistake.
34
Teal
My fingers hover on the engine’s button.
I can’t.
No, I can.
This is what I’ve lived all my life for. This is my mission in life, the reason I exist.
The shadow of the girl on my shoulder is begging me to go on, to step harder on the accelerator. I need to go, I need to—
“Char…lotte… Ronan…” Edric mumbles from beside me. His foot kicks forward but soon falls down.
“Shut up.” I release the steering wheel and grasp the needle. “You don’t get to play the victim game with me. You don’t get to use Charlotte or Ronan.”
He’s staring at me, but there’s no fear or franticness in his eyes as I expected. He’s not even pretending to have any acceptance. If anything, he appears sad, mortified, even.
“…w-write s-something to h-her…”
“Why would you get to say your goodbyes? Knox and I didn’t. We couldn’t. We had to run away so you would never come near me again.”
“N-No…not me…”
“You won’t even admit to it?” My voice rises. “The curtains have fallen, Edric. There’s no one to save you.”
Or me.
I’ve already picked my path. I don’t get to change my mind.
A banging sounds on the door and I startle. Shit. No one is supposed to come this far out.
I hit the ignition and spring into action.
“Teal!” Ronan’s voice comes through the window, muffled but strong.
My shoulder blades snap together.