I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know or you don’t want to say?”
“I really don’t.” But I have a hunch. There’s only one faraway place where Creighton could remain off everyone’s radar and use his grandfather’s jet for it.
“You’re a terrible liar, Cecily. You never look me in the eye when you tell a lie.”
My gaze snaps to his when I realize I’ve been staring at my feet.
Instead of anger or blame, I find dejection. Disappointment, maybe.
And I don’t know why that tugs on my heartstrings until they bleed and overflow in my chest.
“I thought you didn’t want to hurt anyone,” he says with masked anger. “Do you have any idea how much this is hurting my parents? My mother thinks Annika did something to herself.”
“You…can set their minds at ease.”
“That will only happen if they see her again.”
“I can’t. If I do, you or your dad will hurt Creigh.”
“Thatmotherfucker—” He stops and inhales deeply. “That slimy fucker has dug his own grave. Don’t make it deeper.”
“That’s not very encouraging.” I grab his hand that’s balled in a fist. It’s the first time I’ve done it, despite wanting to for a long time.
I slowly peel it open, and only after some tension leaves his body do I speak softly. “I know you think badly of Creigh because of what he’s done, and I understand that. I understand that Anni is your only sibling and someone you consider to be under your protection. You love her, and have cared for her since she was born, so you feel the need to shield her whenever someone comes close, but you need to understand that she’s old enough to make her own decisions now. You also need to understand that Creigh and I were raised together. He’s like my brother, and I also feel the need to protect him.”
“Do you share a parent?”
“Uh, no?”
“Then he’s not your fucking brother.” He purses his lips. “I’m asking you nicely for the last time, Cecily. Where did he take her?”
I shake my head.
“Very well. You leave me no choice but to use the not-so-nice way.”
I shriek as he picks me up and carries me in his arms.
32
JEREMY
Ihad every intention of letting Cecily go.
Yes, I told Ilya to continue keeping an eye on her, just in case some motherfucker thought it was a good idea to bother her.
And yes, maybe I took over his task most of the time and did a marvelous job at covering my tracks, so she didn’t realize I was basically breathing down her neck.
But the fact remains, I did think I could let her go. Not permanently. Temporarily.
Until the demons disappeared and I was more in control of myself around her. I thought that if I kept my distance, didn’t touch her, and wasn’t so caught up in her pussy and body and her face when she sleeps, I would have more balance.
I’d be in control again.
Every single one of those thoughts scattered in the air the moment Mia texted me about her findings.
I was carefully planning how to make Cecily tell me where my sister is, but when I heard Landon was in the picture, I lost all that strategic thinking.