Page 99 of Lovely Darkness

“These are the girls your husband kills, Wendy. That’s who that was.”

“What was she talking about? Who’s coming?”

“I don’t know who. I wasn’t lying about that. It’s hush-hush.”

“Then how do you even know someone’s coming?”

“Because she’s not my first. I’ve been handing these girls over to people for years.”

Wendy doesn’t have time to ask any follow-ups because we exit the woods and Nick sees us. “What the fuck! What the fuck!”

That’s what he says, over and over.

I swear to God, Nick Tate is tiresome to the nth degree.

I can’t wait until he’s gone.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - DONOVAN

“Where am I?” It takes me a moment to focus. Then I recall that there are people here who shouldn’t be. Then I see her face from across the room. Two faces, actually. One I know well. One I do not know at all. “Sasha Cherlin. As I live and breathe.”

She stands up hurriedly. Quick enough that her chair topples and makes a crashing sound that bounces off the high ceilings.

Oh. I recognize these ceilings. I’m in the old part of the house. I always did like this room. I shake my head. “What the hell did they do to this room?”

“Donovan?” That comes from the one I do not recognize. When I look at him, he narrows his eyes. “Or Carter?”

“Carter. That bastard. No. It’s me.”

“How do we know that?” he asks.

I flip the covers off my body, pull the IV out—ouch—and I’m about to swing my legs over the side of the bed when I realize there are railings there. Machines are beeping behind me, and the unknown man is rushing towards me like he means business.

“Hold on there, Merc.”

What?

No.

Merc?

And why am I talking like that?

“Carter?” This comes from Sasha. “Is that you?”

“No! It’s me!” And it is. That’s my voice.

But then, “That’s right, Sasha.” He says her name with flair. In a mocking tone.

“What the hell is going on here?” I ask. “Why has the old family room been turned into—What are you doing?” The big guy—Merc. I know that name. He’s dangerous. He’s got a hold of my arm and he’s trying to shove the IV back in. I pull away. “How did I get here? What’s going on? Where’s Indie?”

And that’s when I remember. That’s when it all comes back to me.

Indie in the woods. Aiming her gun right at my head. Nathan was there. Adam was there. McKay was there.

And he was there too.

“He?” I hear myself say out loud. But it’s not my voice. It’s him.