Secrets and Scars: A Gripping Psychological Thriller (Fatal Hearts Series Book 3) by Dori Lavelle Page B
Authors: Dori Lavelle
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us for a moment while I digested them. What could I do now? It would’ve been so much easier for me to kill him if he attacked me first.
My instincts warned me against giving in, telling me to strike while I still could. But he looked so broken, so weak. Like a little boy. If I unleashed the snake on him now, if I killed him, I’d feel as though I were killing an innocent person all over again.
“If you really meant what you just said,” I began cautiously. “If you wish you had protected me, you’ll let me go right now. You won’t do anything to stop me.”
He shook his head sadly. “I want to do that. I want to set you free, but you know I can’t guarantee that I won’t stop you again. That dark part of me... I cannot control it.”
My heart shrank inside my chest. “So you do know about him. Why did you never tell me? Why didn’t you warn me? You loved me.”
He rubbed his upper arms as though he were cold. “The medication worked in the beginning. I thought I was fine. Until I stopped taking it. I thought I could handle it on my own. I’m sorry I was too weak.”
“I didn’t know.” I thought back to the home we had shared together, envisioned the medicine cabinet in our bathroom. I’d never seen any psychiatric medications there.
Forget the past. Save yourself.
I swiped the tears from my cheeks . “I need you to try now. Suppress him long enough for me to get as far away as possible. Please, don’t let him kill me.”
“I love you, Chloe.” He wiped his eyes. “I want you to be safe. Go, run from me as fast as you can. I’ll do my best to protect you.”
I had to act fast. I slid further away from Miles and struggled to pull myself off the ground.
Within seconds, his strong hands were clamped around my shoulders. “For fuck’s sake, you really think you can run again?”
“I…”
“Yes, you are stupid. You piss me the hell off.” Alvin fell over me and pushed me into the ground, his hands squeezing my throat.
As I fought for him to release me and croaked for him to let me go, I heard a voice. Someone was calling my name.
Owen?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Not one voice, but several. They were louder now. And one of them definitely belonged to Owen.
Thank God he’s alive.
My heart burned with the urge to draw him into my arms, to feel him close, listen to the sound of his heart beating.
“Fucking hell,” Alvin growled and released me. He turned his back to me, diverting his attention to the source of the distraction. His breathing came in short, heavy bursts as he shot to his feet. He dropped to his knees behind a boulder big enough to hide him.
I drew in a huge breath, forgetting about the pain in my body. I had to act now before my chance slipped away.
My gaze shifted to the bag under the bush. Clenching my teeth tight and doing my best to harness my breathing, I reached for it and closed my fingers around the opening. I drew it toward me, careful not to bring it too close.
My heart fluttered with fear at the soft hissing sound that escaped. But I held on.
It’s now or never.
My focus returned to Alvin. I watched him pull a gun from his back pocket and aim it in the direction of the voices.
When Owen and Jeordi emerged from behind the bushes at the far end of the trail, I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from crying out with relief.
A silent prayer filled my heart. Jeordi was also alive.
Dizziness tilted my world as I struggled to sit up. I considered staying put and waiting for Owen and Jeordi to reach me, but Alvin might shoot them. They couldn’t see him hiding behind the boulder.
I raised a trembling hand and pointed at Alvin’s back. Owen didn’t get the message. He picked up pace, Jeordi at his heels. I had no choice. It was time to release the snake.
My heart slammed against my chest as I crawled off the path and got to my feet.
Owen and Jeordi slowed down. They’d gotten the message.
Alvin was so focused on them, he didn’t hear me
My instincts warned me against giving in, telling me to strike while I still could. But he looked so broken, so weak. Like a little boy. If I unleashed the snake on him now, if I killed him, I’d feel as though I were killing an innocent person all over again.
“If you really meant what you just said,” I began cautiously. “If you wish you had protected me, you’ll let me go right now. You won’t do anything to stop me.”
He shook his head sadly. “I want to do that. I want to set you free, but you know I can’t guarantee that I won’t stop you again. That dark part of me... I cannot control it.”
My heart shrank inside my chest. “So you do know about him. Why did you never tell me? Why didn’t you warn me? You loved me.”
He rubbed his upper arms as though he were cold. “The medication worked in the beginning. I thought I was fine. Until I stopped taking it. I thought I could handle it on my own. I’m sorry I was too weak.”
“I didn’t know.” I thought back to the home we had shared together, envisioned the medicine cabinet in our bathroom. I’d never seen any psychiatric medications there.
Forget the past. Save yourself.
I swiped the tears from my cheeks . “I need you to try now. Suppress him long enough for me to get as far away as possible. Please, don’t let him kill me.”
“I love you, Chloe.” He wiped his eyes. “I want you to be safe. Go, run from me as fast as you can. I’ll do my best to protect you.”
I had to act fast. I slid further away from Miles and struggled to pull myself off the ground.
Within seconds, his strong hands were clamped around my shoulders. “For fuck’s sake, you really think you can run again?”
“I…”
“Yes, you are stupid. You piss me the hell off.” Alvin fell over me and pushed me into the ground, his hands squeezing my throat.
As I fought for him to release me and croaked for him to let me go, I heard a voice. Someone was calling my name.
Owen?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Not one voice, but several. They were louder now. And one of them definitely belonged to Owen.
Thank God he’s alive.
My heart burned with the urge to draw him into my arms, to feel him close, listen to the sound of his heart beating.
“Fucking hell,” Alvin growled and released me. He turned his back to me, diverting his attention to the source of the distraction. His breathing came in short, heavy bursts as he shot to his feet. He dropped to his knees behind a boulder big enough to hide him.
I drew in a huge breath, forgetting about the pain in my body. I had to act now before my chance slipped away.
My gaze shifted to the bag under the bush. Clenching my teeth tight and doing my best to harness my breathing, I reached for it and closed my fingers around the opening. I drew it toward me, careful not to bring it too close.
My heart fluttered with fear at the soft hissing sound that escaped. But I held on.
It’s now or never.
My focus returned to Alvin. I watched him pull a gun from his back pocket and aim it in the direction of the voices.
When Owen and Jeordi emerged from behind the bushes at the far end of the trail, I pressed my lips together to prevent myself from crying out with relief.
A silent prayer filled my heart. Jeordi was also alive.
Dizziness tilted my world as I struggled to sit up. I considered staying put and waiting for Owen and Jeordi to reach me, but Alvin might shoot them. They couldn’t see him hiding behind the boulder.
I raised a trembling hand and pointed at Alvin’s back. Owen didn’t get the message. He picked up pace, Jeordi at his heels. I had no choice. It was time to release the snake.
My heart slammed against my chest as I crawled off the path and got to my feet.
Owen and Jeordi slowed down. They’d gotten the message.
Alvin was so focused on them, he didn’t hear me
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