Page 80 of The Eleventh Hour
It takes me five long seconds to tear my gaze away. I follow Rafe’s gaze and catch sight of Jax before she disappears up the stairs.
Rafael is already moving, so with one last look at the body, I tear after him. We rush through the house and only just get the door open in time to see her drive off in a cherry red convertible that I know she doesn’t own.
Rafael huffs. “We need to follow her.” He runs to our car. I’m only a moment behind him.
With a grunt, I slide into the driver’s side and start the car. I have a fairly good idea of where I think we can find her, so I don’t rush. Rafe’s knee bouncing drives me nuts, but I clench my jaw and keep my mouth shut. I can almost see the words that are dying to slip past his teeth.
“You really like this woman, don’t you?” My voice has no tone to it. It’s the most careful question I’ve ever asked. Why am I so tense waiting for his answer?
Rafe gives me a sidelong look, and his cheeks heat. Well, that confirms that. Strangely, I feel a strong pulse of loss. I clear my throat and clench my fingers around the steering wheel.
“Yes. I really do like her, and I believe her.”
I snort.
Rafe’s head swivels back towards me. “You don’t?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Dane, I know you.”
“I…she’s annoying and weird. I don’t trust her.”
“You like her.” Rafe beams at me. “You said I was annoying and weird, and you didn’t trust me,” he points out when I stare at him.
My mouth falls open, but damn, if I can’t argue with that because his memory is right, I did say that.
“Look, Rafe, we have to be careful, she’s holding stuff back-”
“Of course, she is. We just met her.” Rafe shakes his head like he’s disappointed in me.
I press my lips together and ignore him. “The facts are: Terrance met her and vanished.” I can’t bring myself to say the next part, though after seeing Cherise, there is almost no hope left in me. “The facts are: she’s keeping secrets, and the killings have started again. The facts are-”
“Give it up, Dane. I can recite the facts better than you can, but what do you feel? Do you really feel she’s capable of doing that? What we just saw?”
I shake my head instantly, and then stop. “I know she isn’t the killer, Rafe. We don’t have to keep going over this. There’s just something…I can’t put my finger on it, I can’t help but feel it might hurt us, and I can’t…”
I trail off, my throat tight, and stare at the light my headlights are making on the road.
“Nothing will happen to us. It’s different this time. We have a heads up.” Rafe shifts in the seat. “I’m not going to let anything happen to either one of us.”
I blow out a breath and kill my lights before turning into the car park and turning off the car.
“Oh, no…” I breathe out in a thread of sound.
Rafe goes to jump out of his seat, but I clamp my hand around his arm without looking.
“Sit this one out, brother.”
I can feel his eyes boring into me, but I don’t dare take my own gaze from what is unfolding before me.
I open the door as quietly as I can and slip out of the car. I slip my hand into my pocket and take hold of my phone. It’s the only weapon that will save her.
She is standing in the shadows of a tree. You’d miss her if you weren’t looking for her. A dark shape that vaguely resembles a man has her wrapped in his arms and is slowly rotating on the spot. A sick, twisted slow dance.
“Jax!” I call out loudly. She jumps and lifts her head off that thing’s chest and looks at me. “I need you to move away from him.”
She reacts like she’s been electrocuted. Her face goes bone white. Even in the dim light, the colour is alarming. I take a step towards her and watch as she sways.