Oh, well, in that case . . .
I fight harder. I see the blood on his shirt, from that paper-thin cut, and I slam my fist into it. He yowls and doubles over, releasing my arm, but when I race up the stairs, he catches my foot, and I almost fall flat on my face.
“Just listen to me,” he says. “Do you want to get out of here or not?”
“What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” I say as I kick.
“Escaping into a heavily guarded estate surrounded by a ten-foot fence with security cameras. A mile from the nearest neighbor. In a thunderstorm.”
As if on cue, thunder crashes.
“You aren’t getting away without help, Kennedy. My help.”
I want to fight. Tell him to go to hell. I don’t trust him. He brought me here. Into this.
Yet I see the truth in his words. I saw the high gates and guards and the rain storm.
“You can’t escape without my help,” he says again.
“You. The guy who brought me here knowing what they had planned.”
“No, the guy who brought you here knowing what Ms. Connolly had planned. To confront you with proof you were taking advantage of her son and sent her a cursed painting.”
“I never—”
He lifts his hands. “I didn’t say I believed it. I had no opinion either way. Yes, I had to force you to come with us, which sucks, but I wasn’t lying when I said it was just supposed to be a talk. I trusted her. Neither of us know I knew what he had planned.”
His gaze rakes over me. “Shit, you’re really hurt. I knew he was a bastard, but this is next level. Ms. Connolly had nothing to do with it. I can promise that.”
“Can you?”
“I can, because right now, she’s in the house, telling Aiden she has no idea where you are, that yes, you came for a talk, but Davey drove you back to Aiden’s house hours ago.”
“Aiden is here?”
He snorts, relaxing a little. “That got your attention, huh? Yes, he’s been here for a couple of hours, arguing with his mom, who genuinely has no clue what he’s talking about. And his dad has gone golfing.”
“Golf—golfing?” I sputter.
“Well, by now I figure he’s at the country club bar. Or with one of his mistresses. He has a few.”
He says that casually, as if it’s to be expected, and I guess it is for a guy with Cullan Connolly’s wealth and moral compass, but I feel a stab of sympathy I’m sure Marion wouldn’t appreciate.
I keep thinking I couldn’t hate Cullan more, but here he strikes a new low, leaving his wife to face their son—who’s furious about something she knows nothing about—while he saunters off for an evening with a girlfriend.
“Nice boss,” I mutter. “You have excellent taste in employers.”
“Oh, Cullan Connolly isn’t my employer. I work for . . . another party. And after this, I’m sure I’ll be reassigned, which is a relief. This is a nest of vipers. Well, one viper, one pit bull and their two messed-up kids.”
He shakes his head. “You can’t pick your family, huh? Anyway, I’m here to help you, not because I’m a great guy, but because someone else might never talk to me again if they found out I stood by after what Cullan did to you. That person’s opinion matters more to me than any job. I’d just rather not get shot running out after you.”
“There are armed guards?” I’m sure I sound naive, but I hadn’t seen anyone with a gun so far.
Leon hesitates, as if considering how to answer. “Not that I know of, though I’m tempted to tell you otherwise if it’ll make you listen. Point is that I don’t trust that Travis doesn’t have a gun, and I know he’d happily use it on either of us. He’s not a fan of mine either.”
I look up the stairs. “You need to get me into the house. I’ll tell Aiden I’m fine, and—”
“Oh no. Save the confrontation for another day, okay? I know you guys all have magical powers, and I’m not ready to get caught in the crossfire.”
“We don’t have that kind of—”
He lifts his hands. “Don’t care. You and I are slipping through the rain to the main house. We’re going in the side door, but only to cut across to the garage. Aiden’s car is there. I have his keys. He left it running in front of the house when he stormed in. You’re getting into his back seat, and then I’m going to find a way to let him know you’re safe, and he’ll come out and you two can drive off into the sunset. You can handle the rest however you like . . . after I’m gone, please.”
I want to argue, but again, it’s really just impulse. I’m angry and still scared, and this is one of the people who made these hours of hell possible. Yet Leon’s right, too. Who should I confront? Marion? I’m not entirely convinced she knew nothing about it, but I suspect Leon is right. Do I tell her what her husband did—tell Connolly what his father did—when I’m still freaked out and furious, and the true target of my rage is off screwing his mistress?
“All right,” I say. “I still don’t trust you, though. One false move, and I’m running straight to Aiden. He’s the only one I trust.”
“Good call,” he says. “Now let’s go.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Twenty-nine
Leon is right about the storm. It’s not a gentle summer shower, but a full raging storm with howling wind and pounding rain and flashing lightning. It is as if Zeus himself has unleashed his fury on this house. Except the actual Zeus is apparently the kind of dick who’d think Cullan Connolly is a fine fellow and probably join him for a fun evening of golfing and screwing around.
Leon had brought an umbrella, which lasted until he’d reached the door before surrendering to the storm. We have to make a run for it. I eyeball the distance. Maybe fifty feet. I’ll get soaked but, honestly, that’ll probably be the least crappy thing to happen to me tonight.
The one advantage to the storm is that no one is watching. I’m not even sure anyone could see us, between the driving rain and the pitch black night, lit only by flashes of lightning.
Leon warned me not to flee on my own. Warned me that I wouldn’t make it.
I’m not so sure of that now.
Which means I’m not so sure about him. About his motives.
But Connolly is in the house, where we’re running. That’s my safety zone. Make it to him, and I’m home free.
Except Leon is the one who told me Connolly is there . . . And that he conveniently moved Connolly’s car into the garage around back.
The side door is ahead. A darkened doorway leading to a darkened part of the house.
I glance to the side. I should make a run for it. No one’s out here. No one’s watching. Follow the driveway to the fence and climb. I can climb it. I know I can.
I’ll wait until Leon is opening the door. He thinks he’s tricked me, and I’m complying. I just need him distracted—
“No!” A voice booms from inside. “You listen to me!”
Connolly. I know that voice, even if I’ve never heard him raise it.
I hesitate only a moment before I follow Leon in.