Page 10 of Claiming Liberty
My nose crinkles with a mixture of suspicion and confusion.
Peter walks to the bathtub before sitting on the edge, putting us on the same level. He steeples his fingers and leans toward me. “How did you make Angel Ramos fall for you?”
My chin dips as I rear back slightly. “What?”
“I know the man well, and I cannot for the life of me figure out how you managed to get him to let you go. I couldn’t even believe it when he took you to anothercountry, but to let you go… How did you pull that off?”
I glance down at my hoodie on the floor, my bare chest coming into my awareness. I bend, wincing at the pain that comes from extending my arm, and grab the soft material. I hold it against my chest before looking at him again.
He’s still staring at me like he’s waiting for an answer to a question I’m not going to humor. I don’t know this man. I don’ttrustthis man. I did for about a minute, but now he’s freaking me out. I look around the bathroom, bare of anything but a towel rack and a bottle of all-in-one body wash.
“Did you seduce him?” Peter asks.
I turn back to him and glare. “What does it matter?”
His face remains impassive.
“Whoareyou? And what do you want from me?” I hold up a hand. “You know what, never mind, I don’t give a shit. I have to get to my niece.” I brace my forearm on the sink and pull myself up, my face pinching with pain as I do.
“Sit down,” Peter commands.
I step toward the door without further protest, but as soon as I’m through, he’s at my back, grasping my shoulder. I spin and sneer at him, shoving at his chest and consequently exposing myself. “Don’t fucking touch me!” I bring the hoodie to cover up, grasping at the material until my fingers hurt.
He shows me his palms and takes a step back. “What exactly are you going to do?” he asks, his brows furrowed. “Are you going to knock on the manor’s door and ask for Elsie?”
When I don’t respond, he shakes his head disapprovingly and sizes me up. His hands lower to his sides. “Maybe I was wrong about you.”
“What. Are. You. Talking. About?” I yell, frustration overflowing. I look over my shoulder at the dark window. I don’t know exactly what time it is, but the playroom might be in full swing.
“I’ll get your niece back for you.”
I turn to him, not believing a word he just said but curious anyway.
I expect his eyes to be hopeful, maybe even crazy, but they’re just as blank as before. “I’m going to dismantle the island.”
He’s going to dismantle the island… My first impulse is to scoff at the farfetched statement, but it still grants him my attention. “What?”
He takes a step toward me. “In a month’s time, Sawyer Hansley will be dead, and all the women will be free… Your niece will be safe and sound.”
I scrunch up my face, unsure what I’m supposed to make of this. “That sounds unlikely.”
He nods. “It’ll be damn near impossible if you fuck it up by going to the manor so everyone knows I brought you here.”
I glance down at the hoodie, then back up at him.
“Go ahead.” He gestures to the pink material.
I pull the cotton over my head and follow his finger when he points to a tan sofa that clashes horribly with the cream-colored carpet. My eyes dart around as I walk to the couch and sit down, searching for clues as to who this guy is and what the hell he’s talking about. There isn’t anything in here. The white walls are bare, and other than the couch, there isn’t a single piece of furniture in the living room. It doesn’t look like anyone lives here.
My eyes track him as he walks to a kitchen. Water gushes from a tap, and he returns a minute later with a plastic cup. He hands it to me, but I don’t take my eyes off him. My throat is parched, and my body begs me to drink the water, but I know better. I didn’t see him while he filled this up, so there’s no telling what he could’ve put in it.
He sits next to me and lets out a slow exhale. “There are several of us,” he says, pausing a moment for effect. “We’ve been working on a plan for the last year, and we’re getting close to executing. I didn’t bring you here to fuck up everything we’ve been working toward. I brought you here to help.”
I peer down at the water so he can’t read my expression while I think. I can feel the hope bubbling to the surface, and I try to suppress it. Angel’s words come into my head, explaining to me all the ways the island is secure, putting to rest every last scenario of escape. I don’t know how I plan to get Elsieoffthe island. I only know I need to get her away from the manor. Now.
“What are you thinking?” Peter asks me.
I run a finger around the rim of the cup, my eyes following the movement. “I’m thinking you’re either crazy or stupid. You may be able to leave whenever you want, but unless you have a hell of a lot more suitcases, there’s no way to get the women off this island. If you want to try to kill Sawyer, please, give it a shot, but there will be a dozen guards waiting to gun you down before he takes his last breath.”