Rusty was trying to process Eve’s impassioned speech. The conviction—and resignation—in her words. She couldn’t wrap her mind around what the hell Donovan had done to drive Eve to such a desperate—and selfless—act. Eve was utterly convinced that she was being handed over to her stepfather by the only person she’d allowed herself to trust. Rusty couldn’t even imagine the pain Eve was experiencing. True or not, Eve believed it wholeheartedly, and it broke Rusty’s heart for this fragile woman who’d been handed far too much hurt in her life already. This was, Rusty believed, the final straw. Eve looked utterly defeated. Hopeless. And resigned to an uncertain fate.
“Do me one favor, Rusty,” Eve said in a husky voice laced with tears and knotted with emotion. For a moment she remained silent, obviously grappling with the words she wanted to say. “Don’t let Cammie and Travis forget how much I love them. Don’t ever allow them to think I left them willingly. Make sure they’re happy and loved. That’s how you can help me.”
Tears burned Rusty’s eyes as Eve walked toward the back of the store. Never had she felt so helpless. Not even when she’d been a surly teenager on her own, desperate for her next meal and fearful of the lengths she’d have to go just to survive.
Eve was utterly devastated. She was broken and defeated and she left with the weight of the world on her shoulders. She believed—absolutely believed—that Donovan had betrayed her.
Had he? An uneasy sensation crawled up Rusty’s spine. She knew well that Donovan could be ruthless, as Eve had just said. But how ruthless? Could he really have planned to sacrifice Eve in order to ensure Cammie and Travis’s safety?
She shook herself from her thoughts and leaned back, stretching her bound legs upward toward the button that triggered a silent alarm. Now wasn’t the time to ponder the what ifs. No matter what Donovan had done—or what Eve thought he’d done—Rusty had to get help and fast. She couldn’t let Eve walk into the hands of a monster.
She just prayed that Donovan had already taken care of the matter and that Eve’s stepfather was no longer a threat. Because now Eve was alone and vulnerable, and worse, she thought that she’d been betrayed by the man she’d put all her faith in.
CHAPTER 33
WALT Breckenridge watched with smug satisfaction as Eve ducked out the back of the hardware store and slid behind the wheel of the Jeep that she and the other woman had arrived in.
He’d known the little bitch had lied about her involvement with his children and Eve. He hadn’t swallowed that bullshit story about Travis working a few days and then disappearing. And now, Donovan Kelly had arrogantly demanded a meeting with Walt in which he planned to discuss handing Eve over to him in exchange for Walt backing off Travis and Cammie.
Kelly had fed him a bullshit story about how he feared for Travis and Cammie’s safety. That he was well aware of Eve’s history of mental illness and that she’d gotten worse and he feared—as did Walt—that she was a danger to not only herself but others.
He played the sympathy card, commiserating with Walt about his troubles with Eve and expressing his regret over the loss of his wife, made worse when Eve went off the deep end and kidnapped his children and how desperate he must be to get them back.
And yes, it had been Eve he’d offered up, claiming he wanted her to get the help she needed from her caring stepfather and that once he was assured that Eve was taken care of and he knew it was safe for the children to go back, they’d meet and arrange for Travis and Cammie to return home with Walt.
Complete and utter garbage.
Did they think him a fool? He’d researched the Kellys and their do-gooder organization, KGI.
It was a trap, no doubt inspired by Eve’s lies and accusations. He wasn’t falling for it and now Eve, the dumb bitch, had fallen right into his lap. She was making things far easier than he’d even imagined. But she’d never been that intelligent. Stupid. Tenacious. But not smart. Certainly no match for his superior intellect. And now he had her.