“Sean, you have to tell me what’s going on. We’re in this together now, remember? Both of us. I’m not leaving you. You can say what you want, but I’m not going to marry Trystan. I want to be with you. I’ve always wanted you.”
Sean’s lips part and the words pour out, melting my heart. “I’ve always wanted you too.”
“It’s time to act like a team then. Marty didn’t tell me crap and you’re white as a sheet.”
“We need to get to the car. From the looks of it, the house is empty. Either my mother gave everyone the night off or someone else chased them off. Probably the latter, since the head of my security team isn’t answering. Either way, it appears that security at the Ferro mansion has been breached. We’re not safe, we need to move.”
“Okay.”
Sean grabs my hand firmly. “We stay together.”
Part of me wants to smile and spin around with glee. He wants me with him. The other part of me is terrified because whatever happens next is a complete unknown. The Ferro mansion has security like Fort Knox. The intercom was quiet and whatever Marty said has Sean scared, and anything that scares Sean Ferro must be terrifying.
CHAPTER 13
We run through the empty house quietly and carefully, not seeing anyone. Sean leaves the lights off, allowing us to slowly slink down the hallway in the darkness. Every time we come to a doorway he makes me stop and holds out his arm, keeping me back until he knows the coast is clear. Then he waves me forward and we continue on like that.
We head toward a back exit, one that’s rarely used. It lets out on the far side of the house where Peter leaves his motorcycles from when he was younger. My heart is thumping in my chest, making it feel like my ribs will crack. Hysteria’s building in my throat, because it feels like someone’s watching us. My skin prickles with the sensation that something horrible’s about to happen. Something is very wrong, that much I know. I thought it was strange, not seeing anyone. Sean doesn’t usually answer the door. He has a butler that does that. I ask him about it.
Sean looks troubled, but replies, “He went with my mother on her business trip. Someone else would’ve grabbed the door, but I saw you coming. I looked out the window. Plus, I may have, sort of, kind of, put a GPS tracker on your things.” The way he says it is so sheepish that it makes my insides melt, at least after the initial flair of rage.
“Technology hates me.”
Sean leads us down a bunch of hallways, we’ve twisted around the mansion so many times. I don’t know where the hell we are.
Sean glances at me out of the corner of his eye, as he releases my wrist. We’ve come to a set of double doors made from thick, dark, wood. They're elegantly carved, but not as ornate as Sean’s. He released my wrist so we can pound on the doors.
Sean’s phone rings in his pocket. He lifts it to his ear and listens, then says, “It’s just us. No, Pete's at Sidney’s and Jon is God knows where, but he's not here. It’s just us. Yeah, bikes. Take the back way out of here and we'll meet up with you.” They say a few more words and Sean disconnects.
“No one else is here?” I ask, confused. “How can that be?”
“Between business and pleasure most of the family is usually away. I wouldn’t come here either, but I thought there was a remote chance you might show up, so I came. We need to move. This is a lot more complicated.” Sean looks over at me and takes my hand, pulling me through the grouping of rooms that looks like one of the Ferro boys' residences. There are books scattered about, and posh, manly finishes on the walls.
Before we know it, we’re at a small door. Sean shoves through and in a second we’re outside in the crisp morning air. Marty is standing there, as is a girl that I’ve not seen before. She’s my height and weight, wearing leather jacket. Long brown hair flows down her back. Marty tosses a set of keys to Sean. There are a pair of motorcycles parked right by the back door.
Marty watches me carefully. “Are you ready to go? I’m going to take her out the front route, you guys go the other way. With the helmets and leather, in the early morning sun, maybe they won’t be able to tell it’s not you.”
This is wrong, it’s so incredibly wrong. Shivers take hold of me and I can’t shake it off. I pull my hand away from Sean’s, demanding an explanation. “You have to tell me. What’s going on? Why are they still chasing us?”
Sean’s chest expands as he sucks in a short breath and glances down at his hands. Our fingers are intertwined, his hand holding mine.
He looks back at Marty, who gives a visual no. “Don’t say it.” Marty looks over at me with so much empathy in his eyes, I can’t stand it. I don’t know how anything could possibly be this wrong, but whatever Sean wants to tell me is important. “Sean, we need to go.”