Page 96 of Asher's Assignment
Choking back a sob, Connie lifted her arms and shifted. “Sweetie. Go with Asher.”
“No!”
“Please, honey. We need to do what Bradley says.” She framed Leah’s face and bent close, whispering something to her. Asher couldn’t make out what she said.
Whatever it was, it worked. Leah eventually nodded and backed away. Asher held out a hand, and she took it, latching onto his side with her other arm.
“What are we doing?” Esther asked. “You have all of us here. What do you want?”
A cold smile slid over Bradley’s face. His eyes turned as hard and flinty as stone. He shifted the weapon away from Asher, keeping it raised, but now pointed at the wall. “It’s simple, really.” He shrugged one shoulder, his nonchalance in direct contrast to the anger running through his expression. “I want the family I was denied.”
Thirty-Nine
Esther swallowed—or attempted to. Her mouth was drier than the Mojave. What did that mean? The family he was denied. And how did she and Asher play into that?
“I understand why you didn’t want me to be a father to our child, Lindy. With me around, you couldn’t slack off and be a terrible mother like you have been. I wouldn’t have let us live in that filthy, crime-ridden, cesspool of a neighborhood. Or let our daughter catch a deadly disease if I’d been in the picture. She’d have had the finest things and gone to the best schools. Although, I have to say, I’m impressed with the quality of some of the teachers at Heron Ridge.” He gestured to Esther. “Obviously. And I have no doubt she’ll be a better mother for Leah than you ever were.”
A what?
No. No, no.
His plan was suddenly extremely clear. He wanted her to replace Connie in the family unit. “I’m sorry, no.” Esther backed up a step and waved her hands.
His gaze flicked to her, but he ignored her and continued to address Connie. “And you’re going to watch it all from a cage I built, just for you. For the rest of your life, you get to watch us raise Leah. I guarantee she’ll prosper more than she ever would with you.”
“You’re mad!” Connie shook her head. “How will she prosper when you’ll never let her leave the property? Because you won’t be able to, you know. She knows too much. Knows who you are and what you’ve done.”
“She’ll do just fine, because she’ll know if she says anything, you and Miss Campbell will die.”
Connie looked at the girl, a fierceness in her eyes. There was also a wildness there. Esther knew the woman would do anything to protect her child.
“Honey, I don’t care what happens to me,” Connie said. “You sing your brand-new heart out to anyone who’ll listen. He can kill me a thousand times over. I just want you to live.” Her voice broke.
“But do you speak for everyone?” Lennox asked.
“Yes.” Esther didn’t hesitate. She caught Asher’s eyes, telegraphing an apology. She knew he wasn’t happy she was here. She’d seen it when he looked at her after he came up the stairs. He was glad to see her, but he hated that she’d put herself in danger to save him.
The set to his jaw told her he understood, even if he didn’t like it.
Lennox’s eyes narrowed. “I’m sure you’ll both rethink that once you see what death is really like.”
All the action in the room moved in slow motion for Esther over the next few seconds. She saw the glint of evil intent enter Lennox’s eyes a fraction of a second before he extended his arm to bring the gun around. As his gaze traveled toward Asher, her feet moved of their own volition.
“No!” The word ripped from her soul.
She didn’t think.
As the gun came up, she dove.
The noise and the punch to her side came at the same time. All the breath left her lungs; long before she hit the floor.
“Esther!”
Asher’s voice rose over Leah’s scream and Connie’s shout of dismay. Hands touched her, but she didn’t know whose. They felt too small to be Asher’s.
Blinking slowly, she raised her head. Scuffling broke through the numbness settling over her. Connie’s face swam in her vision.
“Esther! Esther, look at me.”
