“All three of them died that day.”
“I’m so sorry.” The sympathy in Amalia’s voice sounded more sincere than Ryker would have managed. “How did they die?”
He glared some more. “The bags broke when I threw them because the men made me mad. It’s their fault.”
Yep. Creepy vibes would have set the alarms off for her team even at that age. Gaslighting that young... impressive. But not the good kind.
The man turned just enough he must have caught a glimpse of someone moving out of the corner of his eye.
His hold tightened on Amalia again. “Those men made me lose you once. I won’t let them take you away from me again.” His right hand moved slightly, and Amalia gasped as the weapon, whatever it was, hurt her.
“We leave together or not at all.”
The fear on Amalia’s face turned to terror.
How could Ryker get her out of this?
* * *
Tendrils of fearworked their way further through Amalia’s heart and mind.
She had no recollection of this man. She barely remembered the carnival he mentioned. Did many people remember things in detail from when they were five?
There had been games and food, but... that’s all.
That this man, whatever his name might be, had thought they belonged together creeped her out on levels she couldn’t begin to understand.
The knife he held had pricked through her clothes and into the skin of her side. It hurt, but not enough to think she’d been truly injured. Just a small puncture.
For now.
Her protection team could be seen slowly closing in around them as the man pulled her backwards a bit farther.
Should she stumble? Trip and throw him off balance?
Would that work?
Or would she end up with the knife through her ribs?
“What’s your name?” Ryker tried to keep the man talking.
“Tell him,” he growled into her ear.
How to get out of that?
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and swallowed hard.
“You’re scaring her.” Ryker moved slightly closer. He’d already made the man move her away from the cliff. She’d known he was good at his chosen profession, but he’d proven it again. “Why don’t you let her go and tell us?”
“Dexter. My name is Dexter, but if I let her go, you’ll make her stay. She doesn’t want to stay with you. She wants to stay with me, but you’ll make her.”
The knife came out from her side. Amalia felt a tiny bit of tension leave her body, knowing it wasn’t there any longer.
They moved back again. Maybe she could trip now. It would be harder for him to get to her with the knife.
Ryker’s eyes shifted from her to Dexter and back again. Could he tell what she was thinking?
She looked down at the ground then back again several times, but his slight frown told her he wasn’t okay with her plan. She’d wait.
