Monica knew which mattered more to her.I’m sorry, Eva.As tragic as it was to put this on her sister-in-law’s shoulders, Eva was merely a casualty caught in Monica’s friendly fire.I will do anything –anything –to find my daughter.Every minute they spent wastingarguingabout it was another minute more that Isabella had Abigail’s fate in her hands. If what Monica considered was true… she might never see Abigail again. Not until she was twenty and married off to whatever Beaumont had the distinguished honor of calling her his God-given wife.
Over my dead body.Monica would drag her nudity over hot coals to prevent that from happening, never mind having a BDSM scene with her sister-in-law.For his amusement, no less.
“In the end, it means nothing to us,” Monica said. “To Abigail, it’s her whole life.”
Eva closed her eyes and shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m considering this…”
Before Monica lost her nerve to summon Jackson to get this over with, something bright in the corner of her eye caught her attention.
It was a young and feminine face peeking through the bedroom door.
“Psst!” Paisley pushed the door open more, gesturing for Monica and Eva to come closer. Like Monica had been well-trained in years past, Paisley knew better than to help herself into her own room when Jackson had “company.” “You two want to know what was said on the phone?”
Monica rushed forward. Eva wasn’t too far behind.
“What do you know? How?” Monica asked.
Paisley didn’t mince words. “He only uses his landline in his offices. I was in the upstairs office listening in on his conversation. Let’s just say I had the foresight after recognizing you.”
“I see…”
“Your portrait is hanging in the upstairs office. Nice to see you’ve barely aged, huh?”
“Please, the point…” Monica held back her real fear. “Before Jackson comes back.”
Paisley heavily sighed. “Thailand.”
“Thailand?” Eva repeated.
“Isabella took the kid to Thailand after overnighting in Nice. It was all arranged by the Beaumonts. They have a holiday compound in Thailand. Look, that’s all I know. That’s allJackson’s gonna tell you because that’s allheknows. So could you kindly get the hell out?”
“Where in Thailand?”
“I don’tknow.You’ve gotta know someone who does, though. Because Thailand only has so many places a family like the Beaumonts will want to build a secret compound, right?”
“Have you met them before?”
“The Beaumonts? Sure. Jean-Pierre and his wife had been here a few times before. They’re… weird. Very weird.”
“That’s adding up nicely,” Eva bemoaned. “Look, Monica, we gotta get out of here before that freak comes back and asks us to kiss each other. Let’sgo.”
Monica knew better than to take her chances here. The only handholding she was doing with Eva was to drag her out of the room and back downstairs as quickly as possible. Paisley likewise made herself scarce before Jackson figured out she was the one who ruined his life.She’s metaphorically dead, anyway.He would take it out on her. She must have known that.
Yet she still helped a desperate mother. Maybe it was to have control over Jackson for one night, but still, Paisley had helped.
This wasn’t Monica’s first time fleeing from this mansion, but she hoped to God it was the last. Just because she didn’t need a gun this time didn’t mean she didn’t wish to have protection. Even when they burst into the night and Eva’s car was still parked, clear as the day Monica craved would come soon, she still wasn’t convinced they were safe until the engine started and both doors were closed.
Had Eva ever driven so recklessly? Had she ever taken passenger safety into such little account, like when she slammed on the gas before Monica had the chance to secure her seatbelt?
They said nothing as the Jaguar tore down the driveway and eventually discovered the highway that would take them back to civilization. Monica’s heart raced faster than the wheels and heradrenaline was so spiked that she worried she’d pass out before she could check for her purse. Her phone was in it, and she had to make some emergency calls.
Eva wiped something off her face once they were going the speed limit on the highway.
“We never speak of this again.” Monica also wiped something on her face. What was so hot and wet on her cheeks? Was it the tears that came once the adrenaline finally lowered and she realized how close to hell she had walked? And how she had almost dragged Eva down with her? “Nobody knows what almost happened back there.”
Eva was quiet until she finally said, “To ourgraves.”
At least they were on the same page about that.
