I shut my books and shove them in my backpack, and I can almost feel part of my heart bleeding. Something is wrong. Very wrong. My knees are wobbling and I think someone calls my name as I follow the man through the hallway, but I don’t hear them. I barely remember how I end up in an office of some sort. “Call your father,” the man directs and shuts me inside.

I dial the number, my hand trembling. “Dad?” I say.

“Your mother’s helicopter has gone down.”

“What? When?”

“An hour ago. There are search-and-rescue teams.”

And then the tears had come.

My memory shifts to being at the secret cove where my mother had gone to be alone, the cliffs, the ocean, the wind, her escape. I knew of that place and Andrew hadn’t. I’d gone alone. I swore I’d never take anyone there. And then I’d met Kane not long after Mom’s death. He’d been my escape, and my mother’s cove had become our cove. It became our escape, the place he told me things he would tell no one else—his fears, his judgements of himself. His truth.

I inhale a deep breath and Pocher is on my mind. He ordered my mother’s murder. There is no doubt this is him again and he’s not even trying to hide it. He wants me to know he did this.

I grab my phone and I dial Tic Tac. “Lilah?”

“Get me the exact location of Pocher right now.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?”

“Get me the location.”

“No. No, I don’t think—”

“Fine. I’ll go to his house. I’ll find him myself.”

I hang up and I open the bathroom door, walking with resolute steps. I refuse any idea that Kane is dead. But I also know that if that chopper was tampered with—and it most certainly was—Pocher is behind it. Jay turns in my direction, but I cut toward the door. I’m already reaching into my back pocket for the key to the Mercedes Kane left here this morning.

I’m out the door and already inside the car when Jay reaches the driver’s side. “Lilah. Lilah, where are you going?”

I don’t answer. I back up and I get the hell out of there.

Killing Pocher is long past due.

It’s time.

THE END…FOR NOW

Dear reader,

As always, I hope you’ll forgive me for the cliffhanger. I promise it’s not to torture you. This is just how my books separate themselves in my mind. I typically know these kinds of bated-breath endings far before I know the middle of the books. But fear not, the finale to this Lilah Love duet, BLOODY LOVE, available now and there's new Lilah Love books coming next year, too!

LEARN MORE HERE: