“Thank you.” The girl took one last glance at the music box before she left the store.
Watching her leave was harder than he had thought it would be. He wouldn’t be able to come out of the store until she pulled out. Therefore, he had to watch her go to the car through the display window, and that wasn’t close enough for him.
A vibration in his pocket had him pulling out his cell phone. He didn’t say a word when he accepted the call.
His friend Sal came over the phone. “The BMW is registered to Maxwell Masters.”
That wasn’t what he had expected, though it explained why he felt like he had seen her before.
“Girl,” Lucca spoke into the phone carefully, watching her approach the driver’s side.
“He’s married to Elaine Maste—”
“Younger,” he cut him off.
Sal paused. “Scar?”
Lucca’s eyes traced her markings. “Yes.”
“That’s Maxwell’s daughter, Chloe Masters.”
He ended the call with the push of a button.
Time stood still for him as he soaked in anything and everything he could about her before she disappeared into the car.
There was always a moment one faced in life when a choice had to be made, and this was his.
Her tortured soul called to his dark one, whispering for him to save her. His heart was now slow, steady, finding its purpose—Chloe Masters …
Taking one last look at the scar on her face, he couldn’t wait for the day he could run his fingers across it. Beautiful.
Forty
The Being Behind the Door
The cold, metal table underneath her was a stark contrast to her burning face from what seemed like pointless crying.
“Please! Stop!” No amount of her kicking and fighting was a match for what felt like millions of hands holding her down.
The laughter from the evil man who held a knife rang through her ears, mocking.
“Stay still, little girl”—he drew the knife closer to her face—“or it’ll just hurt worse.”
Looking at his abnormally large, black eyes, she was sure she was looking into the eyes of the devil …
The silver blade inched closer and closer to her right eye until it was mere centimeters from her pupil.
“Don’t blink.”
A tear welled up in her eye, making it even harder as she struggled to keep her eye open. Her body began to tremble. She was going to blink.
“Don’t blink, little girl,” he warned her again.
The tear fell, and her eye started to close …
“Chloe!” Amo’s voice boomed.
A flicker of light entered her mind.
“This way, Chloe!” Amo pleaded.
Another flicker of light had her eyes shooting open. Sitting up so abruptly made her feel lightheaded. The bed, along with the big room, was one she didn’t recognize, which made her heart pound like a drum in her ears.
No! He’s got me, and no one knows I’m even here.
Shakily, Chloe stood from the bed, going over to the nightstand. Her hand reached out …
The devil will kill me this time. He promised me he would.
Once she opened the expensive, gold music box, the familiar lullaby began to play. It was then she realized that it couldn’t be hers. Chloe stepped to the huge window with a hitch in her breath. She slowly reached out to pull back the curtain.
No one will save me this time.
Pulling back the curtain, she held her breath as she was greeted with a beautiful garden along with the white gazebo she had found herself under before with …
The door creaked open, and Chloe turned to meet the being behind the door.
The dark voice made her gasp for air.
“Hey, darlin’.”
Forty-One
The Moment
You thought she had a choice? No. The Boogieman had decided her fate the moment he had looked upon her scarred face.
The Moment
There’s always a moment one faces in life, A moment one could never forget.
And in this moment, you would swear time stood still.
After that moment, the tears begin to burn your cheeks.
Your soul feels as if it were touched by darkness.
And even if you never believed in God, your knees begin to bleed from praying so much.
I faced that moment,
A moment I will never forget.
And in that moment, time did stand still.
But my cheeks healed with time.
My soul fought the darkness with light.
And my knees, now calloused and scarred, are stronger than ever for the next moment when time stutters.
Sarah Brianne
Please, if you or someone you know ever needs help, follow this link to get more information and help.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
http://www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crime-victims/national-hotlines-and-helpful-links
Behind The Marquess’s Mask
The Lords of Whitehall
Kristen McLean
Available Now!
Prologue
France 1818