O
h, Josh.” Sierra looped her arm through his as they approached camp. “This has been such a perfect climb. I wish we could just stay up here on the mountain forever.”
When she looked up at him he bent to kiss the tip of her nose. “You know what they say? Be careful what you wish for. It just might come true.”
“What would be so wrong about living here on top of your mountain?”
“Well, for one thing, you might get a little lonesome for company.”
“You don’t think you’d be enough to fill my days and nights?”
“Your nights definitely.” He shot her a dangerous grin that sent an arrow straight through her heart. “But during the day, while I was off hunting and gathering like our ancestors, what would you be doing?”
“Cooking what you hunt, and storing what you gather.”
“Sounds very domesticated, Ms. Moore. But as I seem to recall, that’s the very thing you don’t believe in.”
“I never said any such thing.” She paused to put her hands on her hips. “I just don’t believe in marriage.”
“Oh. I see. It’s those pesky vows.”
“Not the vows. It’s what leads up to them. All those little white lies about loving only one person, and being faithful to that person until death. Why do so many people say them when they don’t really mean them?”
“Yeah. I can see where that’d be a problem. All those dirty little lies.”
She heard the thread of laughter in his voice and slapped his arm. “Why should I expect anything different from you? You are, after all, a man. And when it comes to love, men lie.”
“Why, those lowdown, dirty rotten scoundrels.”
She couldn’t help laughing. “All right. So it sounds funny when you say it like that. But you know what I mean.”
“I do indeed, Ms. Moore. You, being of sound mind and completely noble of spirit, will permit no lies to be spoken about love, life, and forever after. Even in the heat of passion.”
“Exactly. Now…” As they stepped into camp she turned toward the tent, sheltered in the cave. “I’m going to stash this camera and see what I can fix for our supper.”
“Spoken like a good little cavewoman.”
Josh watched as Sierra unzipped the tent flap and stepped inside. As she did, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.
It was back. The feeling that someone was watching.
Taking care not to telegraph his fear, he intentionally
dropped a glove. As he knelt in the snow to retrieve it, he took that moment to glance around.
There were no footprints in the snow. But the snow wasn’t smooth. Instead it was rough, as though it had been swept by… Josh glanced at an evergreen bough lying nearby. Had it fallen there, or had it been used to sweep the snow clean of prints before being dropped?
Though he could see nothing else out of the ordinary, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
As quietly as possible he stepped inside the tent.
“Did you notice if anything had been disturbed?”
“Hmm?” She turned. “Odd that you mention it. I was just thinking that my bedroll didn’t look the way I’d left it.”
His tone sharpened. “In what way? Is anything missing?”
She looked over at him. “I don’t know, but I can check.” She began unrolling her sleeping bag. “I don’t see anything different. It was just a bit messy.”
“You’re sure?” He stepped closer.
His quiet, matter-of-fact tone had her arching a brow. “What’s wrong, Josh?”
“I’m not sure yet. But I have a feeling…”
“Ah. Now isn’t this perfect?” The crisp, slightly accented voice had them both looking over toward the entrance of their tent at the same moment. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sierra, my love.”
Though Josh had never seen this man before, he knew his identity at once. He was exactly as Sierra had described Sebastian to the police chief. Tall, lean, handsome, with jet black hair set off by a distinct patch of silver at each temple. He was dressed all in black. Black
skier’s pants tucked into black boots. A black turtleneck beneath a black ski jacket.
In his hand was a small black pistol.
It was aimed directly at Josh’s heart.
For the space of several seconds, Sierra couldn’t speak over the knot of terror that was threatening to choke her. “How did you get here, Sebastian? You were supposed to be in France.”
“As you can see, I decided to stay here.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you why.” He smiled then. A cool, chilling smile that never reached his eyes, which were as cold as the snow-covered countryside. “I originally came here to let you know that although you’ve been a naughty girl, Sierra, my love, I forgive you.”
“You know I hate that term. I’m not your love. As for your forgiveness, I never asked for it. I don’t want it. I want you to leave me alone.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“You were ordered not to come near me.”
“Ordered? Be careful, Sierra.” His smile faded. “You don’t want to anger me.”
She took a step back. “I don’t. I don’t want to hurt you either, Sebastian. I just want you to leave now. Before you do something”—she couldn’t take her gaze from the pistol in his hand—“you’ll regret.”
“Ah.” His smile returned. “You want to save me from myself. How very noble.” When she remained silent he said, “When I met you, you were nothing but a hungry little photographer, dreaming of being discovered as a great new American talent. What did I promise you?”
When she didn’t answer, his voice rose in anger. “I promised to use my considerable influence to make you a star whose photographs would sell for thousands of euros. And you thanked me by leaving.” His voice chilled by degrees as he spoke. “Leaving without even the decency of telling me to my face. Instead, you had your friend deliver your message after you’d fled like a thief in the night.”
“I didn’t want to see you again. You frightened me.”
“And you disappointed me, Sierra, my love. I told you in my note that I’d forgiven you. You abandoned your rental car rather than let me near. I sent you diamonds, and you thanked me by signing a legal document that forbade me from coming near you.”
He turned to Josh. “I’m about to do you a huge favor.”
Josh had used these moments to gauge the distance between himself and Sebastian. His rifle wasn’t within reach, and the span between them was too great to leap. He would have to keep this man talking until he could find a way to distract him and disarm him.
He decided his best bet was to jab at Sebastian’s pride.
“The only favor you can do is to leave as quickly as you arrived. Otherwise, you may not like the outcome.”
Sebastian waved his weapon. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m the one holding the gun.”
“And that’s the only reason you’re still standing. If you’d like to lower your weapon, and face me man to man, I’d be happy to test your skill with your fists.”
“Why would I resort to such brutality when a gunshot is so much quicker and cleaner?” Sebastian turned to Sierra. “You see, Sierra, my love, the man only cares about his own life. He cares this much—” he snapped his fingers “—for you.”
He smiled at Josh. “Not that I blame you. Sierra and I are alike. We have an appetite for all that is new and exciting. Isn’t that so, Sierra, my love?”
She lowered her head, refusing to look at him, hoping her silence would reach him the way her words had failed to.
He ignored her and directed his words at Josh. “You see? She can’t deny the truth. I have no doubt you’ve slept with her. What man could refuse? Look at her.”
When Josh pinned him with a narrowed look, he waved the pistol. “I said look at her. No man in his right mind could see her and not want her. She’s a rare beauty, isn’t she? But when the excitement wears off, as it must, she will come crawling back to me.” He reached out with the pistol, using it to tip up her face so that she was forced to look at him. “And that is why I’m here. I won’t ask you to beg or crawl, Sierra, my love. I’m a tolerant, forgiving man. I’ve come to take you back where you belong. With me.”
“I belong to no one but myself.” Her voice was choked with terror. “You don’t own me. I won’t go anywhere with you.”
“Oh, you’ll go. If you refuse”—his chilling smile remained as he added—“your lover’s body won’t be found until the summer, after the snow has melted.”
Sierra paled by degrees. She had to swallow twice before she managed to say, “If I go with you willingly, will you let Josh live?”
“Josh. Ah.” He drew out the sound. “I believe I heard something in your voice just now when you said his name aloud. He means that much to you?”
Sierra’s heart was thundering so loudly in her chest, in her ears, at her temples, she feared he could surely hear it.
“He means”—she managed to snap her fingers just the way he had—“nothing to me. But it doesn’t seem right for a man to give up his life for a… one-night stand.”
“You admit you slept with him?”
Trapped. By her own words.
Sierra prayed that her voice wouldn’t tremble and betray her lie. “You have to know that it didn’t mean a thing.”
“Of course. Sex. Your weapon of choice. You use it on all men but me, apparently. With me, you merely teased and toyed, and then withheld the one thing I wanted.” Sebastian smiled. “But no more. Give me your hand, Sierra, my love.”
“Don’t do it.” Josh’s voice was low with warning. “Don’t let him get hold of you.”
Sierra shook her head. “You don’t understand.”
“I do. Once he has hold of you, he’ll never let go. You can’t do this, Sierra.”
“I have to. If I don’t—”
Josh cut her off. “I know why you think you have to, but you’re wrong.”
When Josh reached for her, Sebastian’s hand holding the gun shot out in a wide arc, catching Josh on the temple, sending him staggering to his knees.
Sierra cried out his name and bent to catch him, but as he struggled to clear his vision, Sebastian grasped Sierra’s hand and dragged her close.
His hand was hot, making her even more aware of how cold she felt. Cold and lifeless. And already dead.
Sebastian backed toward the tent entrance, taking Sierra with him.
She was trembling so violently, she wondered how long her legs would continue to support her weight. But,
for Josh’s sake, she knew she had to keep Sebastian’s focus on her.
“You hurt the wrong person. It’s me you want.”
“It’s you I have. You see? That wasn’t so difficult, was it?” Sebastian squeezed her hand so hard she cringed. “I said, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
She lifted her chin, determined to get through this. “No.”
“Say good-bye to your lover.”
“Where are we going?”
His smile grew. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m taking you home.”
“But how can we possibly leave this mountain in a blizzard? And even if we could, his family will see us when we cross their property. They’ll stop you.”
“You’d be amazed at what enough money can buy. I have my magic carpet awaiting my signal. Soon enough we’ll be far from here, where nobody will ever again come between us, Sierra, my love.”
For the first time she allowed herself to look at Josh. Despite the trickle of blood that oozed from the cut at his temple, she was desperate to memorize every curve of his mouth, every line of his brow. More than anything in this world she wished she could fling herself into his arms and feel safe.
Safe.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she blinked them away. She dared not cry now. She didn’t want to do anything to further anger this madman and drive him to do something even more violent.
She had once denied that violence. She’d tried to convince herself that Sebastian couldn’t possibly be as dangerous as Chief Everett Fletcher had warned.
What a fool she’d been, to think she was safe from it. Safety, she thought with sudden clarity, was just another illusion.
She would never be safe as long as Sebastian held all the power. But the only thing she could do now was do her best to protect Josh.
He drew her close before dipping his hand into his pocket. When he lifted it he was holding something as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You’re shivering. Afraid, Sierra, my love?”
She gritted her teeth at the hated endearment and struggled to pull herself together. She dared not let him sense her fear and weakness. “Of course not. It’s the cold.”
“Soon you will know nothing but the warmth of my body.”
He looked over at Josh, who had struggled to his feet and began moving toward them. “Stop right there, or die where you stand.”
As Josh halted in his tracks, Sebastian laughed as he lifted the pistol and took aim.
Sierra let out a cry of horror. “You said you’d let him live. I’m only coming with you so you’ll keep your promise.”
“And that’s why he must die. Now that you’ve admitted sleeping with him, sharing with him what should have been mine alone, I can’t allow him to live.”
“But he didn’t know—”
“You never should have left me, Sierra, my love. That was an unforgivable sin.”
“Please, Sebastian. I’m sorry—”
“Too late for apologies. Did you think I would just walk away from such humiliation?”
“I didn’t realize—”
“Silence. You must pay for your sins. And since I have other plans for you, your lover must pay the price with his life.”
“But you promised—”
“I promise you this. You will never again leave me, Sierra, my love. No other man will have you. You will please me until I tire of you. And when I decide…” His voice turned to ice. “When I decide that I’ve had enough of you, I will cast you aside with the same callous disregard you gave to me. Now…” He took aim at Josh. “Say good-bye to your lover.”
“No!”
Josh made a valiant effort to leap the distance that separated them, just as Sebastian pulled the trigger.
There was a tremendous explosion of sound that had Sierra watching in horrified fascination as Josh was knocked backward from the force of the bullet and lay sprawled on the ground, still as death.
When Sierra tried to fling herself on him, she was restrained in an iron grasp.
That image of Josh, so still and lifeless, was the last thing Sierra saw before Sebastian jabbed a needle into her arm.