Chapter 106

Chapter 106
Clive’s POV

Tentatively, I stand outside Claire’s door. It’s quiet inside. Perhaps the poor lass is sleeping. She did look peaky and pale, it worried me to see her like that and she had darkness under eyes. Seeing the mirror image of herself earlier on the posters must have put the wind up her. I know it would me.

Jake is unsettling me. His secrets and mine should be buried and remain so, only now it feels like they could come out. All it will take is for Claire to do some deep diving online and things will appear. She will find out or that clever sister of hers, that in fact Jonathan is part related to both Jake and I.

What else she will find concerns me too.

I’ve made the decision that I can’t go through with the plan that Jake has in mind for Claire. I’ve been part of too many of his awful plans and so far, I have managed to skirt around being linked in any way shape or form.

I call that pure luck and everyone’s luck runs out at some point. It’s time for me to put an end to this. I need to be the one to take Claire out of the situation and get her to safety.

We weren’t to know that she had a crazy best friend who was going to take matters into her own hands.

Jonathan was always a slippery fish. Even growing up there was something about him. He would pick on both Jake and I but Jake always followed him around like a lost sheep. They had more of a bond going on than I did. But blood tied us together and you all know what the saying is don’t you? Blood is thicker than water.

I wasn’t to know that Claire was going to end up on my doorstep when she ran away from him. How was anyone to know. I did my best to save her from him then and now it seems I have to step into those shoes again.

The thought of what Jake has in store for her sends shivers up and down my spine. And trust me, a guy like me is not the kind of man who gives in to the shivers.

Jake is a man obsessed, however. He seems to have taken what has happened to Jonathan hard. Who’d have thought? But he has and there isn’t anything I can do about it now.

The house is silent as I stand in front of her door daring myself to knock. I could smuggle her out. Would Jake discover us? What will my out-of-control brother do if he finds us? The man is currently not stable and I know he is using again. The way he was talking tells me he had a belly full of liquor. His pupils were dilated to the extent they looked like giant, black saucers in his eyes. I shudder. There is no telling how reactive Jake would be if he stumbles on me trying to get Claire out of the cabin.

Hector has come up and is sitting by my side, his nose is nuzzling my hand. The poor fella must suspect something is up unless he is protecting Claire. They do seem to have some kind of bond going on.

“It’s okay, boy,” I reassure him. “Go to your bed.” My voice is a hushed whisper.

Hector licks my fingers and stands, his tail wags as he turns to go downstairs to his bed by the roaring fire. The storm has started to pick up. It won’t be long until it becomes frenzied and we won’t even be able to see much in front of our noses.

I have to get Claire out.

What Jake has in mind, is far worse than what Jonathan ever would have done. He was a narcissistic, son of a bitch but not a murderer. Jake on the other hand, well let’s just say he doesn’t have the same moral compass as I do.

All Jonathan would have done is taken Claire back to a life of misery. Honestly, I had no idea who she was when she first turned up in my life. The poor woman looked scared to death. Now though, she seems to have some strength and dignity about her. Who know how long she was planning to make her escape from the clutches of a man like Jonathan. It seemed she had some help because he wouldn’t have been that easy to get away from.

I let out a sigh and rake my hand through my hair.

It’s now or never.

I rasp my knuckles on the thick door and wait for her to respond.

There is nothing. I can hear the back, kitchen door opening and closing. The damn hinges need seeing to the way they squeak. Jake is in the house. It won’t take much for him to bring his plans forward if he catches me standing in front of Claire’s door.

“Claire,” I hiss. “Open the door, Lass.”

Still no reply.

Fuck’s sake.

Jake’s heavy footsteps can be heard at the bottom of the steps as he begins to ascend.

I have no option but to force the door open and quickly duck inside.

As I turn the knob, I’m surprised to find the door isn’t actually locked. What the hell? I specifically told her to ensure the door was locked.

Not thinking on this anymore, I slip inside and close it quickly, ensuring that I lock it and pull the very top bolt across.

“Clive,” I hear Jake’s voice.

I can’t reply, he will know I am standing in her bedroom. Turning, as I rest my shoulder against the door just in case, Jake tries to get in. My eyes open in shock.

Claire is not in her room!