Escape (Alliance Book 1) (19 page)

"I am sorry I let Anders hurt you, Riley. I wanted you dead, not hurt. I still do. It would make things easier for me, but I couldn't do it. Couldn't lie to you about the girls. I would have killed you if I could. I want you to know that."

He believed him. There was no reason for him to lie now, he knew. It hurt knowing that he wished him dead, but he understood it too. And he remembered the last time he ever saw him, when he chased after him down that street in Waller, but Brody wouldn't stop, and then Brody just shaking his head at him. He remembered that now, couldn't help remembering it, and knew that he wanted him gone even then, that he couldn't bear take anything from that life where he was going.

He nodded to him, leaned back against the wall closing his eyes to keep all the tears in, and said in almost a whisper, so there was no chance Drake and Ams would catch any of it, "If by some miracle you do help us get Ella and Laurel back, I will let you, if you still want me dead then. However you want. You just can't tell Drake or Ams about it." He looked at him, to make sure he understood, and when he knew for sure that he did, walked right up to him. Brody stood up, breathing hard, and looking like he was about to cry. It didn't add up, what he just said to him and the way his face looked.

He got the knife out of his pocket, but Brody didn't seem to notice it or to care. He was just watching his face. He cut the tie at his wrists, registering a look of surprise on his face, then took his right hand and shook it, squeezing it hard, as hard as he could. Brody flinched, but returned the handshake, and put his hands back out in front of him.

He cuffed him with regular old cuffs now, the ones with a tiny key that they got from Brody's supply bag, and put the key into his sleeve pocket. These would be a bit more comfortable to sleep with, though less comfortable than the slave bands. He still couldn't bring himself to put that on Brody. On anyone, really.

"You should get some sleep," and he unrolled one of the blankets at the wall for him and threw an almost empty backpack on it for a pillow, but Brody just shook his head at the offering, slid down against the hard clay of the wall and closed his eyes.

end of preview

Book Two, The Cross is available on Amazon. Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited or purchase your copy here:
The Cross, Book Two of Alliance Series

Book Three, Legacy will be released on Jun 7
th
, 2016

You can pre-order your copy here:
Legacy, Book Three of Alliance Series

Thank you so much for reading Escape. For release dates on the last two books in the series, visit my website
innahardison.com
and subscribe to my mailing list if you like. I’ll only send an occasional promotion or an announcement of a new book.

And, of course, any reviews in whatever places you frequent, either Amazon or GoodReads or elsewhere would be appreciated. I genuinely want to know what you thought, good or bad or intriguing. And if you want to ask me a question or have a comment of any kind, feel free to contact me via my site. I will respond (even if not within the first five minutes).

Inna Hardison –

Book Two, The Cross is available on Amazon. Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited or purchase your copy here:
The Cross, Book Two of Alliance Series

Book Three, Legacy will be released on Jun 7
th
, 2016

You can pre-order your copy here:
Legacy, Book Three of Alliance Series