Page 120 of Shattered By the Currents

“No. Not until you get me what I want.”

“What could I possibly do to help you? There’s a warrant out for your arrest. You laundered money. You killed people! I can’t get you out of that.”

The arm around her throat tightened, almost completely cutting off her air supply. “And the only reason they know all that is because ofyou. Now I have to disappear, and to do that, I need money.”

When he loosened his arm, she gasped for air. “I don’t have money.”

“You do. In an account I set up years ago in your name. The only reason I haven’t touched it is because the fucking bank changed their policies. I can’t withdraw more than five hundred at a time without verbal authorization. I need everything in that account transferred, now, and they’ll only speak to you.”

Another account? Because everything he’d already done wasn’t enough?

“Now, this is how it’s going to go. You’re going to call this bank, move the money. Then I’m gone.”

She almost laughed. Did he actually think she believed he’d just leave after the call? There was an edge to his voice that she’d never heard before. His eyes were wild and desperate. He was already wanted for murder and money laundering. The second he had what he wanted, she had no doubt in her mind he’d kill her.

“I’ve written down exactly where I want that money moved to,” he continued.

“Let me guess, some new fake business account?”

“That’s none of your fucking business.” He lifted his phone. “I’m going to dial. You say your name. Confirm you authorize the transfer and answer any personal questions. Understand?”

Her heart started to beat wildly. But not out of fear for herself. Connor should be up here by now. Why wasn’t he? “Did you do something to Connor?”

“He’s outside. And if he gets in before we’re done, I shoot him.”

Her heart stopped.

Xander hit call on his phone. An automatic voice came over the line. As he pressed keys, Raven eyed the glass hand-soap dispenser.

The idea had barely formed before she grabbed it and swung her arm over her shoulder.

Glass smashed into Xander’s face. He cried out, the phone dropping from his fingers, his forearm releasing her throat as he grabbed his eye.

She spun and kneed him in the balls. He grunted, and the second he hunched over, she tried to race around him. She didn’t even make it out of the bathroom before his heavy weight dropped onto her back, sending them both to the floor.

Air whooshed from her chest, breathing suddenly impossible. She barely had a chance to fill her lungs before she was pulled up by the hair.

“I’m going to kill you, bitch!”

She was kicking, grabbing for his fingers as Xander dragged her across the room—and then her head was shoved into the bath water, pressure on her back once more.

Her lips snapped closed, the world silencing. She bucked, hoping to dislodge the body behind her, trying to twist and free herself.

But he was like an immovable rock.

He held her head under for so long she swore her lungs were about to burst. When he finally pulled her up, she gasped for air. Then his mouth was by her ear. “You’re going to do what I fucking say, or I’ll hold you under so long you drown. Do you?—”

A gun shot sounded downstairs. Glass shattered.

Connor.

She was yanked to her feet, and a gun was pressed to her head just as the door burst open.

Then Connor appeared, Glock in hand, looking ready to kill.

Connor sprinted backto the house, searching the street. Was he outside? Watching? Waiting to shoot?

When he reached the door, he pulled out the key and unlocked it. But when he pushed at the door, it didn’t budge. He glanced through the window to see a chair had been wedged against the door.