?Chapter 0242


    Beside me, Elva yawned. "I''m tired, Mommy."


    I immediately crouched down beside her. I touched my hand to her forehead, but I didn''t feel a fever. Still, my nerves were frayed and I couldn''t help but worry. "Do you feel hot?"


    "No. Just sleepy." She rubbed at one eye.


    I hated to leave early. We really needed this victory to stay in thepetition. The stakes were so much higher now that I knew the underground organization had their sights on me and Elva. The minute we stepped foot off the pce grounds, we''d likely be snatched up.


    But I couldn''t chance Elva''s health. She''d been doing so well since she started receiving regr treatments. I wouldn''t dare risk taking her heath any steps in the wrong direction.


    *Honey, do you want to go -"


    *There you are, Piper,"


    A shiver rattled my bones. I knew that voice. I dreaded that voice.


    I looked up and Terry was beside us, standing too close, peering down with the eyes of a viper.


    *A pleasant picture, seeing you on your knees," Terry said. He smirked, but the joy of it did not extend beyond his lips.


    "A vile thing to say in front of a child." I pushed myself up to my feet, then ushered Elva behind me.


    *I meant it innocently, I assure you."


    I hadn''t needed Julian''s mental self-defense lessons to know that was a lie.


    "But is that anyway to greet me?* Terry continued. His gaze narrowed slightly, like a predator eyeing his prey." After all, we are such good friends now that you feelfortable visiting unannounced. I only wished I knew you wereing. I would have prepared one of the cells for you."


    He was needling me, trying to get a reaction. I had to stay calm, as Julian had helped me train. I couldn''t let him get to me. Only if I was calm, could I poke back.


    "You had your hands full, as I recall," I said, attempting a sneer.


    Something sparked in his eye, a flicker of fire. "Yes, I did."


    I tasted bile.


    This wasn''t going to work. I didn''t want to go toe to toe with Terry. I didn''t want to even be in the same room as him. But I especially didn''t want to talk about my sister somewhere Elva could overhear.


    *You shouldn''t expect a return visit," I said, struggling to maintain myposure. I was proud when my voice didn''t waver. "That path has been permanently sealed."


    It was a bluff. The secret tunnel might have been sealed but I already knew Terry had brought Piper back into the house through some other means. Unfortunately, I couldn''t call him out on it and press for more information. Not with Elva in earshot.


    Just then, Elva peered around my shirt to look up at Terry.


    Terry shed her a crooked grin.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Elva gasped and returned to hiding behind me.


    "Why don''t you just go?" I said. "I''m sure many other women would be interested in speaking with you tonight." His smile turns cruel.


    I wanted to run from him. To take Elva, and fly to an entirely different continent if I had to. Whatever it took to get away from him and keep him away.


    Terry leered openly at my barely-exposed cleavage. He licked his lips.


    "Oh, Piper. Don''t you know? I''m a benefactor tonight. And as a benefactor, it is my obligation to speak with each and every candidate, including you. Such a lovely little practice, isn''t it? A bit of money, and I get what I want?"


    I swallowed the rising lump in my throat. "You donate the money to charity," I said. "You don''t get anything."


    "I get time with you," he said.


    "That time is up."