Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 280(@200wpm)___ 224(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Yeah, as if I’m going to answer that. “This has been a pleasure, but you’ve taken up enough of my time. I’m going to walk my dog now.”
Some people might be socially uncomfortable to walk away from the police, but they can do nothing as I lead Demon onto the street.
I can’t have Lena and Simone’s reappearance linked to me in any way. Even if they find Antonio’s body, nothing ties him to me. Unless somebody has video footage of me meeting with him, which is unlikely, I will be fine. Anyway, narcos don’t talk to the cops. We’ll have to come up with a cover story for them, something plausible. The cops won’t look too deeply if their stories are the same and they’re safe.
I stop on the corner of the block, looking up at the tower, knowing my woman is at the very top, and she can’t escape. She can’t go anywhere. She belongs to me. However, I can’t keep her there forever, not with the police getting suspicious.
Maybe I should call some cop friends, but that could make it worse. It would eliminate this current situation but alert them to my presence. So far, for years, I’ve had almost no dealings with them. I like the police. I don’t want to waste their time, but my best choice is to let Ramirez chase her tail until Lena and Simone are home.
I’m almost tempted to go out to the fair and clean up the body, but it was safer to leave it there. I was wearing gloves. I wasn’t anywhere near him. No DNA at the scene. No security footage. Hell, it’s not like I even pulled the trigger, though I’d never tell anybody about Russel, not for any price.
No, it’s better to leave it. Law enforcement isn’t going to break its back over one dead narco, a serial abuser, a sicko who preyed on women and children and terrified them in their own homes multiple times.
As Demon walks beside me, owning his portion of the sidewalk, I almost smile. It’s so wrong, but I feel it tugging at the corner of my lips.
Now Lena is right where she belongs—locked up with me. She’s mine.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Lena
I stand in front of the door, looking at the metal blocking it, sealing us in. I thought that was over. I thought I wasn’t his prisoner anymore, but the evidence is right there.
I don’t want Mom to see. She’ll panic. But what happens if she tries to leave? And why did he shut us in again? Is something wrong?
I return to the living room and sit on the couch, chewing on the sleeve of the sweater Jamie gave me. My mind is spinning so hard as I try to process everything, from the website to the kidnapping, both mine and Mom’s, to the possible lie Mom’s telling. Or Jamie is, and now I’m a prisoner again. Does part of me like it?
“Hungry?” Mom says breezily, walking into the room. She’s got her hair in a braid over her shoulder.
“You look great, Mom.”
She smiles widely and takes a deep breath, nodding. “It’s all about the mindset. That’s what I think. I need to remember that, and my mindset now is I’d like to make my pattycake some breakfast.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop myself from smiling. “You haven’t called me that since—” Dad died.
Mom rushes toward the kitchen. “You used to love that nickname.” If she didn’t run away so quickly, I might smile and reminisce with her, talking about how we came up with the nickname. It was Dad and I playing pattycake together, and I loved it so much and would go crazy anytime he wanted to play. That’s why that nickname warms me up so much, but Mom doesn’t seem to want to talk about Dad.
“How about some eggs?” Mom calls over. “Or look, there’s bacon here. Jamie won’t mind, will he?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having, Mom,” I say, hating how her voice gets high-pitched about Jamie. My mind’s on the next steps. Mom seems content to exist moment-to-moment, but how does going home actually work? What is Mom going to tell people? Presumably, Jamie won’t want us telling the world about his involvement.
Whatever happens, it’s going to mean leaving Jamie. Even if I don’t feel like he’s a liar, I have to look at the facts. Mom basically swore to me they were together. I can’t think of a reason for her to lie when I told her I’d understand. Surely, if she cared that much, it would’ve been better to come clean last night when I asked her.
Yet my feelings won’t leave me alone. Maybe it’s just the longing for Jamie. I want to do more with him. I want to sink into his arms, feel his strength wrapped around me, not having to worry about any of this complicated stuff.