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“Torian?”
Yeah, fucking Torian. “I’ll let you know.”
I disco
“Good evening, Hunter.”
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” I suck in a breath and let it out slowly. “You’ve got eyes on me, don’t you?”
He laughs, and I have to force myself to remain calm. Decker comes into view up ahead, his white suburban in the middle lane, the fucking Merc farther ahead.
“You promised you wouldn’t follow,” I snap. “You gave me forty-eight hours.”
“I made no promises. In fact, I think you were the one who made a pledge during that conversation. Something about a dumpster, if my memory serves.”
“Did you think I was joking?”
“No, but I thought I’d send Carlos to investigate anyway.”
“Well, your investigator is about to run my mark off the road.”
“Maybe he’s there as a friendly warning, too.”
Breathe. Just fucking breathe.
“I get it, okay? You want answers, and you think I’m dragging my feet. Believe me, I understand. But this will pay off. You don’t need to send your bitch to play hardball.”
“Are you sure? Carlos says she hasn’t met with anyone yet. I’ll be interested to hear his full report once he returns.”
“After all these years, you don’t trust me? Come on, Torian. You either let me do this my way or you’re on your own.” I’m bluffing. I have no choice. “Commit to the forty-eight hours you gave me. Let me do my job.”
The Merc’s brake lights grow smaller with its gaining speed, and he cuts into the middle lane in front of Decker, closing in beside Steph.
“Torian…” My chest pounds. My temples, too. “You’re going to blow this, and I’m so fucking close.” To her. To this. To insanity. “What’s the plan, anyway? You’re losing your fucking mind if you want to run her off the road.”
“Maybe that’s necessary.”
“For what reason?” I snap.
“To send a message. Or do you already get the picture?”
“I’ve got the fucking picture. Do I have forty-eight hours or not?”
“No. Now you’re approaching twenty-four.”
The line disco
“Fuck.” My shout reverberates through the car. I can’t get any closer. Not without letting her know I’ve been trailing her. All I can do is twiddle my fucking thumbs as this son-of-a-bitch veers closer and closer into her lane.
I call Decker.
“What do you want me to do?” he asks. “This guy is going to ram her.”
“I know.” And all I can do is watch. One look at me and the game is over. She can’t see me here. I could claim it was a coincidence we ran into each other whenever she left her building. But being in the same place, more than an hour from her home, is a fucking stretch. “Slow down. Maybe he’ll back off if you do.”
“Okay. Got it.”
The Merc veers for her again. Slow. Slow. Then fast, almost ramming into her. She swerves, the car fishtailing along the slippery road as her brake lights beam bright.
“Stop,” I yell at Decker as I rapidly approach.
She hydroplanes, sliding one way, then the other, taking over the middle lane, then the third.
I slow, but I can’t stop.
I can’t fucking stop.
“Help her.” I hold my breath as Decker slows in front of me, hanging back to stalk her movements.
I approach, getting closer and closer, while she careens off the road, along the soaked grass and puddles that spray water in every direction.
“Make sure she’s okay.” My pulse spikes as I pass. I’m fucking shaking. In anger or fear, I don’t know.
“You’ve really got a thing for this chick, don’t you?” Decker asks.
“Pretend I do and make sure you act accordingly.” I stalk my rear-view mirror, watching as he pulls up beside her. “That means you touch her, you die.”
He chuckles. “Although I’d love to make promises, sometimes the charm can’t turn itself off.”
“Touch her and die,” I snarl.
“You’re such an easy target these days.”
His laughter echoes through the car until I disco
I have to get over this shit. I’m nobody’s bitch. Not hers. Not Torian’s. And definitely not this fucker in front who thinks he can mess with my assignment.
I shove my foot against the gas, and the car kicks up a gear. Decker and Steph disappear in the distance of the mirror, and I force myself not to look back.
I crank up my music and let the rhythmic thump of rage take over. I’ll catch up to this motherfucker and teach him a thing or two about road safety. I’ll also ensure Torian doesn’t get that report he’s waiting on and make it clear I always fulfill my promises.