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“Fuck.”
I turn off the light before opening the door and heading straight for my closet.
It only takes a few minutes to get dressed before I walk back over to the bed.
Zoe nestles deeper into the blankets.
I lean over her, gently rubbing her shoulder until her eyes open.
“Is something wrong?” Her voice is soft and raspy with sleep.
“Nothing’s wrong. Your security team is here. I’m going to be downstairs too, but I have to meet with Ruben.”
Her eyes narrow. “If you have to meet with Ruben, then something happened.”
I kiss her forehead.
I’m not going to stand here and tell her what’s going on. It will only make her worry more.
“Nothing happened. I just have some things I need to address with him about the business. Get some rest. It’s been a long couple of days, and I know that you have more shows coming up.”
“I might be getting a permanent spot at another bar.” Zoe yawns as she rolls onto her back.
She looks up at me through the darkness, a sleepy smile on her face. “Joe is talking to one of the other bar owners he knows.”
I bite back my immediate response.
It’s a horrible idea. She needs to stay home where she is safe right now.
Gulping down my fear, I say, “That’s great, Zoe. You’re going to have to tell me all about it in the morning, but right now you need to get some sleep.”
She yawns again and closes her eyes.
I pull the blankets a little higher, tucking them around her body.
As I place another kiss on her forehead, I feel guilty for not telling her about what’s going on.
She should know that there could be another person after her.
I’ll tell her later. When the time is right.
As I leave the room, I send a message to Ruben. By the time I get downstairs and make a massive pot of coffee, he is standing in my kitchen.
There are dark bags beneath his eyes, and he looks like he’s had better days.
I pour him a cup of coffee before taking a seat at the island.
Ruben sits on one of the other stools and sips his coffee.
“Demarco Jones,” I say, my voice tight.
Ruben looks at me like I have three heads. “What about Demarco? He’s been dead for years.”
“You would think, wouldn’t you?” I chuckle and shake my head as Ruben’s eyes widen. “It would seem like fate has a cruel sense of humor these days. I thought he was dead too. I thought that all the people trying to kill me were either being controlled by someone else or coming after me due to their own vendettas.”
“How is Demarco alive?” Ruben downs his coffee and rubs his eyes. “There is no way. We were both at the funeral.”
“But nobody saw the body. We were told that he died in a house fire, and his body was burned beyond recognition. Dental records were the only thing the police could go on. You and I both know that Demarco is a crazy bastard who would rip out his own teeth to play dead.”
