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Nora reaches across the console, resting her hand on my thigh. “What’s on your mind, big guy?”
I smirk. I love when she calls me that. “You.”
I take my eyes off the road and let them roam down her body, before turning my attention back to the long, empty road in front of me.
“Oh, yeah? What about me?” she teases, giving my thigh a squeeze.
“All of you, babe. All of you.” I can’t entertain this game too much, or we’ll need to pull over.
She pokes her tongue out at me. “Fine.” She takes her hand from my thigh and places it on her lap with her other hand.
Another few moments pass, and I can feel tension building. It’s practically radiating from her.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask, knowing full well she’s worried. She’s turning her ring around her finger. The lightness and teasing from moments ago gone.
“What’s your plan to catch David?” she asks cautiously.
I’ve avoided this question since the day we found the flowers while we were at Patty’s Place. I know she won’t be happy about it, but I don’t see any other way.
“We’re going to lie,” I tell her.
She turns slightly in her seat to face me. Her hands have stilled, no longer turning the ring. Her index finger and thumb from the opposite hand are on either side of it, paused as if she’s frozen.
“You’ll no doubt get your boot off today. So, we’ll call Alex and tell him you’re ready for rehearsal.” I shrug like it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever planned. When in truth, I don’t know how Alex will react. I’m still not sure I can trust him.
“But he already said I’m out because I’m not ready. There’s no way I’ll be ready in time. It’ll take weeks to strengthen my ankle enough to be ready to perform. We don’t have that kind of time.” She talks fast, her voice filled with worry.
“You aren’t going back yet, but we need that to be in the papers and on the playbill. We need David to believe you’ll be there on opening night in New York.”
“How will you get Alex to go for that?”
“Let me handle Alex. If I’m correct, David will make a move to kidnap you from the opening performance. After all this time away, he won’t be able to resist the opportunity to get close to you. You won’t be there, but I will be.”
She doesn’t speak for several minutes, likely thinking through every scenario, every way this could go wrong.
“I’m pretty good at my job, cupcake.” I try to lighten the mood again, but it isn’t working. Her brows are furrowed, and her ring once again spins round and round her finger.
“I know you are. I just can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you. We’ve just gotten started.” She chokes up.
I reach over and place my hand over hers. “And we’re not stopping now. It’ll be okay, Nora. I’ll get Liam to come to New York and stay with you at your apartment in Queens. You’ll be safe, and I’ll get the son of a bitch. It’ll be over for him, and you’ll be free.”
“Just like that, huh?” She sniffles as she asks.
“Yep, just like that.”
“What if I don’t get my boot off today?” There’s genuine concern in her voice again.
“Then we’ll lie. We’ll still tell Alex you’ll be there. Whatever it takes to end this, that’s what we’ll do. When it’s over, no one will blame you for doing what you had to do to take your life back.”
“We don’t have to lie to Alex. I know you have your reservations about him, but he’s been with me for years. Even if you don’t trust him, I do.”
Maybe she’s right, but something about him hasn’t felt right to me from the start.
“Okay,” I say simply. I don’t want to upset her any more than she already is, but I want to get to the bottom of my feelings about Alex one way or another.
We turn into the medical facility parking lot.
“Try to put it out of your mind. Let’s get through this appointment and then we can call Alex.”
