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“What if whoever moved that body isn’t after us? What if they’re after Audry?” Carson shared her ludicrous theory.
“Seriously?” I rolled my eyes.
“She is a Santora,” Logan shared, siding with his sister.
“Yeah, a Santora who is kept a bigger secret than Fort Knox. Everyone knows that they have kids, but no one from the families interacts with them. Her father doesn’t even like the kids in the press. Until she hesitantly told me, no one knew.”
“No one?” Carson lifted a brow. “No one at all knew?”
I shrugged. “Yeah.” It came out unconvincing, my voice barely a squeak. People knew who she was. With the way the hotel staff treated her, they knewexactlywho she was. But, that didn’t mean it extended into the entire city—to the families that run it.
“What is it you always say, Kai?”
“Don’t go into a fight without a knife?” I said, confused.
“No, not that. About people’s info.”
My heart froze over in that instant, my own outlook on life crushed in a single blow. “If you have the cellphone, you have everything…"
“You don’t think she ever has someone take a quick photo of girl’s night?” Logan pressed. “She frequents quite a few bars. Think she always pays in cash?”
“Also, her friends probably aren’t as secretive about who she is.” Carson nodded.
“That doesn’t mean someone’s after her,” I said, determined to ignore the possibility. I couldn’t control what I didn’t understand. I couldn’t keep her safe from a monster I didn’t know.
“Someone is now,” Liam said, coming up the stairs. “The cops got a tip that Nate was seen talking to a girl at the bar and leaving around the same time as her.”
I shook my head. “No way, no.”
“The description is pretty spot on for Audry,” he said.
“There are plenty of girls who look like her,” I countered.
A door squeaked interrupted the conversation, each of us jumping away. Audry stood in the doorway, very obviously being caught eavesdropping. “Uh,” she said, trying to come up with something to say. “So, who’s after me now?”
Audry shook her leg restlessly, her stare narrowed at me. We had been up most of the night, arguing. Her constant questions circled between us. Each one a rephasing of what I wouldn’t answer: Who was after her? And what were we involved in?
Was this what a relationship was—wanting to suffocate the person youlovedjust to stop the endless questions? I shuddered at the thought, dismissing it as I collected my things. I slipped my knife into my jean and my other tools into my backpack.
Another bounty tonight. This one would have me home covered in someone’s blood.
I glanced at Audry, remembering that night, seeing her covered in blood. She had cleaned it off, but there was no way to get rid of the weight. The iron seeped into our flesh, holding both of us down.
“I don’t want to leave when you’re mad,” I muttered.
“I don’t understand why you can’t just tell me who is after me,” she complained. “I have a right to know.” The argument was the same, a continuation of the never-ending saga of ‘When Do I Tell Her My Secrets?’
I sighed, thrusting a change of clothes into my black duffle. “Because we don’t know. But, until we do…" I paused.
Her stare was enough to burn me to ash in front of her. We weren’t exactly sure who was after her—if anyone. The current running theory was none of this was about her and she was just caught up in our mess.
Just like Laila…I thought. Perhaps Liam was right.
“But, until we know, Audry”—I sat down next to her, the mattress sinking—“I think it’s best you stay here till?—”
“With you?” she interrupted me, throwing her hands up. “With the person who won’t tell me what they’re hiding?” She crossed her arms, her lips pouting.
“With Carson, who also doesn’t know who is after you,” I said, trying to keep my cool. “At least till me, Liam, and Logan get back.” I pressed my lips to her forehead, leaving a gentle kiss. I inhaled her sweet scent, wanting to remember it. She would be safer at the hotel, but with her stubbornness, I worried what would happen if we weren’t in town.
