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She stares for a moment and nods. Then rises off the couch. “You know what? I’m going back home. I need to check on Mom, anyway. You should stay; I’ll call an Uber.”
“No,” Lonnie calls, stopping the blender.
Charlie glances at me. “It’s really no trouble. I’ll just be a party pooper.” She turns and starts for the door.
“Charlotte, sit down,” Lonnie snaps. The hardcore, no-drama mama is back.
Charlie turns with a smirk—or is it more of a snare. “Tell me why and don’t you dare feed me any bullshit, or I will walk out that door and take Pepper with me.”
“You’ve…been compromised.”
“What does that mean?”
She throws her arms up in defeat and walks around the counter. “It’s what Levi called it. There’s a picture of you and Pepper that leaked through to the search party.”
“What?”
“Someone snapped a shot of the two of you at the library and sent it to Troy Mayfield’s people.” Lonnie releases a breath, her shoulders sagging. “The library is the first place they’re going to look. Since you’re now a direct link to Penelope Walker.”
My breath catches. “They’re on their way…”
Lonnie turns to me, her tone softening. “They’re probably already there.”
Chase knew this.
And…left?
“When did this happen?” I ask.
“Noah found out the other night and took action. Including…”
“Keeping me away from the library,” Charlie concludes.
Lonnie sighs, dumping her margarita. “Now can we please turn off this garbage, drink some hard liquor and talk about how men will never be as good at manipulation as women?”
“The guy’s a wuss. I mean he’s pretty, but he doesn’t know how to handle women,” Lonnie comments. She’s on her third glass of scotch and somehow not slurring her words.
“Like Levi does?” Charlie argues. “I’ve seen the way he treats Tessa.”
Lonnie’s eyes widen with interest. “Whooose Tessa?”
I tune out the rest of that conversation and stand, restlessly.
My mind whirls trying to make sense of it. Why would Chase keep such crucial information from me? He’s been promising to keep me safe. Stay by my side. Hell, he even made me an Ice Girl just to keep me close in case “Mr. Politics” came looking.
How could he just leave?
I’ve barely got through one glass since Lonnie sat down with us. I can’t drink. I can’t eat. I want to scream. I want to…run.
My hands shake and I look for any logical reason he’d leave me right now. “What’s this errand they’re running for Aiden?”
“Hmm? Oh, I don’t know. When I asked Levi, he said Noah’s been working on a case and Chase wanted to tag along.”
My heart sinks. That can’t be right. “I’m going to get some fresh air.”
“Whoooa.” Lonnie stands, wobbling. “I’m…uh…not supposed to let you out.”
“You’re joking.”
