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Despite it all going well, I had a bad feeling in my gut. What was I getting myself into? All my life I had done everything I could to keep out of the "family business." Now, I'd be immersing myself in it. I had to shut my mind off. I couldn’t stop thinking about being bait for a mafia boss.
What I knew about bait, from fishing with my grandfather when I was a young boy, was this: In the process of catching a fish, bait got eaten.
Chapter 3
CELIA
Present Day
James took me to my dorm room and together, we boxed up my few possessions so I could move in to the safe house. Amy poked her head into the room while James and I were busy.
"What's up?" she asked, frowning when she saw James. "Who are you?"
James was wearing his sober blue suit and looked official. He stood up from the box he was taping shut.
"I'm James," he said and smiled. "A friend."
Amy turned to me, her eyes wide. I stood up from my own box and exhaled, wondering how I'd explain things. I brushed the hair from my face and shrugged.
"James is a friend," I said, hoping she'd believe me. "He's helping me move some stuff."
"Where?" she said, not letting up. "You never said anything about moving. What happened?"
I glanced at James, who returned to his box. "I'm moving in with Hunter," I said lightly. Then I returned to packing my own box, hoping to avoid too much of a long explanation.
"What?"
Of course, I was foolish to think I could get away without a complete debrief.
"Hunter?" she said when I continued packing, her mouth open wide. "The Hunter? As in Hunter Saint?"
"The very one," I replied, wishing she'd just get the hint and leave.
"And you were going to tell me when?"
I stood up again, exasperated. "Look, I'm sorry, but some stuff happened and I haven't had time to talk to you."
"Your best friend? You didn't have time to talk to me about moving out and moving in with Hunter Saint? You've never heard of a thing called texting? Your fingers broken or something?"
"Amy, I'm sorry, but can I talk to you later about all this?" I made a helpless face, shrugging m
y shoulders. "I promise I'll explain everything. And I'm not really moving out permanently. It's just temporary, okay?"
She frowned and glanced between me and James, who I could tell was trying to look inconspicuous.
"You're okay, though, right?" she asked and came over to me, her hand on my arm. "There's nothing wrong? You're not in any danger?"
I shook my head. "I'm fine. Things have happened and, well, I can't say anything right now." I tilted my head to the side, gesturing to James. "I wanted to talk to you about it, but I couldn't. I promise I'll tell you later tonight, okay?" I made a face of regret.
"If you say so," she said, and I could hear the hesitation in her voice. "As long as you're really okay…"
"I am. I'm fine," I replied.
"Okay," she said and glanced around. "Do you need any help?"
I shook my head, wanting her to leave so I didn't have to explain who James was. "No," I said and glanced around. "We're pretty much done."
"Where are you staying?" she asked. "At the gym? Does Hunter still live there?"
