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Shortly after I called them to accept the job, I grabbed the first pen I could find and wrote two letters. One for Winter. The other for the police.
Winter’s letter contains everything I wish I’d told her, including the goodbye I won’t be able to give her if something happens to me tonight. I stopped by Vic’s job and told him to deliver both letters if I don’t make it home. If tonight goes south, who knows if anyone will ever find my body. I doubt the people I’m meeting will deliver it to the authorities and send flowers to the funeral.
If this goes wrong, I need Winter to know why I did this. So that I won’t be an asshole in her eyes.
Well, I’ll still be an asshole, but I’ll be an asshole with a purpose.
The second letter holds all the information I’ve gathered on the organization: every place I went to, every person I met, every single job I did as their puppet, it’s all in there. If something happens to me, I won’t be able to protect Winter anymore. This is the police’s best chance at stopping them.
She’s been texting and calling all day. I couldn’t bring myself to pick up knowing there was a chance it’d be our last conversation. How do you tell the girl you love that you may not live to see another day? I’m doing this for us. Because there’s no way I can keep seeing her unless I end this once and for all. If there’s one thing Harry’s accident has taught me, it’s that this, them, it’s bigger than me.
I’ve been driving for a few hours now and racking my brain for a way out—didn’t find any. We could run. But for how long? And what’s to say they wouldn’t just take it out on everyone Winter loves instead? Jay, Allie, Kendrick, Maika?
Maybe we could go back to Florida, but just as many dangers are waiting for us there. I’ve got my share of enemies: Ian and his fighters, my ex-fighters… my own brother. Plus, something told me they’ll find us anywhere. The prefer their loose ends dead.
The GPS informs me that I’m less than ten minutes away, but the automated voice is muffled by my phone ringing on the passenger seat.
Unknown Caller.
Shit, they’re probably calling about a change of plan.
I pick up.
“What?” I snap.
Silence.
“Hey, little brother.”
I almost swerve off the fucking road. I know his voice. Even after all this time, I know it’s him.
“Tanner?” I can’t believe it.
It’s been months since I’ve had any contact with my family. We haven’t talked once since the night I discovered Jacob was his kid. I changed my number, tore down every possible bridge still linking us. I literally left the country for fuck’s sake. I doubt I could’ve made myself clearer.
“It’s quite a mess you got yourself into, Haze.”
“How do you know about that?”
A small laugh erupts down the line.
“What? You think because you move to Canada, I’m going to stop watching over my baby bro?”
I’m speechless.
“You may hate me, Haze, but we’re family. I’ve been trying to make sure you’re okay for months now. You haven’t exactly made it easy on me, by the way. You really need to let go of your Marcus fantasy and just be happy be with your girl, man.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to stop torturing yourself.”
I glance at the GPS.
Six minutes.
“Listen, I’m sorry for what I did to you. I’m sorry I destroyed our relationship. If it was lonely
before you were gone… let me tell you, family dinners are fucking miserable now. I messed up everything, I know that. With Riley, with Jacob, with you.”
