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Or at least it had been the catalyst.
Everything was far too foggy, too many questions with no hope of finding answers.
“Fine.”
“Then tell me everything. That’s the only way I can help you.”
“You’re going to need to trust me, Jazzy. It’s better if I don’t tell you. I need to get some cash out of the bank.” I grabbed my purse and hissed. The bastard had taken my driver’s license and the credit card I’d brought with me, but he hadn’t taken my phone. Oh, God. What was I supposed to do? What the hell was he doing? Why the games? “No, you need to take me back to my apartment.” I could gain access to the system there. Then what? Oh, God. This was a mess. At least I had three thousand in cash hidden away. That would get me a start. I wrung my hands, my instinct telling me to dump the phone.
The bastard could be tracking me right now.
“Let me call Talon,” I said absently, doing everything I could to tie any of the pieces together.
“The artist. You’re terrifying your best friend and you’re calling the damn artist?”
I threw her a look and dialed his number. It rang and rang with no voicemail. I had a sick feeling pooling in my stomach. “He won’t answer.”
“You’re thinking about the rat?” she asked.
I glanced out every window again before answering her. “I know there’s something wrong.”
“He’s not the one I’d worried about. You’re scaring me to death.”
“I don’t mean to. It’s all too complicated. Maybe I could stay at your house.” No, I had to risk going to the apartment. I still had time before he knew I was missing. At least I prayed to God I did. I’d risked everything in calling Jasmine, but I’d had no other choice.
“Okay. Make up your mind, Eden. Let’s make the questions easier. Why are you wearing a dress like that?”
I couldn’t tell her anything. I had to get the hell out of town before he found me.
When I said nothing, she came to her own conclusions. “Oh, shit. You had a date last night with him. Didn’t you? Did the masked man hurt you?”
“His name is Cruz.”
“Sexy, but you didn’t answer me.”
“No, he didn’t hurt me.” Any more than I’d wanted to be hurt anyway. None of this made any sense. “You need to hurry.”
“Only if you tell me what the hell is going on.” She pressed down on the accelerator, shifting around several cars. Then she blew her horn in frustration.
“I just… can’t. I don’t want you involved, but I do need a favor.” I envisioned his face, the way he’d looked at me in the mirror. He’d been so damn dominating, but I’d also noticed the same glint as he’d had all those years ago. There’d been such heat between us, a fire that had ignited even then. I remembered little about why my uncle was visiting our house and I’d never seen him before or after that, but Cruz had to be the one my uncle hated. But that wasn’t the name my uncle had used. What was it?
“Jesus. What?” Jasmine demanded, dragging me out of the fog.
“Can you watch the gallery for a few days? I’m going to have it closed but just make sure no one breaks in?” Why was I bothering? Did I really think I’d have a chance to return?
Jasmine made a turn right in front of another car. Horns blared. Tires screeched. Then she pulled to a stop, hitting a curb. “What the fuck is going on? Tell me now or you can walk the rest of the way. I mean it.”
“I don’t have much time. Please. Just take me to my apartment. I’ll tell you. No, wait. I’ll be right back.” After glancing around me, I hopped out, quickly moving toward the trashcan near one of the stores, dumping my phone. Men like Cruz no doubt had a way of tracing electronics. If he was Devon’s friend, then he was very likely mafia. Things were going from bad to worse.
Jasmine glared at me through the window. I was acting like a crazed woman, but even with all the preparations I’d made in case I was found, I’d fallen into his trap easily. He’d banked on it. Why? Why had he seduced me?
Revenge.
Shit.
He wasn’t taking me back to my uncle. He was keeping me for himself as revenge. There was a surefire way of destroying my uncle. Marrying me. I was even more rattled as I jumped into the car, a cold chill trickling down my spine.
“Fuck. This is crazy. You just dumped your phone?”
