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Depend on other people to save me from problems I get myself into?
The words stick in my craw and my voice trails away to nothing.
“What? Where are you? You’re scaring me.”
The last thing I want is to frighten her, and her words prompt me to admit, “I’m in New York.”
Waiting to hear her scream or lecture, I’m surprised when she says, “Go on.”
“Remember that guy?”
“The stalker from the diner, the one who got in David’s face? Yes, I remember him.” Her voice is dryer than the Mojave.
“Yeah, well, he’s not a stalker.” I start to defend him then I realize what I’m doing. “He’s not a stalker. Iwishhe were because he was sent to bring me back to my father.” I choke on thefatherpart.
“Fuck.” She sighs, and suddenly, I hear Eve in the background, demanding to talk to me.
“Wait, Charlie, don’t put Eve on—”
“Cindy,” Eve snaps.
The last thing I need is a tough talk from her. “Put Charlie back on!”
“No. You walk all over her. We got Antoinette to get Axel to break into your place, Cindy. Do you realize what you’ve put us through?”
“I get it. I suck. I’m sorry but I wasn’t in the best place—”
“You think we don’t have problems too?”
“Eve, I really don’t need a lecture. I need help.”
“What’s happened?” Her voice is strong and sure, and it makes me straighten my shoulders back and start to walk away from this pit of an alley.
I inhale and slowly exhale, then I tell her everything.
Him luring me here to bring me to my father and, finally, that he thinks he might be falling in love with me. She stays quiet as I vomit it out.
“So, you don’t know who he works for?”
“Maybe the mob,” I whisper.
“Christ, Cindy.” She sounds more exasperated than stressed. But then, there’s a reason Eve is such a badass. She came from the streets and did the unthinkable—brought the mighty Blade McCormick, President of the Disciples, to his knees.
She’s cunning, smart, and fierce, and she’s also loyal to a fault. Seriously, if Eve loves you, she’ll take a bullet for you. She’s also honest. So damn honest it hurts.
I wish I had some of her guts.
“What makes you think it’s the mob?”
“He said something about taking me to ‘Aidan,’ and Cade was sent to get me. Normal people don’t do that.”
“Isn’t there an Aidan who runs the Five Points’ Mob?” There’s chatter in the background, and I can hear them conferencing on this.
Then, there’s a shriek.
“Aidan O’Donnelly Jr., seen here with his wife, Savannah O’Donnelly, née Daniels, has long since been associated with the criminal underworld in New York City, but the police have never—” Charlie continues reading a news article that I tune out.
My heart starts to race as my head throbs, and I turn around and look down the street, just wanting to run.
