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“He’s a football player,” I said, hoping that rang a bell.
“Football players are on the fifth floor,” he said.
I smiled. “Thanks so much.” I hurried inside, taking the stairs to the fifth floor as quickly as I could. I was so close now. I stepped into the hallway and heard loud music. I reached in my bag, pulled out the sheet of paper I’d written on in the Uber, and hurried nervously down the hallway. I looked from side to side at closed doors. Thankfully, all of the doors had whiteboards with the names of the residents who lived inside. Room by room there was no sign of Seren’s name. I finally reached the end of the hall. The last door on the right had my heart racing.Seren and DJ.The door was closed so I dragged in a deep breath, knocked, and held up my sign that read:Don’t Say Anything.
I could hear shuffling inside. My heart pounded so hard it was all I could hear. The door swung open. I sucked in a sharp breath. A beautiful blonde stood there in booty shorts and a tank top. Vomit roiled up the back of my throat, but I needed to stay strong because I wasn’t there for Seren. Him moving on wasn’t my business. I was there trying to do the right thing.
“Why can’t I say anything?” she asked with a thick southern drawl.
I held up a finger and wrote on the back of the paper:Is Seren here?Maybe I was being super paranoid, but I needed to be sure I didn’t speak for fear of his room or phone being monitored and picking up my voice.
“You’re so cute,” the girl said. “Are you trying to pull aLove Actually?”
The sight of her in Seren’s room had tears pricking my eyes. But I nodded, hoping she got him for me.
“Awwww. Seren,” she called into the room. “You have a visitor.”
It took no more than a couple of seconds for Seren to step into the doorway looking as gorgeous as I remembered in a red T-shirt and low-hung basketball shorts. His eyes widened when he saw me standing there.
I quickly held up my sign.
His eyes narrowed, clearly not understanding my sudden appearance in Alabamaandmy sign.
I pointed to an exit and mouthed the wordPlease.
He looked torn and as if he might not follow me. I could see in his eyes that he hated me, but I’d traveled all that way. The least he could do was hear me out. His lips twisted the way they did when he was unsure about something. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he called to the girl in his room.
I released the breath I’d been holding then held my finger to my lips.
He huffed, visibly annoyed by my apparent game of charades.
I pointed to the phone in his hand.Leave it here,I mouthed.
I could tell he didn’t want to leave it, but he tossed it inside anyway.
I took off for the stairs, racing down the five flights until I stood outside the building. I wouldn’t talk until we were away from his phone and room. I couldn’t risk it now that I’d made it this far. When I heard the door slam, I spun to face him. “I’m so sorry to show up like this.”
“What the hell’s going on, Grace?” he asked. “And why do you look like that? You’re skin and bones.”
Tears glazed my eyes. Between seeing him for the first time in a month, finding a girl in his room, and knowing he was right about my appearance, it all became too much. Tears trailed down my cheeks. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Martine killed your father.”
“What?” Confusion washed over Seren’s face as the words must’ve hit him like an eighteen-wheeler. He’d been wrong about his mother. He’d overlooked the real murderer who was right under his own roof. Now, I showed up after a month of not speaking to him and dropped this bomb. I’d be shocked and confused too.
“And I caught him trying to poison your mother.”
Seren’s teeth clenched, anger plaguing his eyes. “Yousawhim? And you’re just telling me thisnow?”
Nothing he said could make me feel guiltier than I already felt. “He threatened me and made me leave. He was going to pin your father’s death on my mom oryou,” my voice quaked with emotion. “As far as I know, he’s got everything bugged, including your room and your phone. He put me up in a condo that I’m sure he’s monitoring, though I haven’t been able to find anything, and believe me I’ve tried. I couldn’t warn you. I couldn’t sayanything.” Tears rained from my eyes, and I knew once the floodgates were opened, there was no stopping the tears.
“Jesus Christ,” he said, tunneling his fingers through his hair.
Now that I could finally tell him the truth, all the words and emotions were pouring out of me. “He wants the business. He wants your percent, but your mother won’t give it to him.”
“So, he’s trying to kill her too?” He turned toward the door. “I need to call Saint.”
