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“Sidney, you can trust me. Talk to me. I’m not a fuckin’ gung-ho idiot. But I can’t help if you don’t talk.”
I nod and take a breath. “I was finishing up my last job. It was a freelance one, I’d been transitioning to freelance only for a while, and this was big for me. I was leaving New York, anyway, and I didn’t lie about my mom.”
He pushes my glasses up for me. “Focus.”
“Everything at the same time. Mom wanted me to meet this guy and then at the job . . . It was for a politician who’s revered. Anyway, I stayed a little longer, just finishing something and I think I walked in on some kind of illegal deal. There was money and . . .”
I step past him, get my computer, and he follows. We sit on the sofa as I open it and pull up the politician who, by the blank look on his face, Mack’s got no idea who it is. Which is fair, it’s local New York, not anything to affect the rest of the States.
“So, this deal?”
“This guy, butter wouldn’t melt, there’s talk of big things for him. And he was with him.”
I pull up the mafia guy.
Mack shrugs. “Not up with New York politics or criminal counterparts.”
“Yeah, see, he’s mafia who’s up to his eyeballs in shoddy workmanship in construction. And that will end careers and maybe put this guy in jail. I don’t know. It’s just that money, and . . .” I let out a breath. “I record meetings and presentations to see where I can improve and to use when I’m working on a project.”
“So, you don’t miss something?”
I nod. “I left my recorder in the room and—”
“You caught them on tape?”
“No. But I’m sure they think I did. It wasn’t on. But they saw me grab it. And I ran and that’s why I’m taking the back roads.”
He nods. “Sidney?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re not going anywhere. Not until this is all done with. Okay?”
ChapterTwenty
Mack
To say I’m still fucking pissed off is missing all the points in the world. I want to smash something, and I really hate the mutinous set to her pretty mouth when I tell her she’s staying here.
She’s stuck and she knows it. Sure, I wouldn’t put it past her jumping on a fucking bus, stealing Christine, or using her card. However, I’m hoping she gets the bus thing is beyond stupid, that she knows she’ll lose with Christine after a couple of hours of straight driving, and her card’s risky.
I’m hoping she sees I’m right. At least if she stays, I get to have my hands on her.
Keep her safe.
That’s what I mean.
Keep her safe.
If my hands end up on her, in her, along with other parts, well . . . that’s just a bonus.
I breathe out because in all seriousness, I want her safe. I want to help her and where the fuck is everyone else in her life?
“Your parents—”
“No!” Her eyes get big.
She can’t even fucking turn to them.
