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“Let me show you how good it can be.”
More forcefully, I said, “Dixson, man. No. Stop.” Did I have to fight off myfriend?
He sat back on his knees and narrowed his eyes at me. “Go back to your fucking whore, then. I’m sure she’s already fucking Davis well and good. She’ll be used up by the time you come in her again.” He scrambled off the bed as I zipped back up. “I’m done with you. Fuck you, Griff. Fuck you. Don’t even know a great thing when it’s in your face. We would have been great together.”
After he darted out of the room, I looked around while scratching my head. I recognized his guest room. I’d stayed here a few times now, but I didn’t feel comfortable anymore. I didn’t feel comfortable anywhere. Checking the clock on my phone, I saw it was three in the morning. There’d be no cabs or rides at this time, but I had to get out, even if it was on foot.
The spring air was cold as I padded down Main Street, heading toward Griffin Motors. I was planning to try the doors there and see if I could sleep in the office. If I couldn’t, I’d keep going to Rhodes’s another five miles away. It would be good cardio. Hopefully, I would make it before my body crashed.
As I walked, the high was leaving my body, crisp air waking me up from my trance. Some of the hazy ideas came back to me in flashes. Despite some of the thoughts vanishing as if they were a dream, I clung to the ones most important. I wanted Essa, always had, and that hallucination of her being with me was enough to spur me toward what I should have known all along. I was done with the alcohol. It had never served me well. I wanted to be a better man for her. A good one. One she deserved. Then… I would win her and never let her go.
When I arrived at Griffin Motors, the garage wasn’t open, and I didn’t feel like sleeping in the dumpster behind it, so I kept walking. Mid-way to Rhodes’s house, my phone rang in my pocket. Confused as to who would call so early, I pulled it out. Bruno was on the caller ID. Interesting.
“Yeah?”
His voice sounded out of breath. “Griff. My star. You safe?”
My pulse raced. If Bruno was calling in the dead of night and asking ifIwas safe… that was not a good sign. “Wh-what? What do you mean, safe?”
“Ah, you don’t know.” I could hear him smiling as he said the words.
My stomach knotted. It felt like I was being toyed with and was about to find out how. “Know what?”
“You got a warrant out for your arrest.”
I almost tripped on the sidewalk. Panting out breaths of panic, I asked, “Wh-what for?”
“For the murder of Pete Monti. Someone ratted. Give you one guess who.”
I sighed. “Davis.”
“Good luck out there. As far as I’m concerned, you paid your debt to us. Just keep your mouth shut. If they pick you up, we’ll oweyoufor time in there.”
“I’m not going back.”
Bruno chuckled. “Well, you better disappear then. I just wanted to do you a solid and give you a head’s up. Consider us even.”
Shoving my phone in my back pocket, I scanned the area. If there was a warrant out, I couldn’t go home. They’d pick me up there first thing.
The truth seared into my brain like a sharp knife. Every hole I'd fallen into, every stumble of my life was for one purpose: Essa. All I wanted was to get started on my new life with her, but it was being stripped away again.
Why was Davis trying to ruin me? Was it about Essa? About Kara? Kara was the only woman he ever loved. I didn’t think Davis was suddenly madly in love with Essa, not like with Kara.
Did Dix tell Davis what he knew about Kara and me? About us fucking? Maybe because I rejected him, Dix was trying to ruin me. Was this payback?
Dix was there the night of the murder. He had been involved in our plans. Was he in the room when Pete was killed? I couldn’t remember. The only bits and pieces of my memory I had were flashes and not the entire picture. The pieces weren’t even in order.
A police siren wailed in the distance. Taking off in a sprint, I found some woods in the back of a neighborhood and hunkered down. I’d have to find a way to hide out.
Essa was in danger, but I didn’t know exactly how. Dix or Davis didn’t seem to have her best interests in mind, and with me out of the picture, they could do whatever they wanted to her. Bruno saidwewere even, but he could manipulate her into making more movies. Someone had been breaking into her house. She was unsafe and exposed.
I couldn’t let the cops pick me up or Essa would be truly alone.
No one would be there to protect her.
ChapterTwenty
ESSA
