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“Why didn’t Athena tell the police?”
“She was scared.”
“There’s not a lot I can do with ‘he-said-she-said.’ Although you had an accident. Did they at least look into your car?”
“No, it was deemed an accident.”
“You’re not giving me much to work with. Let’s go back to what happened today. I need you to come to my office, and we’ll take you in for a blood test, a urine sample, and we might even take a hair sample. Will you subject yourself to a polygraph?”
“I’ll do whatever I need to do.”
“Great. How far away are you?”
“I’ve just left the Angeles National Forest.”
“Good. I’ll make myself available when you get here, and I’ll have one of our lead investigators sit in.”
“Mr. Silverback?”
“Yes?”
“Can I go home and change first?”
“It would be better if you didn’t.”
Sucking in a breath, I admit, “Thomas, I need to see my wife.”
“Fine. But don’t change or don’t shower.”
***
The drive home gives me time to think. Not only am I in danger, but so is the person I love most in the world. I’m not leaving her unprotected or letting our friends get hurt by these monsters.
Opening the front door, I walk through the house, to our bedroom, and can’t find Athena. An ache spreads through my chest as I search the house for her. Fear bordering on panic clouds my brain at not being able to find her.
“Athena!”
“Kris?”
Following her voice, I find her walking toward me from out near the pool. Her long hair is loose around her face, and she’s wearing a white bikini with a sheer pink coat flowing out behind her. The white bikini makes her look more tanned, and I remember the sight of her naked only a week ago on the island.
“Oh my God, what happened to your face?”
Athena runs to me, and I wrap my arms around her, holding her close.
“When I couldn’t find you, I panicked.” Leaning back, I look down at her worried expression. “My face is courtesy of Luis Rivera.”
Athena pulls out of my embrace. “No, no, no.”
Bending, I grab both of her hands and put my forehead to hers. “I’m okay.”
“It’s all because of me,” she whispers.
“No, baby, no. It’s all because of what his brother did, and now he’s making the same bad decisions. It’s not your fault. None of it is. You’ve worked so hard to get to this point. Don’t let Luis Rivera destroy everything you’ve achieved. Don’t let him take up any more space in your brain, babe. He’s not worth it.”
“But we’re not safe here. He knows where we live, Kris. I’m scared.”
Hearing her whisper, ‘I’m scared,’ makes the ache in my chest expand as I know she’s right.
