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I swung my gaze back to her as she stood there, looking even paler than when I had told her I was in the Mafia.She wasn’t ready for this mentally.
“You need some time to process,” I told her.
She shook her head.“We don’t have time.Sarah is locked up in your house, miles away, because of this man, and if it is Hamilton or if Hamilton knows who it is, then we need to find out.If it’s him”—she paused, and pain flashed in her eyes—“then I brought him into our lives—Sarah’s life.This is on me.”
No, it wasn’t.This shit was on me.I’d kept my life from her.The truth from her.I hadn’t thought for a second that someone would find her and she’d be used as a target or a weapon.My sudden need to protect her, which had roared to life the moment I thought she was in danger, confused me, but it was there.Taking over.Clouding everything else in the process.
“You ready to back down now, guard dog?”Thatcher drawled and smirked at me as he watched Oakley to see if she was going to do it or not.
She was looking at me, and the trust in her eyes undid me.
“What do I say?”she asked me.Not Thatcher.Her gaze stayed on me.
Thatcher didn’t give a fuck who she was asking.“You tell him you left with a friend.Mention that you had car trouble and you think someone was trying to hurt you.He will question that, but you act like you are trying to protect him from it.Just tell him he needs to stay away from your house for now and you’ll let him know when things are safe again.Then, tell him you miss him or some shit.Anything to make him want to get you back,” he instructed her, and she finally shifted her focus to him as he talked.
My entire body was so tense that my head was pounding.This had to be done.Listening to her talk to this son of a bitch was going to send me over the goddamn edge if I didn’t stay focused on the goal.We had to find his location, and this was the only way.
I turned to handle the connection board.“Call him,” I told her.
There was a pause, silence.Then, her phone connected, and I watched it from my control system.
“Hey, Oakley.Are you okay?”A male’s voice came over the line.
The roar from deep in my chest began to radiate through my body.
He had gotten too close to her, and I’d let it happen.Never again.
Twenty-Five
Oakley
“I’m sorry, Hamilton,” I began and swallowed hard, praying I could do this without giving myself away.“Something … happened.My car had some problems.”
I paused and looked at Thatcher.He nodded his approval.
“Your car?What happened to it?Tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you.”Hamilton’s tone was tense.
Was he worried?
“You can’t.Just … stay away from my house, okay?It’s not safe, and I don’t really have the answer as to why.I wish I could tell you more, but right now, all I know is, someone doesn’t like me, although I can’t figure out what I could have done to anyone.Other than my stepmother, but this is … intense.It can’t be her.”I was rambling.
The longer I had him on the line, the better for Wilder to get his call traced.
I forced out a laugh.“Anyway, just stay away.I don’t want you to get hurt.I’ll be fine.Once this is cleared up and I can figure out what is happening, I’ll let you know.”
“No!”The fierce tone that came over the line made me jump.“If someone is trying to hurt you, then I can protect you.Let me come get you.”
Wilder turned then and gave me a nod.He had the location, and I could end this.
“I have to go.Thank you, and … and …” I looked at Thatcher, who raised his eyebrows at me.He wanted me to say it.Lie to him.“I miss you.”I ended the call before he could respond.
Thatcher grinned.“Good girl,” he said, then took the phone out of my hand, dropped it to the ground, and smashed it under his black combat boot.
I shivered, staring down at the pieces of what had once been my phone.
“Here,” Wilder said, turning to Thatcher and handing him something.“Now, go.Let her have some time to deal with this shit.”
Thatcher gave him an amused smirk before turning to leave.When the door closed and the dead bolt slid into place, I sank down onto the sofa.My head hurt, and I felt nauseous.
