Page 235 of Unexpected Heroine

It’s decidedly not Amber.

As promised, I lose my ever-loving shit.

“Don’t ya call me that.” My twang rises to the surface. “Matter’a fact, why are ya callin’ me at all? Can’t you read? My text was pretty dang clear.”

“I need you to calm down and listen. There’s something you?—”

“Waaay wrong thing to say, bucko,” I snap, bolting to my feet like I’m ready to kick ass. “You can kiss my go-to-hell.”

He’s got me angrier than a group of cloggers dancing barefoot in a bed of fire ants. If he tries to tell me what to do one more time, he’ll no longer need his birth certificate. I don’t give a damn how dangerous he may be. I’ll be dangerouser. And I know that ain’t a word, but fuck if I can think clearly right now.

“I know you’re mad. I’ll explain later?—”

“Oh, I ain’t mad. We done moved past mad about six days ago. Now I’m ‘bout to cloud up and rain all over ya. Delete my number, ya hear?”

Without waiting for another word to pass his lyin’ lips, I hang up, mashing the button with all my might as if it’s the offending party. Stupid, Lettie.

“Argh!” I yell at the screen before tossing the phone onto my pillow, then proceed to have a full-blown tantrum in the middle of my room. Feet stamping. Teeth grinding. Fists pounding on my thighs. The works.

Never felt this much rage. I swear, I wouldn’t even walk across the street to piss on him if he was on fire.

I’m still standing in the middle of my room, heaving frantic breaths and rubbing my temples, when the phone rings again.

Please be Amber. Please be Amber.

Drudgingly, I move to the phone and peek at the screen with one eye.

Yes.

Relieved, I flop onto my bed. “Hi, Amber,” I answer, forcing cheeriness into my tone despite being far from sunshiny. As a result, it comes out sounding manic and breathy.

Amber wastes no time getting to the point. “Hey, so here’s the deal. I don’t have all the answers yet, but apparently, a threat was made last night. And we were advised by our external security consultants to keep everyone inside for now. Don’t worry, though. You’re incredibly safe. We’ve got everything under control.”

My left eye twitches. “Security consultants?” I chuckle darkly, clicking my tongue in disgust. “Meaning, Redleg?”

“Well, yes.”

“And let me guess. Tomer is the one who said we need to stay inside, right?”

“Yes.”

Makes perfect sense. I tell him I’m ready to meet my father and ask him to set it up for today, and he puts me in timeout, concocting some phony-baloney story to justify my imprisonment. Bet if I tried to call Redleg, it mysteriously wouldn’t go through.

Never took Tomer for a full-blown psycho. He continues to surprise me in all the worst ways.

“Amber, I realize you don’t know me from Mary, but this is a personal thing between him and me. I don’t believe there’s a threat. Not for one minute. He’s trying to keep me from going to see his boss by essentially locking me up. The thing is, I will see his boss today. Period. Whether you bust me out or I sneak my way free, I’m going. I refuse to be anyone’s captive ever again.”

For a moment, I’m proud of myself for not crying. There wasn’t even a slight quiver in my voice. Just determination.

“Lettie, those are serious allegations. I’ve known Tomer for a long time, and he isn’t someone who lets his personal matters spill over into his work life. And what you’re accusing him of is an abuse of his partnership with our foundation, which would have detrimental consequences for him and Redleg. Not only that, it’s entirely out of character for him.”

From frustration to inspiration, an idea rises from the ashes in my mind. “Well, take me to Redleg, and I’ll prove it.”

Amber’s breath crackles through the phone line. “Listen, honey. I don’t know what’s going on with your relationship with him. All I know is he adores you. And while love makes people do crazy things, he doesn’t strike me as the type who would try to hold you captive. Not even in a two-hundred-million-dollar facility. Especially after what you’ve already been through.”

“Amber, please.” My throat thickens, making it hard to talk, but I force it out, desperate to plead my case. “We don’t know each other. More than likely, we have extraordinarily different backgrounds. I can’t imagine someone as successful as you has dealt with others trying to control your life or telling you what you can and can’t handle. So my situation might not be relatable. All the same, I’m begging you to try to put yourself in my shoes.” Pausing, I tug oxygen into my lungs in a big cleansing wave. “I need to go to Redleg today to see Alan Lancaster. It’s a personal matter, but a serious one. Tomer doesn’t think I can handle it, but I can. I’m strong enough. And I decide what I’m ready for. Not him or anyone else. My voice deserves to be heard. I can’t start healing until I’ve confronted the truth. I won’t hide from it anymore, and I won’t let him hide either. Regardless of Tomer’s wishes, this is my life. Mine.”

The quiver of my breath as I fight back sobs is the only sound for a long time.

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