Page 54 of Just One More Affair
She sat beside him, twisting her hands in her lap and staring out the front window, her anxiety palpable.
“There’s still time to change your mind,” he said.
“No.” The sound came out like a croak but she’d stiffened and refused to budge on her stance.
So he was driving his over one-hundred-grand car into a place they’d strip it if they could. He didn’t give a shit about the vehicle, but it also told him how concerned he was bringing his pregnant girlfriend into this part of the city. An Uber would have been less obvious but Jared wouldn’t have been in control and he had a feeling he needed to be.
Graffiti lined the buildings, at least from what he could see in the dark, and men hung out on street corners in what he was sure were dangerous gangs. Given what he knew of her brother’s issues and now the illegal situation he’d gotten himself into, he wasn’t surprised by their surroundings.
Thank God they continued driving past the hang-arounds and finally pulled up on a dilapidated, quiet street with run-down two-story houses.
“Here.” Charlotte pointed to a number on a beat-up old mailbox and Jared pulled the SUV to a stop and put the car in park.
He blew out a nervous breath. Though he could handle himself, only an idiot wouldn’t be worried.
Thanks to his headlights, he got a better look and realized dilapidated was too kind. The home looked more like it ought to be condemned. Shingles hung off the front, the shrubbery was dead, and even in the semi-dark, thanks to his headlights, it was obvious the paint was chipping.
He turned to Charlotte, whose face was now pale. “Second thoughts?” he asked.
“Yes, but I’m not leaving without my brother.”
“Got it. Then you are staying here. Get in the driver’s seat in case you need to leave.”
She stared at him, horrified. “I’m not leaving you!”
“If it gets dangerous and bullets fly, you sure as hell are. I mean it, Charlotte. I’m not getting out of this car without your promise. You look out for yourself first.” Her and their baby.
“Fine.”
“Say it.”
“I’ll leave if it gets dangerous,” she said without meeting his gaze.
He shook his head. “Your fingers better not be crossed where I can’t see.” He drew a deep breath. “Now call or text your brother and tell him to get his ass out here or I’m coming in.”
She pressed the buttons on her phone and put the sound on speaker, but the call went straight to voicemail. She texted Dan next and they waited in silence.
He gave the man three minutes and let out a curse. “Text him again that I’m going to get him.” She did as he asked. “Now come switch seats with me.”
She exited the vehicle and he met her outside his door, helping her in. “Shut the door and lock it,” he instructed.
She treated him to a salute but he saw the fear in her eyes. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to hers before slamming the door shut and waiting to hear the click of the lock before starting up the dried-out lawn.
He arrived at the front door only to find it partially open. He was creeped out but pushed the door further open and stepped inside. Looking around, he didn’t see anyone and began to make his way through the house, checking in the living room, then the kitchen.
The sound of a crash startled him and he realized it came from upstairs. He slowly made his way up, checking behind him every few steps. At the top of the stairs, he faced a bathroom with the door open a crack.
“Dan?” he called out.
The other man peeked through the opening, his one black eye showing. “Jared? Charlie said you’d come.” He flung the door open, revealing white powder all over the old, dark wood countertop.
He had a bruise on his jaw, his lip was split, and he held his side as if his ribs hurt badly.
“I didn’t mean it,” he said, hopping from foot to foot.
Jared frowned. “We can talk in the car. Let’s go.” He wanted to get the hell out of this place before whoever was looking for Dan found him.
“I swear, I didn’t know they had a gun.”
