Page 72 of Dirty Love

We’ve got back up plans. My favorite is the one where I just smash Grant into the ground, but that doesn’t have any long-term benefits for Tabitha.

Another is a come-to-Jesus confrontation, but that has to be her call.

No matter what, his hold on her is coming to an end tonight.

I spend Saturday afternoon holding Tabitha while we both try to take a nap. When we give that up, we order the most ridiculous things from room service, then I get her set up with my tablet which has a Tor browser installed so she can watch the fight remotely.

“Don’t bet on anyone else,” I say quietly as she pokes around the web interface.

“How much can I bet on you?” She gives me a sideways glance. “Will it take my black Amex card, or is it some kind of special hacker credits only?”

“Don’t bet on me, either.” I kiss her cheek. “Just watch. And no matter what happens—even if I get arrested—don’t freak out.”

“Don’t get arrested. That sounds like a bad idea.”

“I know. I plan to avoid it.”

She’s quiet for a long stretch. Then, without looking at me, she says, “I’d bet everything on you, though. Just so you know. Every last penny.”

I wrap her in my arms and squeeze her tight.

—thirty-four—

Tabitha

My room phone rings an hour after Wilson leaves. I ignore it, but after stopping, it starts again, and I cross the room.

“Hello?”

“What the fuck did you do?” Grant snarls in my ear.

Terror slices through me and I gasp, not even able to scream. I drop the phone at the same time as a bang comes at the door, and the phone handset tumbles off the cradle.

Hang up and call 911, a little voice inside my head says, but it’s too quiet and I don’t move fast enough. I’m frozen in fear, and everything starts to swim in slow motion around me. I jerk my gaze to the door. The security bolt isn’t on, and even while I’m still standing there, thinking I should scramble for the phone like a complete fucking nitwit, he’s letting himself into the room.

And he’s not alone.

It’s been years since I’ve seen his brother Spencer. Not enough time. They’re like two angry, hungry wild animals cornering me as their prey, and I’m still grabbing for the phone.

“Put it down.”

I swallow hard and do as Grant orders. I try to stand in front of it in case I have another chance to maybe call 911, but that hope doesn’t last long.

Spencer grabs my arm hard enough to jerk my shoulder painfully, and spins me around so I’m facing Grant.

He gets right in my face. The skin around his mouth is white, and his eyes have gone a little crazy. “What. Did. You. Do?”

Okay, a lot crazy.

I have two choices here. I could lie, and try and save myself. Or I can be brave.

That’s not a trite idea. It’s not easy. I’m shaking so hard my teeth are chattering, but I don’t blink and I don’t look away. “You can’t be surprised, Grant.”

“You bitch.”

“You stole my life,” I whisper. “You had to know at some point I’d take an opportunity to return the favor.”

“I gave you a career.”

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