Page 152 of Burn Bag

“It’s just a fox,” I said, holding out my hands to calm him down.

It didn’t work.

Storming forward, he grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. “You have a fucking fox in your bedroom!”

“He was wandering around outside! What the fuck was I supposed to do?”

“Leave him alone!” Red snapped. “This is not an animal sanctuary! You are in security, not the business of rescuing stray animals!”

“I can’t help it,” I shouted. “It helps me feel close to her!”

“Well, not anymore,” he said, grabbing me by the shirt and hauling me after him. “This ends now!”

“What are you gonna do?” I cried out as he pulled me down the stairs after him. “You’re not getting rid of my animals!”

I tripped on the third stair and went tumbling down, nearly taking him with me, but the bird shit on the next step did the job for me. He slid, flying down the stairs on his ass, then tumbling head over heels until he landed in a heap at the base of the stairs.

The glower on his face told me to run, but I couldn’t leave my animals behind. That’s not what Daphne would want for me.

Red pulled out his phone and dialed. I knew it was Eli before he even picked up. “Get the truck. We’re going to the airport.”

“No, I’m not going anywhere,” I snapped.

But Red didn’t listen. He stared straight ahead as he muttered, “It’s time to invoke The Mummy Clause.”

Just the name sent chills down my spine. I didn’t want to knowwhy it was named that or what it entailed. I just knew I had to get out of there, and the sooner, the better.

I jumped to my feet, but Red was faster, running after me and tackling me to the ground. I slammed my elbow back into his face, but that didn’t deter him. He sat on me, pinning me to the floor as he yanked my arm behind my back and twisted hard, nearly snapping my bone. I cried out, wiggling as much as possible to get out from under him, but Red was a huge redneck fucker, and there was no way I was escaping this hell.

“Get off me!” I shouted.

I felt him bend over, and then he whispered in my ear, “I’m really fucking sorry about this.”

The last thing I saw before I passed out was that mother fucking scarab with the death wish on it.

37

DAPHNE

Week 6…

I groaned,vomiting for the third day in a row at the ass-crack of dawn. I could no longer deny the signs I’d experienced over the last few days, or the fact that my period was two weeks late. I was pregnant, which was absolutely wonderful aside from the fact that I was nowhere near my husband, I was trapped in the middle of the desert, and apparently, there were no crackers in sight to ease the ache in my stomach.

I laid back as my father walked into the tent, clucking his tongue at me as he studied my pitiful state. “Well, I think it might be time to call it quits, sweetie.”

“No,” I moaned, refusing to give in. “I’ll be fine. I just need a minute.” The stifling heat of the tent was worse than being outside, but it protected me from the intensity of the sun. And since I could hardly keep anything down, my father insisted I stay in here.

“That’s what you said three days ago. And you’re still passed out in your tent.”

“I’ve been awake the whole time,” I grumbled. “Awake and trying desperately not to puke everywhere.”

He laughed at me. Actually fucking laughed. I could kill him, except he was my father and that would be frowned upon. Not to mention, I had no ancient Egyptian skills to actually mummify him.

“Honey, I think we both know you don’t want to be here. You’re sick and I think you might want to tell your husband about your news.” He nodded his head toward my belly, where my hands rested.

“I don’t think I could get on a plane right now,” I mumbled, just wanting a little bit of sleep. God, I felt so horrible. Everything inside me was swirling and the idea of even moving from this cot just made my stomach feel even worse.

“Well, maybe you don’t have to do a thing.”

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