Page 62 of Stalk

“Okay!” I say haughtily, feeling a scowl grow around my eyes.

Ren resurfaces and sits up, grinning from ear to ear. “Think he heard us?”

I groan and throw a pillow on top of my face to hide my burning cheeks. “Hedefinitelyheard us.”

Eight minutes later, all my shit is packed. Ren and I make our way downstairs so that I can gather all of Cannella’s shit before we leave. Ren wears some of my clothes, which are definitely a size or two too big, but whatever. I kind of like them wearing my stuff. They look good in all black.

Marco meets us down in the kitchen with his one duffel bag and his backpack. I’ve never seen him look so enthused, and that’s saying something for a man who I’ve always considered a jokester. His eyes glow with satisfaction as he pats me on the back.

I sigh and roll my eyes. “Get it out of your system now. We have business to attend to.”

Ren covers their mouth with a balled up fist, trying to keep themselves composed. I’m glad the two of them are sohappydespite the situation we’re in. Embarrassment rolls through me like a heat wave. Marco bursts out laughing, and it doesn’t take long for Ren to join him. I try to remain serious, but their laughter is contagious, and the three of us end up losing our minds temporarily.

Finally, when it’s time to leave, Marco holds his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. We must go now.”

Ren wipes a couple of tears from their eyes. One thing I amnotused to seeing is Ren happy or feeling lighthearted. It’s an exquisite kind of beauty to witness, the way their face lights up completely.

“Do we have everything?” Marco asks us on the way to the door.

“Wait—” Ren says abruptly. We spin around to face them. “I don’t care about my personal items very much, but—my mom’s laptop, her journals?—”

Fuck.I know that if I hadn’t gotten distracted when we made it back to the house that I would have remembered the crucial items left at Ren’s home. I would have had a plan mapped out in my mind before Marco even came home so that we could get out of America faster.

“Do we still have your guys to help us out?” I ask Marco.

Marco shakes his head. “They are busy.”

I know what that means. His guys are still there, ensuring we left no traces behind. That, or they’re busy getting rid of the body. Ren’s body stiffens beside me. I grab their hand and squeeze it gently.

“So—should we just—stop at Ren’s on our way to the airport?” I ask.

“Risky,” Marco mutters.

Ren swallows roughly. “Catherine might have already figured it out. I was supposed to check in with her already.”

“Has she contacted you?” Marco asks.

Ren shakes their head. “The fact that she hasn’t called me or anything worries me, too.” Ren squeezes my hand back.

“Well.” Marco shrugs. “Mattia and I do not usually shy away from danger.”

I let out a long sigh. “Yeah, but this is a big risk, Marco.” Then another thought occurs to me. “Ren—where’s your phone?”

“Oh… it was in my backpack. Did we take it back here?” they ask, panic rising in their tone of voice.

“You think I am an amateur?” Marco asks us with a husky laugh. “We found your bag. I noticed the phone and destroyed it so that your boss cannot track us.”

My shoulders relax at his words. I would truly be lost without Marco. Ren is relieved too, and steps in and hugs him. Marco is shocked at first, then wraps his arms around Ren like a loving father.

“Grazie,”I say, putting my hand on my heart.

Marco gives me a nod as Ren unlatches. “So, what now? We just… go to my house and hope for the best?”

“You see another way, boss?” Marco asks.

No. I don’t, unfortunately. “No.” Ren stares at me with wide eyes. Oh, how I wish we were still naked and in the shower. Simpler times. “It will be okay.” I put a hand to their cheek. Then I turn to Marco. “We’re going to need guns, though. The more, the better.”

Marco grins like a hungry wolf. “We have plenty in the SUV.”

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