Page 52 of Fated Love with You
I leave her hand hanging and stare at her.
With perfectly manicured red curls and nails, she’s wearing thin-rimmed glasses that give me a perfect view of her heart-shaped face. Her light pink button-down shirt is tucked into grey dress pants, and I can see the handle of a gun tucked into her waistband.
“So, I take it you don’t want to be friends?” she asks. “I make a pretty amazing weekend mimosa.”
“Friends don’t make baseless threats against each other.”
“Baseless?” She arches a brow, laughing.
“Order sixty-four!” the cook calls out. “Hot fries with grilled cheese!”
A customer in green suddenly walks past the agent and me, picking up his bag, thankfully halting our conversation.
“Tell me something, Miss Jane,” the agent doesn’t skip a beat. “What is someone like you doing with someone like Edward Rochester?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You weren’t with him a few days ago?”
“I have no idea.” I move down the counter, but she follows closely. Too closely.
“I’m not sure how you got entwined in his world, but I suggest you untangle yourself and step into reality,” she says, her voice firm. “Otherwise, you’ll be joining him behind bars—in a separate prison.”
“Can you get the hell away from me, please?”
“When you’re ready to tell me what you know, call me.” She slides a card into my front pocket. “Preferably within the next three weeks. Otherwise, I won’t be able to make a deal with you. Right now, you’re looking at twenty years, but if you tell me everything you know, and I like what I hear, I can see that you serve less than two.”
“Order sixty-five!” the cook calls. “Three Philly cheesesteaks with extras and two large orders of spicy fries!”
I turn away from her and grab my food, rushing toward the door.
I slide behind the wheel of the Jaguar, my heart racing a mile a minute, my mind racing with just how badly I’ve fucked up…
End of Episode 18
No Way Out
EPISODE 19
Autumn
My palms sweat as I pull into the estate, and it’s not due to the wisps of heat sifting from the steering wheel.
Knowing that the suits in the grey car trailing behind me will handle the car once I step out, I don’t drive to the garage. Instead, I pull in front of the grand front entrance—jumping out with the bags and leaving the car running.
I need a minute to gather myself before Ryder comes home. I need to?—
“Hello, Miss Jane.” Ryder is standing in the foyer when I open the door.
“I told you she’d be back any minute.” Adeline smiles at me, holding out her hands for the food. “I’ll share some of my fries with you, Dad.”
“Looking forward to it.” He narrows his eyes at me. “Let’s all eat in the kitchen.”
“Actually, since you’re home early, I was thinking?—”
“I don’t believe you’ve been ‘thinking’ at all, Miss Jane.” The look in his eyes dares me to say another word. “Join us in the kitchen.”
I oblige and sit across from Adele. Ryder pushes her chair over so he’s right in front of me, making it impossible to avoid his gaze.
