Page 31 of Reaper & the Lioness
“I mean, probably. It came with the territory of my old job, but there’s no reason for it here.”
My phone buzzed. I ushered Eva to my front door, punching in the lock code and pushing her in before stepping away to take the call.
“Linc? What do you have for me?” My brother had access to the cameras on my property and had likely been watching to see when I could answer.
“Dude, someone put a hit out on that PR chick.”
“Who?” I glanced at Eva through the window, ensuring she couldn’t listen to the conversation.
“My best guess is the Abell family. I need to do some more digging. Maybe since she wouldn’t take the settlement, they want to find another way to keep her quiet.”
“How’s the rest of her background check coming along?”
“Still working on it. I found some juvenile records, but I need to call in a favor to get a hold of them.”
“Interesting. So she has a record?” This confirmed my suspicions that there was more to Eva than she let on.
“She must. It’s sealed, but I should have it by tomorrow or the next day.”
“Okay, Linc. Call me if you find anything else.” I slipped the phone into my pocket as I turned to my cabin.
Eva stumbled back onto the porch, her puppy zigzagging between her unsteady legs. She’d kicked her high heels off, appearing even smaller before me.
“What did you find out?” she asked, her eyes still wide and glassy. She’d sobered up a bit, but the mixture of adrenaline and alcohol would cause her to crash soon.
I settled onto the split-log porch swing I’d built a few weeks ago, the wood creaking under my weight. I patted the spot beside me. She hesitated for a moment before accepting.
“There’s a bounty on your head because you’ve apparently pissed off some very rich, influential people. Care to explain?”
She leaned her head back. Her eyes fluttered to a close as she drew in a long breath. “That means we’re getting close to the truth.”
I flexed my jaw at her vague response. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Her eyes snapped open, and she pulled my jacket tighter around herself like armor. “I’ve been working with a friend. He’s an investigative journalist. We’ve been trying to find women who have worked with someone I used to know. We’re trying to get them to speak out so he can be held accountable for what he’s done.”
“You mean Hale Abell? The asshole who attacked you?”
Her jaw dropped. “How do you know about that?”
I smirked. “Like I said, Lioness, I know everything about you.”
She had the audacity to roll her eyes, a spark of her usual fire returning. “Well, it came as a surprise that someone wanted to kill me, so I’d say you still have a few things to learn.”
Beneath her snark, I sensed the uncertainty roiling within her. For a split second, she dropped her mask. She appeared panicked. Scared. Confused.
I stood, guiding her into the house. “You’ll be safe here. Only Rhetta, Thane, Linc, and my mom know where this cabin is.”
“Wait? I’m staying here? Why can’t I just stay at my house?”
I pressed my fingers across my forehead. “Because, in case you’ve already forgotten, someone has offered $1 million for you to be killed, and three men have already tried to earn that payout tonight. Give me your phone.”
She handed it over without argument, watching as I powered it off. “We can’t risk you being tracked. I have enough cameras that we’ll know if someone shows up, but I’d prefer not to have to bury any bodies out here yet.”
Eva’s impassive expression suggested she understood I wasn’t joking.
I handed her my phone. “Send Rhetta a text with whatever you need from your house. You can stay here until we eliminate the threat.”
She took the phone and then paused to process what I’d said. “Eliminate?”
