Page 20 of Rattler
I was just hanging the last of my dripping clothes up when I heard the door to the room open.My first reaction was to hide, but I resolutely squashed that down.
I was done playing doormat.To anyone.Of course, the gun hidden in the stack of towels beside me added to my bravado.
“Oh, good.You’re up.Feeling better?”Rattler walked into the room and glanced in my direction, taking in my outfit.He nodded approvingly.“That shirt looks a whole lot better on you than it does on me.”
I smiled shyly.“I packed in too much of a hurry and didn’t realize I didn’t have any tops until I woke up just now and went to get dressed.I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.Like I said, it looks better on you.”His gaze shifted to the assortment of clothes hanging from the shower rod.“There’s a bunch of stuff downstairs that people have left over the years.Mom washes it and puts it in the game room.I’ll show you where it is later and you can help yourself to whatever you want.”
“I was hoping you’d take me to town.There must be a secondhand clothing store there somewhere so I could get a few things without spending too much.”I didn’t want to whine about my lack of money, but I knew if I used that credit card it could be traced.Tim did finance stuff.He probably knew how to trace credit cards, or else he knew someone who could.I didn’t think he knew about the card, but I wasn’t willing to take a chance on it.
Rattler shook his head.“No can do.You need to keep low for a bit.”
“Keep low?”Was he trying to tell me Tim was somewhere close by?
He reached into his back pocket to pull out a piece of paper.“Might as well sit down.I had a talk with Ace, and it seems your ex is alive and well and putting his own spin on shit.”
I backed up until the backs of my knees hit the bed.I sat, my heart racing.Was he going to tell me I had to leave?I wasn’t sure I could handle any more bad news right now.
As if sensing my distress, Scrapper padded over and rubbed his little head on my arm.Absentmindedly, I reached down and stroked his silky fur.
Rattler crossed the room and sat down beside me.Unfolding the piece of paper, he handed it to me.I found myself staring at a picture of myself.
Missing.Tim had reported me as a missing person.Possibly kidnapped by persons unknown.
“Shit!”
That meant people would be looking for me.They’d know who I was.They’d be under the impression I wanted to go back.Wanted to be with Tim.
Rattler nodded.“Yeah.Shit.Unless you want to end up back there, you need to make sure no one outside the club sees you until we come up with a plan.”
“A plan?You’re going to help me?”
He grinned.“Help Jack’s little sister, and my new roommate?Of course.”
“But you don’t know Tim.He’s not going to give up.”I could feel the panic starting to rise.
“I’m counting on it.”He draped an arm around my shoulder.
I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder.I was confused.“You want him to find me?”
“No, I want him to make it easy for us to findhim.Then we’ll take care of him, so he won’t lay his hands on you or anyone else ever again.”
He made it sound so easy.The panic was starting to simmer down.“So I just hide out and let him come looking for me?”
“Pretty much.”
“And exactly what do I do while I’m hiding?Just sit here and pet Scrapper?”I didn’t think that was going to work.I’d sit.And think.And go crazy.Nope.Not going to work.
“Actually, Janet could probably use some help with the wedding shit.That would give you something to do.”
A wedding.I felt a twinge of envy.When I was little, I used to picture my own wedding.A lacy white dress.Lots of flowers and music and happy people dancing and singing.The groom had always been a rather hazy figure, but I knew he’d be amazing and handsome and love me so very much and we’d live happily ever after in a perfect world.
I’d been such a naive idiot.When my dad died, my perfect little world had fallen apart.
“Janet doesn’t even know me.Why would she let me help with something as important as her wedding?”
“Your brother Jack was one of us in spirit even if he didn’t quite make it back to officially join us.That means you’re family.She’ll be thrilled to have one more person to help celebrate.And help do all the shit she expects to happen.”
