Page 7 of Preying Heart
“Oh, that’s too bad,” she says. “You can borrow mine.”
I take her phone and enter Slade’s last known number.
“Yeah?” Slade answers with a guarded tone, clearly not knowing the number I’m calling from.
“Hey, it’s me, Remi. Where are you?”
The silence across the line is ominous.
“Slade? You still there?”
“Yeah, but don’t call me at this number. I’m about to get busted. Bunch of bounty hunters showed up this morning, and I had to take off.”
“You took off?” My voice startles the receptionist, and her eyes widen. I give her a reassuring wave and smile. “Of course. When will you be back?”
“Someone’s there.” Slade’s quick at picking things up. “Hope it’s not Gavin because he’s the one who sent the bounty hunters.”
“I told you not to jump—” I cut myself off because the clerk is listening. “What do you want me to do?”
“Stay put. I’ll send a friend to fetch you. Only he doesn’t know me. You just have to do what he says.”
“I don’t get this. How does your friend not know you?”
“He can’t. But I know of him. He’s the best. Trust me.”
“What does he look like? How would I know who he is? What’s his name?”
“He’ll have your picture—the one you gave me when you got those glamour shots for that modeling contract. Don’t tell him anything about a brother or who I am to you. Just do as he says.”
“You can’t just leave me.” My teeth start to chatter despite the summer heat. Slade’s doing it again. Leaving me high and dry. It’s always the same. “What am I going to do?”
“You’re strong. You will listen to this guy. What you can’t do is go back to Gavin. You got it? You tip him off on where to find you, and he’ll track me down. I won’t tell you where I’m going just in case, but Remi, I’m your brother. I’ll always be your brother.”
“I know that, but what kind of trouble are you in? Let me help you.”
“Help me by staying alive.”
“Okay, but I’m supposed to get to a clinic. I’ve got a big problem inside of me.”
I can hear him swallowing hard. “Remi, I have to tell you.”
“What?”
“Mom almost aborted you. I was the one who begged her not to. Said I wanted a baby brother and that I promised to take care of you.”
“Slade?” The shock has me doubled over, clutching my belly. “Slade?”
“When I went to juvie, I broke that promise. I’m sorry.”
The line goes dead.
ChapterFour
Remi
I spend the rest of the day in shock, pacing around the motel room. I go around in circles trying to make a decision. I can’t contact Gavin. He made it clear when he wired the bail money that he wants nothing to do with me until I’ve taken care of my problem. I wonder if he’s worried or called to check on me. If he’s been to the penthouse and let himself in to look for clues.
All I want is to go back to my penthouse and get my life back. But without credit cards or cash, how do I get from here to there? Can I trust Gavin’s mom? She doesn’t know about my secret life with her son. I’ll keep her out of it for now. Until I get my bearings. Maybe she’ll loan me the money to see a doctor.
