Page 155 of A Dirty Business
“I do not give one fuck what Ashton said to you. He’s my best friend. I’ll always love him, but right now I could twist his head off of his neck. He took you away from me.”
She jerked, her head flaring back.
It was that look again. The haunted look.
I’d put it there, but it wasn’t just me.
“Trust me, I am not okay with what he did.”
Her eyebrows moved together. A faint frown pulled at her mouth. “What’d you do?”
“I puthimin the hospital.”
“What?”
“He’s out by now, but he was in there for a few days. We had words, and the words weren’t enough, so we went up a notch. He’s quite aware that if he ever fucks with my relationship again, there’ll be permanent damages.”
“Jesus, Trace. A punch would’ve sufficed.”
“No.” The same rage from that day came back, and it was the lethal kind. “It wouldn’t have. I’m sorry for what he did.”
The haunted look was there, but it shifted a little, looking more hollow. She ran a hand over her face. “That’s why I wanted to meet. Or kinda why I wanted to meet. Kelly called today. She said something happened. Justin is terrified of his family. She couldn’t get into it with me over the phone, but she said it’s not safe to meet. She was adamant that they’ve not done anything against you, and I believe her. I’d know. Kelly’s a lot of things, but she’s not a liar. She’s a horrible liar. She hiccups when she’s trying to cover something up.”
Hiccuping when you lie. That’s a tell that’s funny at times. Another day and I would’ve grinned at that. Not today.
I was beyond exhausted today.
“What do you need from me?” At her look, I clarified. “You didn’t call to get back together. Your best friend called. You need something from me?”
“Kelly asked if I knew someone who could help her and Justin hide? Leave town and basically disappear. She asked me, but the only person I know who could do that is ...” Her hand spread out, indicating me. “If they need to disappear, I can only guess that somethingbad happened with his family. She wouldn’t call me if they needed to hide from you. They’d just go, probably to Mexico. You mentioned the 411 Network. Do you know someone that could help Kelly and Justin?”
“They don’t typically hide people from this situation. It’s where the person is getting abused.” She started to open her mouth. “But I’ll reach out. I have a different reputation from my uncle. They’ve worked with me already.”
She expelled some air she’d been holding back. “Thank you. I mean that.”
And the reason for the meeting had been unearthed.
The next part was me leaving.
“It’s creepy that you’re in my basement.”
I smiled now because she’d just opened up a whole other conversation. Which gave me time. I could stay a little longer.
“I don’t care.”
She was looking around, frowning. “I just put these down here. How’d you know ...?” She gasped, whirling back on me. “You do have a guy watching me, don’t you? I thought I was going crazy, but youdo. Don’t you?”
“I’ve always had someone watching you.”
“Trace,” she started.
“It’s what we do in my world. I worry about you. I want to protect you. Don’t ask me to pull him from you. Not again. Not after what Ashton did to you. I can’t do it. Iwon’tdo it. I’ll never stop worrying about you. It’s what you do when you love someone.”
“Trace,” she whispered.
She drew in a breath, but the emotions were there. Wetness was shimmering just on her eyes, slipping, pooling on her lower eyelids. She closed her eyes, and some of the tears were pushed out. They tracked down her cheeks. “I hate crying. Hate it.”
I reached for her, praying she wouldn’t step back.
