His son, Patrick, was friends with Jack when we were young, and whenever Jack came after me, Patrick wasn’t far behind. Or if Jack needed bailed out of something, Neil and Patrick had a way of making sure that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time. They’ve always been thick as thieves. And now they have Sadie.
Neil and Patrick are the ones that had sent me to juvie for the longest amount of time, testifying that I stole a car that Jack actually stolen. Neil was always slippery. He kept his hands clean in a way that Jack didn’t, and that made him dangerous. Because no one could pin anything on him, and his record made him look like an upstanding citizen.
His testimony against me—the poor kid with a record—was almost a joke. All because I refused to take the fall again. Finally, I’d stood up to Jack and Patrick and all of them, and they’d had enough. I was lucky to survive that trip to lockup. That was the stint in juvie I’d told Sadie about, the time when I had no choice but to fight for my life.
When they set me up to fail parole again, the judge on the case looked at me and saw my desperation and the fact that I’d just…accepted it. That was my life. And that’s when he sent me to Frank. That’s when everything changed.
I guess I’ve blocked him out for all these years to forget about that time in my life. What if I had asked Ben the name of the company this morning? Would I have remembered? Could I have prevented this from happening?
Ben looks at me, his face a mask of concern and shame. “Really, Jon, they looked legit. I read reviews online. They were recommended.”
I hold out a hand. “This isn’t your fault, Ben. I’m sure that they do provide legit security for people, or they would never get clients. But I’m guessing that they also take bribes, and for certain people, if someone manages to get through their security, then accidents happen. You couldn’t have known, but Neil Bursar is one of the biggest pieces of shit in this city.”
“I’m sorry, Jon.” He looks sick.
“This isn’t your fault. They would have figured out something either way—they were watching. Fuck, Jack showed up this morning to push me into hiring people to protect her. I walked right into his trap!”
These people have already taken far, far too much from me, and like hell am I going to let them take one more thing. I’m not a powerless kid anymore.
“What do I do?”
I sigh. “Tell Jeremy what’s happening. Tell him not to do anything yet. If the cops are involved right now that will make the situation more dangerous for her. But we need to have them on standby after we figure out where they’re going. I have to make a call.”
First, I look at the tracker again. They aren’t out of Nashville yet, but they have a good head start. They seem to be moving slower now. Maybe traffic on the way out of town for the weekend. That could work to our advantage.
I hit Frank’s contact number, and he answers on the third ring with a laugh. “Didn’t I kick your ass enough this afternoon or are you that desperate for more?”
“Frank, there’s a situation.”
Even through the phone I can almost see him flip into cop mode. “What’s going on?”
I tell him as quickly as I can, summarizing that I fucked up with Sadie and accidentally pointed her at Jack, and that she went after him like a speeding bullet. I explain how I walked right into their trap with the security guards, and about Georgie’s collar, and with every detail I tell him, the guilt feels heavier and heavier on my chest, until I feel like I can’t even breathe. “They have her. Fuck, Frank, they’re going to kill her.”
“No they won’t,” he says, voice hard. “Having her location is everything. But you’ve got to warn her. If she can get away from them, or slow them down, that’s ideal.”
“Yeah.”
“This Sadie,” he says. “She’s important to you?”
Frank knows everything about me, and he’s always been there for me. He helped me put my life back together when I didn’t think I had a future outside of prison. And when things ended with Kristy, he was the one that helped me channel all my anger into something productive: getting me into the best shape of my life and finally getting noticed. He knows from my words and my tone exactly what I’m feeling; sometimes I think he knows me better than I know myself. “Yes. She is important to me.”
There’s silence on the other end of the line for a moment. Then, “We’ll get her back.”
“Thanks, Frank.”
“Get moving. We have a lot to do.” He hangs up, and I pocket my phone. I need to change as quickly as possible.
“Anything else I can do?” Ben asks.
“I wish there were,” I say. “Just keep your phone on, and feed the dogs if it gets too late.”
He nods. “I’m here for whatever you need.”
“Thanks.”
I tear my shirt off before I even reach my room. When I told Sadie I loved her this morning, it had been accidental, and all day I felt a knot in my stomach like I’d made the biggest and dumbest mistake. Now, with adrenaline pumping through me, and the idea that Sadie’s is in danger haunting me, that slip-up seems like nothing. In fact, it doesn’t even seem like a mistake anymore. And if I get her back. Fuck, no. When I get her back, because like hell am I going to give up. When I get her back I’m going to tell her again. And again and again. Because I’m not afraid of loving her or letting her know. The only thing I’m afraid of is losing her.
Time to go.
11
Sadie
The big black SUV we’re riding in is comfortable, but we’ve been driving a really long time. I’ve noticed some traffic, but still, it doesn’t even take this long to drive to Jon’s house. Being new to town, I don’t exactly have the best lay of the land, but this seems like an unusually long trip when there are at least a dozen hotels within a few miles’ radius of the studios. Maybe they’re taking a strange route to avoid detection from Singleton’s men?
Georgie’s head rests in my lap, and I pet him as I try to relax. I focus on how relaxing it will be to finally get to the hotel. I’ll draw a bath, sink into the hot water, and close my eyes. And if Jon just happens to arrive when I’m naked and wet and covered in bubbles, well, we do want to make the most of the hotel room after all. As warm and sexy images fill my head, I feel my phone vibrate in my hand. I look down at the screen and my mood instantly changes. The slight anxiety I was feeling before comes back, times ten, as I read Jon’s text.
Don’t panic.
That is never a text that you want to receive, and has the exact opposite effect intended. His next text follows quickly.
Don’t react.
I type back quickly. What’s going on?
Whatever you do, don’t go into a building with them. Keep Georgie with you. Can’t explain now, but they’re Singleton’s men.
Suddenly I feel sick, nausea welling up in my stomach. These men in the car who have seemed so helpful and nice, who I’ve followed so willingly and chatted with all day, are working for the man who wants to hurt me. And they have me alone. Driving who knows where. I don’t know Nashville well enough to know where we’re going, but I’ve lived here long enough to know I’m in unknown territory, getting far from the city center. No wonder we’ve been driving for so long. They aren’t taking me to a hotel.