My bloody glove smears on the phone screen as I tap over to Kade’s number and hit the green call button.
“Go for the Make-It-Happen-Man,” Kade answers.
The name takes me aback as I press the speakerphone button. “Okay, we’re going to have a chat about the nicknames you give yourself later, but right now, I need a sweep,” I say.
“Shit,” he grunts. “What happened?”
“It’s a long story,” I reply.
“But the main event?”
“Ah… expired,” I say.
“Fucking…Gem—”
“I don’t need the lecture. I didn’t have a choice. Just… I need to know if he has cameras in here,” I say, glancing around the room. “He has a lot of sketchy shit. It wouldn’t surprise me. And if this gets back to who I’m trying to avoid… We’re going to have a lot more problems.”
Kade doesn’t speak for a moment long enough that I check my phone to make sure I didn’t lose connection.
“Kade?”
“What did you find?” he eventually asks.
I pick up my phone and take a picture of the framed photo, then send it to him.
“Motherfucker,” he grunts when it goes through.
“Yep.”
“Is that… shit, that’s Damien? Fucking Rad?”
“Yeah,” I mutter. “It’s like every sleazy, shithead incel knows each other.”
“Probably have their own club,” he says. “Maybe I can subscribe to their newsletter to get the latest dish. Make our jobs a lot easier.”
“Nah, your dick’s too big,” I say. “So, can you get here or are you leaving me to try this on my own?”
His heavy sigh muffles the speaker. “Hell no. I’m sending Liam. I’ll take care of any footage.”
“Thanks, Kade.”
I end the call before flipping over to my message thread with Bonnie, and it pains me to blow her off. Maybe if I get this cleaned up quickly… Dammit. It still won’t be enough to get back to her at a reasonable time. And with this new information, I’d probably do something I’d regret later—like revealing who I really am by tying her up and forcing her into that empty apartment in Mads’ building. I don’t know that I’d ever let her go, that I’d ever let her out of my sight for even a second once I had her contained.
It isn’t time for her to learn that side of me.
The photo on the desk catches my eye again, and looking at it, I know there’s no way I can go all night without putting eyes on her. Nothing will keep me from seeing her tonight—even if it means all I do is watch her sleep from a chair in front of her door.
They’re after her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BONNIE
GEMMA
I’m trying my best to get back, but something came up.
I’ll let you know if I can make it.
