“He sure did.”
“At least he doesn’t mention her by name.”
“That’s true.”
“Or show her face.”
“Yeah.”
“What now?”
“We expand the security to include the bastard.Nothing else we can do.Our obligation is to protect Ida.”
“Yeah.”
“Ares?”
“Yeah?”
“What is it?”
Ares sighed.He didn’t want to tell Xander he screwed up.He didn't want to tell him that Josie left.He wanted to stay here, breathing in her scent from the bedsheets, praying that she came back.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I know that.”
“Talk later.”
He hung up before his brother could launch into any questions.This was dumb.His girl left and he was lying in bed.
He called her again.“Josie come back.Tell me where you are and I'll come and get you, just come back.”
Ares hated how his voice cracked but he didn’t care.
He’d give her more time.
She was his and no matter what it took he’d make her believe that they were meant to be together.
32 JOSIE
A memory that she’d rather forget swims in her mind, through the nauseousness.
She feels the wooden bench under her, the noise of the other kids running past her, everyone walking freely, able to go somewhere.
But she was told to wait on the bench outside of the office and someone would come and get her and take her to class.
It was their policy because she had been dropped off by taxi because her mom bought a new house and she was now out of the school district.
Because she was disabled this was the arrangement she qualified for.
Just like when the fire alarm drill happened and she had to wait until all the other kids were out before a teacher or other staff member came and got her.
The fire drill didn’t take this long.
The kids running by her stopped, she heard the classroom doors closing.She stared at the black and white tile, counting the lines on the floor, trying not to be scared.
The hallways were empty.The office door in front of her was closed.
