Trust the right people.
And don’t forget the day we met.
092106 Forever
The letter slipped from my fingers.
The air thinned.My chest tightened.I stood too fast, dizziness crashing over me.
“Peyton.”
I stood too fast, the edge of my desk catching my hip as I stumbled back.My knees weakened beneath me.
I turned.Creed filled the doorway.One look at my face, and something lethal sharpened behind his eyes.He crossed the room in two strides.Hands framing my face.Grounding me.
“What happened?”
I shook my head, but no sound came out.
“Peyton,” he said, his voice low and sharp.“Talk to me.”
My breath broke on a shudder.I grabbed his wrists to steady myself.His pulse hammered beneath my fingers.
“It’s Ray,” I whispered, and nodded toward the floor.
Creed picked up the letter.Read.His jaw locked.
“Sit.”
I obeyed.
When I finished telling him everything, he didn’t interrupt.He didn’t soften it.
“I thought it was over when the calls stopped.I thought maybe the money was gone, or maybe...maybe they lost interest.”I shook my head.“But this letter...”
“They’re still watching,” Creed finished, his tone dark.
I nodded.
Creed leaned back on his heels, his eyes narrowing.
“Log into the account,” he said.
My pulse spiked.
“Do it, Peyton,” Creed said quietly.
I pulled my purse toward me, sliding the zipper open.At the bottom, beneath my wallet and keys, sat the burner phone.
My throat tightened.
I had kept it, even after the calls stopped.Some part of me knew this wasn’t over.
My hands shook as I pulled it out and powered it on.The screen glowed, the battery still sitting at forty-eight percent.
Creed crouched down in front of me.His hand curled over my wrist, steadying me.
“You’re not doing this alone,” he said.
