“I have been waiting!” the woman said.
“Us too.” Ignoring her, I watched Gia pick up the mouse and navigate to the file. Mateo had hidden it well while keeping it in plain sight.
“Here, this is it,” she said.
I took the thumb drive out of my pocket and handed it to her. “Copy it.”
She stood. “I have to use the bathroom. You copy it, and I’ll be right back.”
Before I could argue, she was gone. The woman we’d butted in front of was pointing at us and talking to the man at the counter, so I knew we had limited time. I took over, copying the file onto my thumb drive, hoping Gia wouldn’t be dumb enough to try to run off. I didn’t think she would, though. Not with this evidence in my hands now, not knowing I could copy then delete the file. Although I wouldn’t. It was my backup.
“Sir.”
The man who worked at the library approached my seat with the woman just as the file finished copying.
“That’s him. He just butted right in front of me!”
I ignored them both, double-checked the complete file had copied onto my thumb drive, and ejected it.
“I’m done,” I said, heading in the direction Gia had gone while looking for signs to the bathrooms.
But I didn’t find her at the bathrooms. Muttering a curse under my breath, I walked fast up and down the aisles looking for her. I was going to kill her. My temper grew hotter and hotter with every step I took. And then I saw her. Talking tofucking Ron behind a desk, a phone tucked between her neck and shoulder.
“Gia!”
All heads turned. Someone ‘shushed’ me and I sped toward her, walking fast without breaking into a run. I wanted to slap the phone away. I saw her talking and reached her just as she hung up.
“Donnie! There you are. Are you done? I couldn’t find you.”
“Yeah, I’m done. We’re done,” I said, grabbing her arm as she moved around the counter. “Let’s go.”
“Gia?” Ron called out.
“What the fuck was that?” I hissed through gritted teeth.
“I needed to call my mom. I knew if I asked, you wouldn’t let me, so I didn’t bother asking! She’s worried sick!”
“Did you tell her where you were?”
“I don’t even know where the house is, and no, I didn’t mention the library. She’s planning my brother’s funeral, Dominic! I know you don’t have a heart, but try, just try to be fucking human for a minute!” She wiped a tear from her face as we reached the car.
I bit my lip, wanting to shake her but feeling sorry for her and hating her—or wanting to hate her—for what she said. I mean, she was right. It’s not like I had a fucking heart. Monsters didn’t have hearts.
So why the fuck did her words sting? Why did I give a crap?
I slammed her door shut and took a minute, my fingernails digging into my palms as I got hold of my anger. I climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled the SUV out of the garage, still so fucking mad I could hardly breathe. Gia sat staring straight ahead, and I could see her eyes glisten. She was trying not to cry.
“That was a stupid thing to do.”
She didn’t answer.
“Fucking stupid, Gia.”
Nothing.
We drove in silence all the way back. Once we were back in the house, Gia slipped from my grip and ran upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her. Fine. That was just fine. She wasn’t going anywhere; we were locked in tight. I’d deal with her later. I wanted to listen to the recordings first, and I wanted to do it without her.
After grabbing my laptop out of the duffel bag, I headed into the study and closed the door behind me. I plugged the thumb drive into the port, hit the button to play and leaned over my computer, listening.
