“You have known me your entire life, and your brother would take a bullet for you. I don’t know Xavier all that well, but he genuinely seems to care about you too. You can trust us.”
“And what about the new elite?” I croak, summoning the courage to ask about them. “Where are they? And do you trust them?”
“They’re gone, and no,” he says through gritted teeth. “I don’t trust any of those fuckers.”
“Gone where?” I ask, hating how my heart thumps painfully at the news.
He shrugs. “Into hiding. Your father and Christian Montgomery have filed legal and criminal complaints, and the cops are looking for them. Seven men lost their lives during the shootout, and the authorities are looking for someone to blame. There are warrants out for their arrest.”
I shake my head. “That figures.” I rub a tense spot between my brows. “How are we ever going to get justice when that bastard has everyone in his back pocket?”
“There are ways,” he cryptically says, pulling out his cell while looking behind me.
“What are you doing?” I inquire, swiveling in my seat and inspecting the clothing store we’ve pulled up in front of.
“Calling the store owners to see if a little cash incentive will get them to open up for you. I’d have brought you stuff from home, but everything happened at the last minute and there wasn’t time.”
An hour later and I’m browsing the aisles in the store alone, while Charlie makes some calls from the car. Cash incentives work—especially in small towns where there is little passing trade. I select some jeans, a shirt, sweater, socks, pajamas, and underwear in my size, dumping them on the counter for the clerk to ring up, and then I head to the cosmetics section and grab what I need.
While I’m paying for everything with Charlie’s card, I try to bribe the cashier into loaning me her cell on the sly, so I can call Xavier, but she adamantly refuses.
I don’t know what Charlie said or did to make her comply, but I give up trying to persuade her when it’s obvious she won’t be swayed.
So much for hos before bros.
The bitch won’t even tell me where the nearest payphone is.
I use the bathroom to change into my new outfit and freshen up before leaving the store. Charlie is lounging against the wall with a smile on his face. He takes my hand. “You look beautiful.”
“I’m only wearing jeans.” I arch a brow.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. Your beauty shines from within.”
I’m about to make a gagging sound when I notice the sincerity in his eyes, and I clamp my mouth shut. Shit.Does Charlie have feelings for me?Because if he does, we’ve got a major problem.
I’ve always adored Charlie, and even though I’m wary of him now—because he’s still holding out on me—he rescued me from that hellhole, and I know he’s genuinely doing what he believes is in my best interests.
I love him but not like that.
Even if he is an amazing kisser and there is some shared chemistry.
“Thanks,” I murmur, keeping my thoughts to myself because I’m not ready to get into that conversation. Not with a long-ass trip ahead of us. But itissomething we must discuss sooner than later.
“Are you hungry?” he asks, swinging our hands together as we walk in the opposite direction of the car. “I found a nice little restaurant a couple blocks down, and they’re holding a table for us.”
“I could eat. Weeks of enduring that shit they call food has left me dying for something tasty.”
“How is Xavier?” I ask when we are seated at a cozy table in the corner of the Italian restaurant. “I thought he would’ve found me.”
“We all knew where you were, Abby, but we couldn’t just storm in and rescue you. Not without consequences.”
A massive grin graces his mouth. “Although, we had to chain Xavier up for a while until he got that message.”
My jaw hangs open. “Please tell me that’s a joke?”
He shakes his head. “Drew and I took turns babysitting him. He kept promising he wouldn’t go after you, but as soon as we’d let him go, he’d take off.” He chuckles. “Drew went apeshit on his ass, and we had to go hardcore to get him to cooperate, but he finally understood.” His humor dies.
My heart soars for the first time in ages. “I knew there had to be a reason he hadn’t come for me.”
