After all stakeout essentials were packed, I said my goodbyes to Jesus and ran out the door. The blackout car I picked up from the rental company earlier today was parked on the curb and, just as I intended, was blending perfectly with the falling night.
I sank into the driver seat and pulled out my phone. Barb had been so kind as to help me locate Callen’s phone after we finished recon, hacked into his GPS, and gave me full access.
“Let's see what you're up to tonight asshole,” I mused while opening the app and searching for the blue indicator dot. “Bingo.”
He was in the city, and he was on the move. Adrenaline pricked at my ears.
I waited for about 15 minutes before pulling away from my apartment complex and heading in his general direction. He hadn't stopped yet, but I had a pretty good idea where he was going: the shipping ports. No one drives that side of St. Louis in the middle of the night unless they’re up to no good, and import shipping containers was a bad sign.
The drive over was fast, my thoughts racing just as fast as the car. Tonight could very well be the night I killed Callen. I pulled over on a darkened street and shut off my headlights. He parked his black SUV in the shadows by a row of containers. He didn’t get out, though. Just sat in idle. The suspense made my palms sweat.
Good thing I packed wine.
I’d been sitting for approximately twenty minutes staring at Callen’s car when–
“You reek of rotten grapes.”
“Christ in a corset!” I jumped, choking on the half swallowed liquid and lashing out with the bottle. Lucifer swatted it away like a fruit fly. “What in the seven hells are you doing in my passenger seat?” The alcohol burned my throat and nose, making my voice a raspy whine.
“Contrary to your myths, I can assure you there is only one hell, levels orotherwise.”
“Gee,” I coughed, “thanks for the clarification.”
“You’re welcome.”
I glared at him, ready to assault his self-righteous ass for the sarcasm, but stopped when it became blatantly obvious he was sincere.
“Un-fucking-believable.”
“Why are you parked on the road in the middle of the night?” he asked.
I put the car into drive and pulled out onto the road, turning the direction Callen went and keeping a fair distance away.
“Jesus and I are taking a break. I let him keep the house in the separation.”
“You can keep your trashy apartment. The feline will come with me.”
Mouth gaping and completely stunned, I glanced over and said, “Are you seriously choosing the cat over me in the divorce?”
I'm not sure what I expected from him, but it definitely wasn't a smile.
One corner of Lucifer's lips turned up, those mismatched eyes staring out the windshield and I was in total fucking awe.
Goddamn, sin was truly captivating.
I cleared my throat and focused on the road ahead. We were getting close to the loading docks.
“Are you going to answer my question,” he asked.
“Uhhh…” I swallowed and scrambled for composure that was completely lost. “You’ll have to remind me what it was.”
“Why, Dany, were you parked on the road in the middle of the night?”
“Oh, well,” I fumbled over my words, but made for a quick recovery. “This really annoying asshole that I know was concerned about my safety, and so he recommended that I get to know my date better. He also told me I have fourty-eight hours to get my shit together or he’d make me drink off brand Coke for eternity, which would be unimaginable torture.”
“Since when do you listen to me?”
“Who said you were the annoying asshole?”
