Grainger
I wanted to stay away from her for my own protection. -Grainger
The phone call wakes me up from the slippery fingers of sleep. I finally managed to drift off to la la land about an hour ago. The diplomat I had been guarding left town a few hours ago and I finally find myself between cases.
I lift my cell. The number is a strange area code. Probably spammers. Of course, in my job, I can’t afford not to answer it. It could be a new client. It could be one of my men out on a job.
Fuck.
“Grainger,” I answer hoarsely. I clear my throat as I wait for the person who so rudely interrupted my sleep to speak.
The silence on the other end extends for so long that I sigh. “Look, if you’re trying to sell me somethin’, I’m not buying. If you’re one of the men who work for me and screwed upsomethin’, it’s better that you just spit it out. So, either way, I’m about to press the little red dot on the screen.” My finger hovers over the ominous circle.
“W…wait,” a soft, feminine voice answers back.
That voice. I would recognize it anywhere.
“Lana?” God, I’ve wondered so many times if she would use my business card. It’s been five years. She sent little payments to me along and along, until she landed this newest gig and just sent me the whole shebang. Her show…Rena.I watched it religiously every week, as obsessed as ever, with her face, her movements…her.
I thought I had given up that she would call, but I realize now that a small part of me still held out hope. Not that she would be in enough danger to need me, but that she would reach out just because she felt the same sense of connection I felt so long ago.
I grip the phone tighter. After this long, it’s obvious she’s calling because something has her spooked.My girl needs help. She needs me.
“Lana, what’s wrong?” I’m sitting up in bed now, the sheets pooled around my waist. My heart beats triple time. Wherever she is, I’ll be there.
“I…I need your help, Grainger. Please.” There’s a tremulous note to her voice.
“I’m coming, Lana. I’ll be there. Tell me where you are.” I don’t ask what happened. I don’t need to know. All I need to know is how to get to her.
“I’m in Atlanta.” I hear her take a long, ragged deep breath in.
Atlanta. Where I live.The truth is, I know she films her show here most of the time. I had even walked by the set once, just to get a glimpse of her, but finally made myself turn around. My obsession would only grow worse if I saw her in real life again. That didn’t mean I didn’t keep track of her. I did, almost against my will. I tried to make myself move on, but…
“Give me an exact address, sweetheart.” I reach for a pad of paper and a pen from my nightstand.
She rambles off an address downtown near Centennial Park. Near where I had almost come face to face with her two years ago.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes, Lana. Ten minutes. Is there immediate danger? Do I need to send the police now?” I’m already dressing quickly, not bothering with a shower or shave.
Another pause, then another shaky breath. “No, they’re here already.”
Fuck, that means this is serious. Deadly serious.
“Ten minutes, Lana. You can count it down. I’ll be there.”
“Okay. Ten minutes,” she repeats as if calming herself. The phone then disconnects and I stuff it in my pocket.
“Shit.” That’s all I can mutter as I race out the door.
There was a time in my life when I wanted nothing more than to forget Lana and how she made me feel those years ago. But I had always known that I would come running if she called. Lana has always had my number, in more ways than one.
I’ll keep you safe, Lana. I’ll always keep you safe.
Chapter Three
Lana
Fear is unfortunately an emotion I’m all too familiar with. -Lana
