Then he sends a winking emoji. A small growl unexpectedly leaves me.
“I have to see what’s making you growl.” Bonte tries to peek at my phone, but I quickly slip it into my side pocket. I have a protectiveness over the messages. They only belong to me. I shouldn’t give a shit, but clearly, I do. I shielded the phone without so much of a thought.
“It’s clean,” Mac tells me. “What’s the plan?”
“Let’s get checked into our room, and then we’ll go from there.” I toss my bag into the back and slide into the driver’s seat.
We’re quiet for most of the drive. Mac might have scanned the vehicle, but you can never be too sure. I don’t want Paxton to know what I’m up to. He could hide the woman before I get to her. Then I might have to kill them both.
“Calm down, killer,” Mac says with a smirk. I relax my hold on the steering wheel.
It doesn’t take us long to get checked into our suite. It takes Mac and me longer to secure our room and double-check it. I always want to see the exits for myself and fully take in the floor plan. I know others would think it’s overkill, but you can never be too safe. I can’t allow myself to be caught at a disadvantage.
“I don’t know what you have in mind, but you’re not doing it alone.” Mac drops down on the couch, kicking her feet up on the table.
“I’m going to the hospital.” That’s where this woman spends most of her time. She also has a very nice condo. Too nice for a resident doctor. It’s in her name and paid off. I have no doubt that it was a present from Paxton. Does he think he’s going to marry me and keep this woman hidden away there?
“Are you going to just bust into an ER?”
“I’ll be a patient.” I pull out my knife.
“All right, I think I should take that.” Bonte tries to grab it from me. “How are you so quick?”
“You should see Aunt Cosima with a knife,” Mac tells her. Aunt Cosima is rather impressive, and so is Nix. Nix is almost better than I am with one and in time, will be.
“I was only going to cut my palm.” I open my hand, but that might not be the best idea. What if I have another altercation? It is also not easy to climb with an injured hand. It’s not impossible but merely harder. But it would still put me at a disadvantage, and that’s not smart.
“You’re not cutting yourself.” Bonte issues the order; her tone is snappy as she tries to thrust authority into it.
I stare at her, slightly amused. “Fine, but I’ll have you know?—”
She lunges for me. I drop the knife to ensure she isn’t cut. That wouldn’t end well for Eros or me. I let her pin me down on the couch. “It worked!”
“You could have been hurt.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me.” She leans down and kisses the tip of my nose before sitting back up. Mac spins the knife on the table like a bottle.
“We need another plan.”
“If you won’t allow me to cut myself, I’ll have to find someone else.”
“Or you can come up with a reason to go to the hospital that could be internal,” Mac suggests.
“I’ll find someone.” I stand. No better time than the present.
“We’re going now?” Bonte hops up.
“Maybe you should stay.”
“Hey, I can do this too.” Her lips turn downwards in a frown, and that bothers me.
“Fine,” I agree. She and Mac high-five, and I swipe my knife back off the table, returning it to the clip on my back and righting my windbreaker to make sure it’s well hidden.
“So, the plan?” Mac asks as we exit the Four Seasons, heading in the direction of the hospital on foot. It’s not far, and it’s part of why I chose this hotel. The other is because when you put yourself in the heart of a city, it’s easier to blend and get out.
You can cause chaos or slip into the shadows. It always depends on the situation for which you should choose. This one would be easy to slip from with all its exits, two even into large garages. It would be hard for someone to corner you. I think we caused enough chaos the other night at the club.
I stop walking when we’re a block out, my eyes running up and down the street. A man passes by.
