“Might have an answer,” he murmurs.
I chuckle, clearing my throat before I continue. “Guy came barreling through town in a tricked-out Lexus. Suit was expensive. Nevada plates. Never seen him before. Name was Dante Barone. You heard of him?”
There is a moment of silence before Shocker clears his throat. “Nevada?” he asks.
“Nevada,” I confirm.
“Barone sounds familiar, but not Dante. Maybe his dad? Mobster kinda guy. We used to go to Vegas sometimes, do a little gambling, hang out with one of the charters over there. Haven’t been in years, but we ran around a bit back in the seventies.” He chuckles before he has a slight coughing fit.
“Millie was in Vegas,” I murmur.
“Yeah?”
I have no doubt whatsoever that Shocker knows Millie is back in town. I’m sure everyone does by now. But I humor him nonetheless.
“Dancing there. Had a good life. But she’s back in North Carolina, and I’ve got not the first clue as to why. Except seeing those Nevada plates, hearing that name, it made my cop brain tingle.”
“So you’ve done a bit of digging.”
I don’t tell him that I haven’t just done a bit of digging. I’ve memorized her every move in the past decade, at least anything she’s done that can be traced. Millie wasn’t just someone who got away from me. She wasthe onewho got away.
“All these questions, you gonna do something with the information?” Shocker asks.
“Do something?”
He hums. “Do something. You’re collecting evidence and information, but what good’s it to know any of this shit if you don’t do nothing?”
He’s right. I know he is, even if it’s annoying as fuck. I don’t want him to be right about this, and I hate that just because he’s the oldest one still active in the club, he thinks he’s the elder who has to give us advice all the damn time.
And the fucker of it is, his advice is solid, so you can’t even ignore it.
“I’m going to do something. I’m just not sure what yet.”
“Good. I’ve always liked Millie. Thought she was a cute kid.”
I almost tell him that he should see her now, but decide against it. Because the perverted old fuck would do just that, and then I’d have to hear about how hot she is. And I have plans to make her my old lady, so that would just piss me off.
“I always liked her, too, Shocker.”
“Let me call a couple of old fuckers, see what I can dig up on the name Barone. I’ll let you know what I find. Get some sleep.”
He can tell I’m tired, and I am. Exhausted even. I don’t think my mind has quieted down for even a minute since I fucked Millie. Being inside her felt like the hit of a drug that I didn’t know I needed, and now it’s all I want.
I’m addicted to her.
It only took once.
One hit of that woman, and I am done for.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
MILLIE
He’s here.I don’t know how I know, but I know. And he’s coming after me, but not yet. He’s going to watch me first. Make me look over my shoulder in fear and with anticipation of not only what is going to happen, but when.
Because it will happen. I know it will. I should have just stayed in Vegas, never put anyone else in danger. I should have let him do with me what he wanted, which I’m certain is kill me and leave me in the Nevada desert somewhere, allowing it to consume my body.
And it would have consumed me, too. It would have been as if I’d never existed. Vanished into thin air. Pressing my lips together, I shake my head and hitch my duffel bag over my shoulder before I head home.
