In the dark, my thoughts are loud. The wonky, uncomfortable bed reminds me of Leon’s apartment, and the luxury that is his room. Instead of feeling safe, like I did in his bed, my insides are knotted.
If only he were here with me. The thought is sudden and unwelcome, and I squash it down with all the determination I canmuster. He made his choice to break my fucking heart. After his outburst, his presence would hardly make me feel safer. Persephone, on the other hand, I’d pay good money to have lying next to me right now. Not only is she an absolute beast, she’s also a total girl’s girl, who chose my side over her Leon’s. Warmth floods my belly remembering how moved I was by her.
My mind is an absolute mess of emotions. Fear, grief, anxiety, and even love. They all fight for dominance inside of me, and I can feel every kick.
I should have left Sophie’s apartment the moment Leon found out my full name. News travels fast, and it was only a matter of time before my past caught up with me. Still, I was too heartsick to plan another escape. I just wanted the comfort of the closest thing I have to a home, and here I am again, in a random motel with a backpack to my name.
Seems like no matter how much I run; I always end up in the same place. Afraid and alone.
CHAPTER 26
Leon
After another sleepless night, I’m back at my public office, sneering at the sight of my desk. I would have already changed it if not for the desperate connection to that piece of furniture. Even though it’s exactly what I hate about it, it’s still the place I see her the clearest. I start my day with a shot of rakia, something that has become a habit ever since I realized she played me.
Williams arrives bright and early, the hair on his upper lip trembling with nerves. He clears his throat. “Dominik told me you wanted to see me.”
“I do. Please take a seat.” He lowers into a chair. “Can I offer you a drink?”
“No, thank you. It’s still early for me.” He politely declines.
I suppress a roll of my eyes. It’s never too early when your life is falling apart. I would argue that it’s hard to start drinking earlyenoughto forget about that minor fact. Still, I respect his decision and pour myself another glass.
“Dom must have told you about a man we need intel on. One of your own.”
He lets out a shaky breath, interlacing his fingers in his lap. “He did.”
Ilean into my chair. “Tell me all about Robert Welding.”
He looks to both sides as if checking if someone’s listening before speaking, “I-I don’t know much.” My eyebrows lift. “But I know he has gotten to his position mighty fast. It’s unheard of for a man of his age to be a deputy chief.”
I give him a small nod to urge him on.
“There’s also…talks. About him being involved with some shady business. Paying people to shut their mouths, even shutting them up in other ways.”
It’s obvious he’s afraid of the guy. And Williams has worked with us for years. He has seen some shit. “There’s a file I need you to look into. Most of it is sealed. I need the full file.” From the first drawer of my desk, I extract the manila folder that caused me so much pain.
“How soon do you need it?” he asks.
“Yesterday.”
He nods profusely. “I’ll do my best. But I need to cover my tracks.” He slips the folder into his jacket and lifts from the chair.
“Speaking of covering tracks… We have a big job coming up soon. I’ll need your help on that.”
“Of course. You just let me know the details.”
We shake hands, and Williams leaves my office. I use my desk phone to order a coffee. I should probably eat, too, so I order a meal from the breakfast menu.
My fork dances around the plate as I force myself to eat. I’m about halfway done with my meal when Dom greets me with his presence. Just by the tight set of his massive shoulders, I know he’s about to tell me something I won’t like. Again.
“Spill it,” I say, taking a big gulp of coffee.
“I just spoke to Andre. He says that Alex hasn’t left the apartment in days. She also hasn’t turned on any lights.” My eyebrows raise. “In two days.”
“Jebemu mater.”Motherfucker. I finish the coffee in a single sip and button the jacket of my suit while getting up from the chair. “Let’s fucking go.”
One thing about Dom is he’s always ready for anything. He doesn’t bat an eye when I change all our plans for today and stomps to our car in the garage. He weaves through traffic like a professional driver as I try to check my emails, with my thoughts barely present.
