“Maybe they figured out Hailey was Alex’s side piece and one of Rhett’s men was bringing her in?” Ryder offers.
“That’d mean Rhett knew she was coming. He wouldn’t let her leave. Especially if she’d seen him kill.”
“It’d be helpful to knowwhohe killed,” Broadway says.
“That it would, but given the situation, he won’t tell me shit if I ask. Letting him know I’m onto him would paint an even bigger target on Hailey’s back. The risk outweighs the reward. It’s not worth it.”
Checking the time on my wristwatch, I turn to wake Hailey and find her staring right at me, her blue eyes rested, chin touching the back of the couch. A soft blush creeps up her cheeks, but she pushes away her shyness as she sits up.
“I think I know how to trigger another memory.”
34
HAILEY
“What kind of memory?” Carter asks, crouching before me, his hands moving to caress my thighs.
It’s crazy how much I crave him. Whenever he’s close, my heart stutters, my blood runs a fever, and my mind fills with an image of him hovering over me in bed, his muscles shifting under black ink, eyes boring into mine, hips thrusting.
He smells like the most erotic, divine mixture of scents: spicy cologne, mint, smoke, and leather. The white shirt—two buttons at the top always popped—waistcoat that matches his pants, the holster at the small of his back, bracelets, watch, tattoos...
I shudder softly, my skin tingling.
“Do you have a picture of Aalyiah?”
I’ve been dissecting the memory I saw at Blaze’s, scrutinizing my reaction and Alex’s words. Now Carter thinks I was at the warehouse on the night of the accident, meeting Aalyiah is the most plausible explanation.
Carter gets instantly defensive, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “Why do you want to see her?”
Because I think I might’ve met her at the warehouse.
It makes sense... Alex loved her and his feelings complicated his job. He was in danger and I didn’t want him dead. Maybe I thought telling Aalyiah about us would break them up and Alex would drop the case?
I’m too worried about Carter’s reaction to say it out loud. Instead, I huff out an exasperated breath. “It’s the only idea I have and it’s worth a try, so can you please show me her picture?”
“You never saw her, Hailey.”
For the first time the protectiveness shadowing his words isn’t for me. It’sagainstme and I realize how important Aalyiah was to him.
I cover his hand with mine, drawing little hearts in the crook of his thumb. “You don’t know that. It’s been weeks, Carter. My memories aren’t coming back. The safe house is compromised. If we move to another, how long before your father finds us? This needs to end.Ican end it. I just need triggers. Right now Aalyiah might be the trigger I need.”
“When would you have seen her?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Not so long ago, I didn’t think I knew her name, then Blaze said it and I remembered hearing it from Alex. Maybe I’ve seen her.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Broadway says from behind the bar.
I’m not surprised he’s on my side. He’s been growing more anxious lately. Every time Carter’s phone rings and he leaves to answer, Broadway starts swearing while he nervously paces the room. It’s not until Carter summons him to explain what was said that he calms down.
“It’s just a picture,” he adds. “What harm will it do?”
“None,” I insist. “You can tie me up again if you want.”
“Tie you up?” Koby cocks an eyebrow, his eyes sparkling. “Do tell. This sounds interesting.”
“I don’t exactly know what’s happening with me whenever I have a flashback, so last time, Carter tied me to a tree.”
“Fuck that’s kinky.”
