All I need is to hear her voice. That’s it.
When the call connects, it isn’t Lila’s voice on the other end.
Her bodyguard answers instead. And she says one of the last things I want to hear. “We have a problem.”
FIFTY-ONE
Rude awakening
LILA
Several Minutes Earlier
Instead of being gentlynudged back into consciousness, I’m startled awake by raucous pounding on a hard surface. Hopefully, that surface isn’t my head.
Rubbing my eyes, I sit up and attempt to figure out what time it is. Or what day it is.
For that matter, where am I?
Rather than refreshing me, that brief nap hit me like a truck.
As my vision comes into focus, I see I’m in Reed’s bedroom.
A female voice greets my ears. “Lila, sorry to wake you. Can I come in?”
Through the muddled fog of exhaustion, I recognize the voice.
I toss the covers off and thrust my feet to the floor. “Yep. Come in, Kri.”
She peeks through the crack in the door before easing in.“I wanted to let you sleep, but your phone is blowing up. Unfortunately, you need to deal with this.”
It took me a solid hour to fall asleep because Kenzie was relentlessly texting and calling. I eventually gave my phone to Kri and asked her to watch it in case Reed tried to contact me.
A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand reveals I managed to grab about two hours of sleep.
Judging by the apologetic look on my bodyguard’s face, that’ll have to do.
I stand, stretching both arms over my head. Through a yawn, I ask, “Kenzie again?”
Kri’s expression holds hints of sympathy. “Yes, but it’s getting worse.” She briefly nibbles her lip, then reluctantly adds, “She’s here.”
That little fun fact awakens me better than a triple espresso. “She’s here? Inside the condo?” I peek around Kri toward the hallway as if I’m waiting for my friend to give me a jump scare.
“No. Down in the lobby,” she clarifies, closing the distance between us, returning my phone to me. “At least, that’s what I’m assuming.”
Before I take it, I put my hand on my chest, exhaling a tinge of relief.
My silence has driven Kenzie to do the unthinkable—show up on her brother’s doorstep. Given how rocky their relationship has been these last few years, I’m a tad surprised she knows where he lives.
I skim the multitude of texts from Kenzie. “Her messages don’t mention anything about her coming over. How do you know she’s here?”
“My partner Aaron is patrolling the building for us, remember?” She retrieves her phone from her back pocket, quickly swiping to reveal an image. “He texted this picture to me. It’s a woman attempting to access this floor. The security guard in the lobby tipped him off.”
I tentatively glance at the photo. Andmy heart sinks.
Although this picture of Kenzie isn’t as horrifying as the one Silas showed me, it still stings to see it.
This is the first time I’ve seen my best friend since I realized she’d masterminded the end of my relationship with Reed.
