“So what do you need?” I prodded. “Let’s move on this.”
“To be honest, we’re in a good place,” he said, his voice detached and business-like. “We’ve almost got everything set up to be able to make our arrests.”
It was a surprise, but I was glad to hear it. My father’s brutal reign was almost over.
“Okay, so how soon are we talking?” I asked.
“These things take time,” Frank said. “Everything has to be by the books, the evidence has to be rock solid, we can’t risk a mistrial over a technicality, yadda yadda.”
“You’re telling me I’m supposed to just sit here and wait?” The fucking feds. It was infuriating. I didn’t have time for this shit.
“Everything’s under control. You gotta be patient,” he said calmly.
“I’ve been nothing but patient,” I shot back. “I put my ass on the line for you guys and every day that goes by is another day for him to plan a way out of this. I’m ready for things to start happening.”
“Soon,” Frank promised, unperturbed by my outburst. “Is that all?”
Tori’s name was on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to ask him about her, ask if she was safe—because he had to know that my wife was shacking up with his little brother by now. But I said nothing. I wasn’t supposed to know where she was, and I wanted to give her the space she needed, even if that space was in Gavin’s apartment. I’d honor what Tori wanted. For now.
“That’s all,” I said, and hung up.
* * *
When I got home,I found that my misery was about to have company. Because Gavin Chase was waiting for me in the lobby.
It took all my strength not to punch him in his face.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I said, causing the uniformed woman at the security desk to raise an eyebrow and lift the phone. “We’re good,” I told her. “No need to call the cops.”
Turning back to Gavin, I folded my arms and waited for his answer.
As much as I hated him, he didn’t seem the type to gloat. And looking closer, I realized his expression wasn’t one of smug victory. In fact, he looked worried. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he seemed uncharacteristically…slumped. A lot like me, come to think of it.
“Where’s Tori?” he demanded, obviously on edge. “You got her locked up in your apartment?”
“What, you can’t keep track of her either?” I shot back, bitterness seeping in. “Not my problem, now that she ran off to be with you.”
His face went slack. “What?”
“Yeah, I know all about it,” I said. “The last time anyone saw her, she was with you. So it was pretty fucking obvious she ran straight into your arms the second she walked out on me.”
“Wait, what are you talking about?” Gavin said, narrowing his eyes. “She didn’t run off to be with me. She’s been gone all week. I haven’t seen her since Monday.”
I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. “Are you lying to me right now? I’ve been calling you for days and you never picked up. Never returned a single one of my messages. What the hell are you trying to pull?”
Gavin’s eyes were wide. He took a step back, shaking his head.
“I blocked your number,” he said, pulling out his phone. “My brother thought it would be better if we didn’t have any direct contact. Look.”
He showed me the screen that listed all his blocked contacts. My number was right on the top of the list. No wonder he hadn’t gotten any of my frantic phone calls or messages.
My stomach dropped, my pulse kicking into overdrive.
“So you really haven’t seen Tori?” I asked.
“I swear to god I haven’t,” he said.
I sank down onto the lobby bench, Gavin standing warily over me. For a moment, I had no words. With sudden, gut-wrenching clarity, I realized that I should have looked harder for her. That I never should have stopped looking. I had let Tori down. I couldn’t believe I’d given up on her so easily.
