by Sophia Sharp
Rich is going to be pissed when he finds me gone, I think as I lock the door behind me. Whatever. I can withstand his anger. If that’s what I have to endure to be there for Min when she wakes up, so be it.
I walk down the long, narrow hall, absorbed in my thoughts. I’m looking at my feet, so I have only the barest amount of time to react when I turn the corner and almost bump head-first into a tall man.
“Sorry,” I mumble, looking up. “I…”
The words die on my tongue. My heart freezes in my chest. I know this man. I know his cold, beady eyes. I know his clammy, pallid complexion. I know his terrifying, slithering voice.
Tam.
I turn and run. But not before a hand darts out and grabs my elbow. I jerk free and stumble back. My feet tangle. I fall.
Tearing pain rips through my torso. I cry out. I try to scramble up, but I can’t gather the strength. My mind is screaming at me in alarm as I desperately scuttle backwards. Shit, shit, shit! I should have stayed in my room. I should have—
“Penny!” I open my eyes, shocked to hear Rich’s voice. He rushes to me and goes to his knees. “Are you all right?”
Did I just mistake him for Tam? What the hell is wrong with me? “Rich, I thought…”
I trail off. No, I did not mistake him at all. Tam is also here, standing behind Rich. Silently observing me with his haunted eyes.
I look back at Rich in alarm. Tam is one of the bad guys. He and Victor work together. Why is he here? Why is Rich so calm about it?
“Let me help you up.” Rich hoists me by my good arm, careful not to cause undue discomfort. I stand on my own feet, but I have to lean against Rich for support. I’m too shaken to manage by myself.
Tam still hasn’t said anything. I watch, horrified, as a slow, bloodless smile curls on his lips. For the first time, I think I see a tiny spark in his eyes. Is he… amused?
“Richard,” I say very slowly, not taking my eyes off the other man while pressing my back into the wall to get as far away from him as possible, “Would you please tell me what he is doing here?”
“Penny, relax. He came with me.”
“With you?” I repeat, breathless.
“Yes. Tam has offered to help us find Victor.”
I blink, not understanding. “Why would he do that?”
“Because, dear, I am a professional,” Tam offers. His voice is just as I remember: Soft and slow. Dangerous. It sends a shiver down my spine.
“I went to RedArm,” Rich explains. “To see if Calloway could help us track down Amanda and Victor. He said he already has someone on it.” Rich looks over his shoulder to make it crystal clear who he means.
“You’re helping us now,” I say softly, looking at Tam. He watches me impassively. It’s scary how he can keep such perfect control over his emotions. “So you… work for RedArm? Or are you like a contractor?”
“It does not matter who I am or what I was,” Tam answers. “All there is to understand is that, now, I offer my services to you.”
“Huh.” I turn my head toward Rich. “And it’s not the least bit discomforting to you that last week, he had me tied up in a freezer?”
“To me, no,” Tam offers.
Rich takes my arm again. “Come here, Penny. I need to talk to you.” He leads me away from Tam, who calmly watches us go. We turn a corner.
“Are you insane?” I hiss at Rich as soon as we’re out of hearing. “You brought him here?”
“From what I understand, he’s one of the best,” Rich says.
“Rich, he tried to kidnap your sister! Not to mention everything he did to me!”
Rich’s eyes focus on me. “Everything he did to you? You weren’t supposed to be touched! Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“No, no! Not like that!” I backtrack. “I mean, the whole held-captive-in-a-chair thing.”
“Did he hurt you there??” Rich demands.
“No,” I say, “But—”
“But what?” Rich sounds like he’s getting irritated again. “Penny, if something happened to you that you didn’t tell me about…”
“It’s not that,” I say. I shiver, remembering my time in that terrifying, dark room. “Actually, Victor was the one who tried to hit me. Tam stopped him.”
Rich exhales in relief. “See? Tam’s a professional, like he said. He was doing what he was paid to do.”
“And that was?”
“Delivering Min to New York to give RedArm leverage over my father. Calloway said it himself: Nobody was supposed to be hurt. Until last night, nobody was.”
“So what?” I ask. “You’re best friends with the man who sent thugs after your sister?”
Rich lowers his voice as he looms over me. “Look, Penny. My hands are tied here. We don’t have many allies. Let’s not spit in the face of the ones we do have, hmm? Calloway has resources we can use. I will use them if it means keeping you and Min safe.”
“Safe?” I gesture sharply down the hall. “You call working with one of his thugs ‘safe’?”
“Victor’s the loose screw, not Tam,” Rich stresses. “And he’s not a thug. He’s ex-FBI.”
“Great,” I say. “We have a trained killer with us.”
Rich rolls his eyes. “Don’t be melodramatic. All I meant is that Tam is trained for the job. Would you rather have him with us, or against us?”
“I’d rather not have him at all!” I protest.
“And then what? Think, Penny! You want to try finding Victor and Amanda by ourselves? Just me and you? Oh, and I forgot! We also have to watch over Min at the same time! Come on. Think before you suggest these things!”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“That’s what it sounded like. We’re wasting time. Tam is here, whether you like it or not. He is going to help us, whether you like it or not. Now, you can either accept that and start being useful, or you can get out of the way.
I stiffen. “What did you just say?” I ask dangerously.
“You heard me, Penny. Are you with me, or not?”
“With you?” I scoff. “You promised we would be a team, Rich. So far, I haven’t seen it.”
“God, this is ridiculous,” Rich spits. “Do you know why I didn’t ask you, Penny? Because I knew you would bicker with me like this!”
“Then why the hell am I even here?” I snap. I start to walk away, angry at him. “Screw you, Rich. You obviously don’t need me.”
He grabs my arm and holds on tight. “Where do you think you’re going?” he growls.
“Somewhere where my presence matters. I’m going to Min.” I look at the hand holding me. “Now let go of my arm.”
“Penny, you are not walking out of this hotel on your own.” Rich tightens his grip. His fingers dig into me skin.”
“Rich, let go. You’re hurting me.”
“No,” he says, “I’m not.” He barks a crude laugh. “You have no fucking idea what it would feel like if I really wanted to hurt you.”
I can’t believe my ears. “Are you threatening me?”
“You’re being an obstinate brat, so yes, I am. I’m warning you. Don’t walk down that hallway.”
I glare at him, refusing to back down. Even though he’s so much bigger than I am, I know he’d never hurt me. Not really. “Who’s going to stop me?”
“Penny, why are you being so fucking difficult?”
“Why can’t you keep your promises?”
“I don’t believe this.” Rich shakes his head. “Are we really back to that topic again?”
“Yes!” I exclaim, ripping my arm free. The sudden movement makes my side feel like it’s being sliced in two with a hot knife. I don’t show it. “This might be a hard concept for you to grasp, Rich, but trust matters to me!”
He looks confused. “Are you saying you don’t trust me?”
“I’m saying you don’t trust me!” I shove a finger in his chest. “I’m on your side, Rich. But you never treat me as such. You never ask me what I think, or how I f
eel. You don’t consult with me. You just… act.”
Rich snickers. “I told you the night at the pub. It’s what you do to me.”
“So this is somehow my fault?”
“It’s nobody’s fault.” Rich takes both my hands and holds them together. He softens his voice. I can even see the beginning of a smile as he talks. “Why are we arguing? That’s not what I want to do.” He looks into my eyes. “Do you?”
“No,” I admit. I look down and away from his penetrating stare.
“Then let’s stop.” He leans his forehead against mine. “I love you,” he whispers. “Even when you get feisty like this.”
“Feisty?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Feisty,” Rich nods. “I like seeing you all passionate.” He lowers my voice. “It turns me on. It’s a shame we’re not alone now, or I’d pick you up and fuck you right against this wall.”
Oh, wow. A rush of heat scorches through my body at his words. I can feel his smoldering eyes on me. I meet his gaze, and have to swallow. He’s serious.
Very, very, serious.
“So what do you say?” he rumbles in my ear. “Can you stand to let me make the decisions for now? At least, until all of this is over? And then, I promise you…” his voice becomes thick and raspy, “…I will take all of your suggestions to heart.”
I swat his arm to dispel some of the intensity between us. I don’t need him making me feel all hot and flustered when there’s no outlet for it.
“Tam’s waiting,” I remind him.
“I know. Are you ready to go back there? Do you trust me when I say we can’t do this without him?”
“It’s not exactly like you’re giving me a choice.”
Rich chuckles. “You’re right. I’ll try to work on that,” he pauses, “when the saga of Victor and Amanda comes to an end.”
“Agreed.” I hold out my hand.
Rich frowns down at me. “What’s this?”
“I remembered the only promise you ever kept was one we shook on.” I look at my outstretched hand. “I’m not about to forget that again.”
Rich laughs, takes my hand, and shakes.
Chapter Sixteen
“Here is everything I’ve seen,” Tam says, laying out a series of photographs on the small table in our room. The three of us surround it. I’m still uncomfortable with Tam’s presence, so I make sure Rich always stays between me and him.
The first set of photos shows Amanda and Victor together in a small car. I can tell by the landscape that the photos were taken in Oregon. The pictures show them getting out, then walking down the street together.
“I took these two days after the incident in Amanda’s home,” Tam explains.
“Why were you taking pictures of your partner?” I ask, not understanding. “I mean, weren’t you two still… you know, a team?”
“In theory,” Tam acknowledges. “But I saw a change in Victor after he lost you.” Tam looks at me with no emotion on his face or in his voice.
“You mean after Rich rescued me,” I correct.
“Yes. Victor did not divulge the particulars of his failure.” Tam looks at Rich. “But they were easy to piece together.”
“I didn’t ask you this before because I wanted Penny to hear,” Rich says. “But how did you and Victor find Amanda?”
“She contacted us.”
“What?” Rich and I exclaim at the same time.
Tam tilts his head slightly. “She heard about the problem at RedArm. Of course, we knew of her relationship with you,” Tam’s eyes flash at Rich, “but until that moment we did not know of her more recent one with your father.”
Rich stiffens. “What did you say?”
“Amanda has been in contact with your father for years.” If Tam enjoys revealing this to Rich, he hides it extremely well. “Once we discovered the link, we found plane tickets, wire transfers, and other connections confirming their relationship.”
I see Rich’s hands form tight fists on the table. “Are you saying that—” he takes a breath, “—Amanda was one of my father’s mistresses?”
Tam’s lips curl in that frightening smile. “Yes.”
“GODDAMMIT!” Rich roars, bursting from the table. The outburst startles me. Tam remains unaffected.
“I don’t believe it,” Rich says, pacing the room. The combination of the hard boot on his broken foot and a normal shoe on the other foot make a clunk-clack, clunk-clack pattern against the floor. “Amanda and my father?” He shakes his head. “That’s fucking sick. Twisted.” He turns on Tam. “How long has this been going on?”
“The first rendezvous we found dates back four years,” Tam answers casually. “Since then, there have been countless encounters in hotels, rented properties—”
“Enough!” Rich snaps, glowering at Tam. “I don’t want to hear any more!”
Tam’s voice does not change. Nothing about him, that I can tell, changes. But when he speaks, it feels like the room has been overtaken by a blizzard. “I will advise you, only once, not to speak to me that way.”
Rich glares at Tam. His neck muscles tighten. Tam looks back plainly. I can feel a confrontation coming on. I inch away. I knew bringing Tam here was a bad idea. And now that Rich’s temper has been fanned, there’s no way he’ll calm—
“You’re right.” Rich lowers his head. “I apologize.”
My eyes widen. Rich? Saying sorry? It almost strains belief.
“I accept. I trust we will avoid similar situations in the future?” Tam’s question is not a question but a statement.
Rich sits beside me again. His anger hasn’t faded, but he’s doing a very good job restraining it. Maybe I can learn a thing or two from Tam.
“Are you okay?” I ask, putting my hand over Rich’s.
He nods once. “I just never expected… fuck, but I should have seen this coming!”
“You had no way of knowing,” I reassure him.
Rich shakes his head. “I should have gotten suspicious when Amanda’s texts and emails to me started increasing. It was right around the time Min found me.”
“I thought you said you’d been in touch with her consistently after your breakup?”
“Consistently, but sporadically,” Rich answers. Tam watches patiently as he waits for our conversation to finish. The man might creep me out, but his patience is impressive. “No more than once every few months. Come to think of it, I remember she was the one who initiated contact at first, after the breakup. Right around four years ago.”
“When she started seeing your father,” I say.
Rich grunts.
“Back on topic,” Tam reminds us. “Victor began acting strange after his failure. When he and I met with Amanda, and she brought us to you—only to find you’d escaped again—he took it personally. I went back to await further instructions from RedArm. He went to pursue you on his own. I had to track him without his knowing. I knew he could jeopardize our objective.”
Tam lays out another set of photographs on the table. “These are from four days after we lost track of you.”
I recognize the buildings in the background. “That’s the college town where I used to live!”
“Huh. She cut her hair,” Rich comments.
Tam nods. “This is right around the time of the apartment fire.”
“You know about that?” I gasp.
“Yes. I said I lost you, not Victor.”
“Were you in contact with him during this time?” Rich asks.
“No. As soon as he went on his own, RedArm nullified his contract. I remained vigilant to ensure he would not do anything that might harm the well-being of our target.”
“Min,” Rich says dryly.
“So you were telling the truth, then,” I say, looking from Tam to Rich, and back again. “I didn’t believe it for the longest time. Min and I were really not supposed to be hurt?”
“No harm would have come to Ms. Blackthorne as long as her father cooperated,” Tam offers. “As for you? No
. You were not who we wanted.” I hate how he can say things like that with so little emotion.
“So then what happened?” Rich demands. “Where did your vigilance go when Victor and Amanda rammed into our car?”
Tam’s eyes tighten ever-so-slightly. It’s a warning. The tension in the room thickens. I bet Rich’s question teeters right on the edge of that invisible line Tam forbade him from crossing.
“He means, how did Victor and Amanda get to us without your knowledge?” I correct, hoping to avoid an unnecessary confrontation.
Tam looks at me. His dark eyes glisten. “Even I have my faults. I am not above admitting that. I lost track of them when they arrived in New York. But, since yesterday, I believe I have narrowed their location down to three different hotels. They have rooms in each.”
“Good,” Rich says. He glances at me. “See? I knew this would be useful.”
“Do you still want to talk to Amanda?” I ask. “Considering the new information?”
“I have to, Penny. I have no choice.” Rich grimaces. “Even if it angers me just thinking of what that means…”
“I also took these,” Tam interjects. “From this morning.” He takes out an envelope from his jacket and hands it to Rich. “Please, take a look.”
Rich opens the envelope and pulls out a batch of photographs. He angles them toward me so I can see. The first is of Amanda, wearing large, dark sunglasses, and walking down a street. Alone. In the second, she’s hailing a cab. The next shows her walking from the cab into a full parking lot. There’s another of her opening the door to a car, and finally driving away.
Rich stops flipping through them. “Does she know you took these?”
Tam raises a single, questioning eyebrow. That’s enough of an answer for Rich.
He continues through the pictures. There are some of the back of Amanda’s car in traffic. Some of her driving down a long, isolated country road. My stomach clenches as I recognize the surrounding trees. I don’t need the final pictures to know where she ends up: Rich’s father’s penitentiary.
Rich grunts and stuffs the pictures back into the envelope. “I need to see him,” he says softly.
I take hold of his arm. “Rich, are you sure that’s a good idea?”
