Page 75 of Unmasked Dreams


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“Congratulations!” she said. Her voice was full of happiness for me. Every moment of pleasure I might have found in winning the cup was washed away with fear and guilt.

“Jada’s in trouble,” I told her.

“What?” she said, all joy ripped from her voice.

“I can’t go into everything right now, but I?we?need your help.”

“Okay,” she said firmly.

“Vi. This… It’s risky.”

“It’s Jada. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

It didn’t surprise me she was willing to jump into danger for her friend. That was Vi. Brave and strong just like the superhero Jersey had created after her. My body, brain, and heart were warring with themselves. I was silent so long Violet had to jerk me back to her.

“Dawson?”

“Vi…” Emotion clogged my throat.

“It’s okay. I want to do this,” she said.

“Dawson, we’re here,” Dax called out.

I’d already opened the can of worms with Vi. She’d never let it go now. I should have considered it longer before involving her. Regret filled me. I could taste it, bitter and metallic, in my mouth. Like blood.

I told her I was sending my “friend” Nolan over to help, and that I’d call her back. Nolan would hand her a secure phone, and I’d be able to talk to her in more detail from there.

I brought out my personal phone and sent a text to Jada.

ME: Hold on. Plan coming.

JADA: I’m sorry.

Which meant she was sobering up.

ME: Stay safe, and it’ll be apology enough. I need an hour at least, but I promise I’ll get you out of there.

I still didn’t want to mention Violet. I wanted Violet to have a chance to back out after I told her the entire plan.

I blew out a deep breath before marching up the stairs.

The yacht club’s pier was ahead of us. A crowd was gathered on it, and as we slowed down to pull close, the noise was almost deafening. Way louder than the clamor of voices that had been there when we’d raced to Morocco and back. The screams and shouts and cheers were practically rebounding in the air. It should have been a happy moment, but instead, my stomach was a knot of fear. I had to get away from the crowd, talk to Violet and Malone, and retrieve Jada. I couldn’t spend hours chatting with the media like we’d planned.

“We’ll say there’s a family emergency, and you’ll do interviews later,” Dax said grimly, reading my mind.

“Dax…I?”

“I don’t want to know, Dawson. Honestly. Whatever the two of you are involved in, the less I know, the better. Just keep her safe.”

Even though it was true, it put a wedge between us that had never been there before. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin our friendship?our partnership?and yet, I’d already put it all at risk by loading the cash into our yacht, by designing the compartments that would be installed in any yacht theKyodainabought from us. Worse, I’d basically lied to him when he’d called me on it. I think the lie would be what hurt the most.

I should have brought him on board ages ago. In some ways, it would have been easier. But I was pretty sure he wouldn’t have agreed. He hated Jada’s family. So, I’d kept it a secret, thinking I wouldn’t lose him and everything I’d worked hard for. Now, I might lose it all anyway.

The mob at the pier was an ecstatic cacophony. Cameras were filming as we tied up and disembarked. We had microphones shoved in our faces, and we smiled and gave them a little show. I was the Dawson I appeared to the world after all my wins. Cocky, smiling, sure. While Dax waited for Demario to dock, I slipped away. I took Dax’s car he’d left at the pier and went to the hotel.

Once I’d checked in, I changed, donned a baseball cap, and headed back out. I left the lobby behind, wound through the streets, and stopped at a café before I called Malone’s number.

“Nolan’s at the house. He swept for bugs, gave her a secure phone, and is wiring her up,” Malone said in lieu of a greeting.