Bliss cringed. “What if they don’t get the message in time?”
“They will. I’ll use their group phones. They religiously carry those with them at all times in case they need each other.” I shrugged. “This time, it’ll just be me who needs them. They’ll be there. If I tell them any earlier than that, they’ll try to stop me.”
“Agreed,” Bliss said. “I don’t like it, but I can see why it needs to be this way.” She grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I’ll come with you.”
“You absolutely will not. You have kids to think about.” I swallowed hard. “And this is something I think I need to do for myself.”
I wanted the guys there to back me up. But it needed to be me who put herself out on the line.
Toby had done it for me, paying the ultimate price for my safety.
It needed to be me.
Bliss dropped my fingers reluctantly. “Okay. So that just leaves the question of, how do you get this guy to follow you up there? You could put a public post up on social media maybe? Say you’re going up there to say goodbye to Toby?”
My gaze bounced around the room, eyeing the familiar and unfamiliar faces, and finally settling on that of my foster brother. I had no proof he was involved, and yet my brain screamed warnings every time he was near.
It was awfully convenient that he was back in town right as all of this started happening.
And he was on the list.
I dragged my gaze back to Bliss. “Whoever this guy is, he’s followed me before. He’ll follow me again.”
28
X
Ten minutes earlier.
Ipaced the sidewalk in front of Psychos, catching little glimpses of Violet talking to Whip and Levi inside. They were taking too long. They were probably talking about all the hot, dirty sex they’d had while I was out digging a shallow grave in hard soil with a couple of Slayers prospects who kept gagging at the sight of the dead body.
Amateurs.
Whip found me at some point after I’d told the prospects to go home and take a chill pill. He’d helped me fix that problem.
Only then, we’d walked into a few new ones.
Hence why were here now, needing Levi’s help. Rather than sweeping inside, plucking Violet up into my arms, and whisking her away somewhere romantic since I was due some X and Violet time.
Levi and Whip had gotten theirs last night.
Which I would not be thinking about because the idea of them all over her, when I wasn’t around to watch, made me feel vaguely like murdering someone.
Though to be fair, I’d already done a whole lot of that today, so the urge was a tad bit dramatic.
A couple rounded the corner and strolled toward Psychos. It was only as they passed beneath the streetlight that I realized they were two men, and they were both wearing police uniforms.
Well, that was just great. I motioned for Whip and Levi to hurry up.
Then got distracted waving at Violet.
She was so pretty.
“That your ice cream van?”
Well, fuck. Apparently I’d gotten distracted long enough for the cops to walk right on up to me. I not so casually leaned over and pulled the shade down over the window that read, “Closed.” “Sorry, boys. I’m off duty tonight.”
One of them peered up at the list of flavors and sundaes I had painted on the side of the van. “Shame. I could have gone for a banana split.” He looked at me hopefully, like I might open up the van just for him.
