Page 93 of Redemption
Harry hugs me, then pulls back, gripping my shoulders. “You ever need anything, you know where we are,” he croaks before stepping back.
I look up to the sky as my eyes well with tears. When it’s safe, I give him a nod of my head. It’s all I can manage, and I refuse to cry after I just admonished Eleanor.
I walk to the car and open the door, throwing my bag in the footwell. With one foot inside the car, I turn back to them both.
“I can never thank you both enough for…” I wave my hand in front of my face, but it’s too late. Tears tumble down my face like a damn waterfall. “Oh, God.” I swipe at my face. “I love you,” I quickly call out before slamming the door shut only to hear Roxy laughing.
“It’s not funny. Just bloody drive, Roxy.”
“You have no idea how funny it is to see you so emotional.” She pulls out of the drive, and I swear she mutters something about not being able to wait till later. I’m too busy waving goodbye to take much notice.
I was meant to be driving myself, but the garage called to say my car wouldn’t be ready, which is shit as it means I’ll have to organise getting it to the barn at some point.
Roxy quickly offered to drive me, claiming she wanted to see this amazing barn that I’ve told her all about. When I asked her about needing to get back to work, she told me she’s taken some time off. There’s something funny going on with her right now, but she’s being elusive and vague any time I ask her.
I could just be reading too much into it as she’s worked her arse off these last two weeks. Between everything that happened with Archie, I can’t bring myself to call him father, and getting Alicia and her mum set up in WitSec, she hasn’t stopped at all.
I’m so glad that Rick went to see her that night because I dread to think what would have happened to her if he hadn’t. It turns out that it was her dad who was the inside man at Lux Designs for Garcia. How he ever got involved with Garcia is a mystery, and one we’ll probably never get an answer to.
It seems that Tobias had no clue about any of it. We all thought Lottie was the target in our kidnapping but turns out it was me. Poor Lottie was another victim of collateral damage in something that should never have touched her. Another nail in Archie Collins’ coffin. It was him who arranged to have me kidnapped and get me out of the picture, but taking Lottie was their downfall. We believe that whoever lured Lottie to that building was someone she knew but was obviously on Collin’s payroll.
When Richard heard what had happened, he recommended Triple R to Tobias, which placed not only me on Archie and Garcia’s radar but Rick too. Although, from what Rick and I know, Garcia was always coming after Rick for what happened to his brother and for his part in bringing down Marcus and Tempest.
“What’s got you thinking so hard,” Roxy asks, breaking me out of my thoughts as we slip onto the motorway.
“Nothing really, just thinking.” Needing to change the subject, I ask, “How long you planning on staying, Rox?”
“Oh, I don’t know, few days. Maybe I’ll just never go home.” She laughs, but it’s completely fake. There’s no real humour and her smile doesn’t reach her eyes at all.
“Alright, enough is enough, spill the beans, Rox. What the fuck is going on with you?”
“Nothing. Why do you think something is going on with me?”
“Er, maybe because you’ve been off since the night of… And you never take time off and now you’re joking about never going home.”
“Joke, being the operative word there, JJ. And did you forget we just busted the biggest trafficking ring this country has ever seen? Besides, can’t a girl take some time out. Everyone needs a break now and again.”
“Fine, have it your way, but you’ll tell me soon.”
“Not that there’s anything to tell, but I’m a damn fortress. You ain’t getting shit from me unless I decide to give it to you.” She looks over at me, and I can’t help but laugh at her.
She’s not wrong about giving anything up that she doesn’t want to. Girl can keep a secret better than anyone I know and holds the longest grudges known to man.
Roxanne Whitmore is no wallflower and anyone stupid enough to think otherwise, better be prepared for a fucking war.
An hour into the journey, we stop at the services. Despite eating before we left, I’m craving some snacks.
Roxy tells me to go ahead as she needs to make a call, and she’ll meet me in there.
I use the loo, buy a ridiculous amount of snacks and am just queuing for coffees, when Roxy jumps into the queue beside me and almost causes me to drop everything.
“Fuck you,” I grumble when my heart finally returns to my chest.
“Next,” calls the cashier, and I move forward to place my order.
We get back to the car, and while I’m searching for the charger to my phone in the mountain of bags and boxes crammed into Roxy’s car, she gets in and starts the car.
Only it doesn’t start. It just makes a clicking noise, not even turning over.
