“I’m here because I think my dad and his buddy are going to screw you over…,” she shakes her head, making her ponytail bounce around. I have a brief thought of what it would be like to use it to capture her pretty mouth in a kiss. I knew I was being double crossed. Still, what would push her to come tell me? That’s her father, and she’s putting him in jeopardy by telling me. It’s not like I have a choice on what to do.
She walks off the elevator, and internally, I’m telling her to turn around. When she gets to the point that I know she can see me and E-Z standing there—although that part is purposefully out of the view of the camera—she backs up quickly and hides at the corner. It’s clear she sees and hears everything—especially when her body jerks and her hand slaps over her mouth.
Fuck! I’m going to have to deal with her.
I watch as she runs to the stairs and then the camera jumps to her running past the empty front desk and out of the building.
Damn it. I’m going to have to take Donovan’s daughter and hold her—while praying I can make her keep her damn mouth shut. First thing first, though, I need to get a hold of E-Z and bring him back. Something is up with this heist and with Donovan and Bones. I’m going to need his help immediately.
I stand up, ready to tell the security team on duty to get the company jet up and running. I’ve got to go to that damn museum and see what’s going on. I’ll call Ryan O’Leary and E-Z from the plane. I need to get to the museum in Chicago quickly. The only problem is, even while I’m planning, the entire world starts shifting and the room starts to spin around me. My vision starts to blur, blacking around the edges.
“Fuck!” I moan, just as I crash to the floor and then… everything goes black.
CHAPTER 13
BELLE
I'm trying to get out of my head. I need to stop all the racing thoughts, but everything just feels out of control. My dad is entirely M.I.A. He mentioned going away with his girlfriend Orla. I didn’t ask him to explain even though. He didn’t offer details either. I mean, it’s not like I really want to be near him. I haven't truly talked to him since the night he hit me.
Instead of running far away from my father—from Killian—like I should, I'm tucking myself into the small apartment, eating my feelings in the form of my favorite ice cream. It may not make sense, but it’s what I’m doing just the same.
My brain feels heavy as it scrambles from the overload of worries and emotion. I think about my dad hitting me, double crossing a mafia boss—betraying Killian—and now, he has a girlfriend? All of it is so confusing, and I don’t know what to do about any of it. My father has obviously lost his mind. I wish I could confide in someone. There’s no one, however, and I can’t help Killian, that much is clear. Going back to see him is definitely out of the question.
The flashbacks of hearing the gun go off and Killian murdering those men make me jump as if I'm still there. I can't believe the man that told me I would be safe with him so viciously took two lives like it was nothing.
If I had told him about my father, would he have taken his anger out on me? Would he have shot me? I want to say he wouldn’t, but I know I’m being naïve. There’s no way that I could know for sure.
I turn on the television and find another one of those sappy rom-coms to watch. No action, no horror, nothing that might make my anxiety and panic increase. It's towards the end, and the girl is finally admitting to herself that she loves the guy. If only real life worked as simple as it always does in movies. I think about how sexy Killian's voice was and how my heart raced as he followed me up the stairs to my apartment. I shake my head. I can’t think of how attracted I was to Killian. If anything, I need to remember that he’s a murderer.
Time to ignore everything and just focus on the movie. Before I even begin to realize it, I've watched three back-to-back. My eyes start to get heavy as I rest my head on the arm of the couch. I yawn before falling into sleep.
I'll roll my luggage behind me as I rush to my gate. This is it. My freedom. I have butterflies bouncing around in my stomach. My heart is aching as tears stream down my face. My first and only flight, and it's getting me out of here, away from everything.