But I’m still distracted.
I'm also trying not to come off as paranoid. I shouldn't even know Annabelle has gone missing, and there's no guarantee Raj knows. I hope he doesn't, because if he does, that must mean they've canceled that party, and that's the last thing any of us wants. I've thought it over so much that cancelling the party seems almost crazy, but that's the outcome I want, so I'm not exactly unbiased.
I hate that I think about how she'll feel afterward, about my part in all this, about me. She says she's okay with it, but is she really? Would she be, if she realized the extent of it?
It has to be done though. Then Raj will have no reason to bother me and Annabelle won't have to fear her family. Realizing the way they'd been poisoning her with meds made me want to do this job even more. I have no remorse for what I'll help do to them.
I hear footsteps coming from inside the gate so I round the corner to see who it is. Lance. He has his gun and comes over to the other side of the gate, manning his post.
"Raj wants to see you."
I nod, abandoning my post but bringing the gun with me.
When I make it to his office, Raj has a map open, a smile on his face, a twinkle in his dark eyes. His mustache quirks up when he sees me, and I decide he hasn’t heard about Annabelle.
"I need you tonight."
"Tonight?"
"Another opportunity has come up. Another boost."
I shift my weight, rubbing the back of my neck. "I still have an hour left before I can even go get some sleep. Are you sure you want to take that risk this close to the party?"
Nodding with enthusiasm, he says, "It'll be worth it."
"Another boost isn't included in my fee," I point out.
He smiles, unbothered. "Yes, yes. I'll make sure you get a bonus."
I don't like it. I'll steal if I have to, but I'm not a thief and this isn't my wheelhouse. I'm also uncomfortable with a change in the plan, knowing what I do about Annabelle. I've considered maybe no one will care that she's disappeared since she is an adult, but if she was lucid enough to run, or I ‘stole’ her out from under his nose, Pietro's pride won't be able to tolerate that.
Plus her stupid cow mother will play up her concern.
"Lance is here now, so you can go on home and get some sleep. Be back here at 7."
Given I was supposed to check on Annabelle tonight, this fucks everything up. Can't really say no, though. Don't want to raise any alarms this late in the game.
I'll just go to her now. I'm exhausted and didn't want to waste our time together sleeping, but I'll have to. Just a couple more days like this, then I'll be free to do as I please. With Annabelle.
I take Raj up on his offer to leave early. I swing by the store and grab Annabelle some bread, jelly, juice, a box of cereal, and a whole rotisserie chicken for good measure.
It's cold by the time I get there, of course.
Then I remember I left Annabelle my only key. Doesn't matter though, since apparently she didn't bother to lock the damn door.
I know there
's very little chance the place was compromised, but I'm still uneasy as I walk through the cold cabin. She let the fire die, so I drop the food on the counter, grab a log and go over to get it going again. It doesn't look like she's eaten.
Anticipation moves through me as I head back to the bedroom, and there she is, bundled up in bed in the thick blankets.
It was worth the drive, I decide. Nearly falling asleep at the wheel and dragging myself through the forest. Climbing in bed next to her is all I wanna do, so I strip off my shirt, kick off my shoes, and do just that.
She stirs when I slide in next to her, then I wrap my cool arms around her warm body. It feels so good to have her in my arms.
Jumping, she turns to face me. Pleasure spreads all over her face when she sees me and causes my stomach to sink a little. Annabelle throws her arms around my neck and squeezes me.
"You came back."