“Have you even slept?” I ask, running my hand over my face, my eyes trying to adjust to the brightness.
“No, I don’t have time for that. My flight ran late as usual. But if Weston’s working the early shift, we need to be in their neighborhood now,” Liam explains. Considering he’s a bounty hunter, he’s experienced in doing this sort of thing, so I couldn’t have chosen a better person to help with this. He’s literally experienced in stalking people.
I get dressed, and by the time I put on my shoes, Liam has already brewed a pot of coffee and waits impatiently. He hands me a to-go cup and sips out of his even though I know the liquid is hot as fuck. His truck is still running, and as soon I climb inside, he speeds across town. Every turn we take, I try to memorize where we are. I’ve not been invited to Weston’s, and I’m almost certain Liam hasn’t either, but I don’t ask how he knows where she lives.
Once we’re in a normal-looking neighborhood, Liam turns off the lights to his truck, and we sit there and wait.
“It’s that house right there.” He points in the distance, and I see Sophie’s car parked next to the bastard’s. Liam pulls out a pair of binoculars and puts them to his face. “Here he comes.”
My jaw locks the moment I see Weston.
“He’s wearing some kind of uniform. Why would he go through all the trouble to lie?” Liam asks.
As the car backs out of the driveway, Liam waits a moment before turning on his lights and following. We maintain a distance, but we’re close enough to know exactly where he’s turning.
“Where the fuck is he going?” I ask, confused because we’re on the other side of town. We’ve been following him for nearly thirty minutes, and I’m almost concerned he realizes we’re behind him because of the way he’s braking and randomly speeding up.
“I don’t know, but he’s driving erratically like he’s drunk or something.” Liam grabs the steering wheel with white knuckles but trails far away enough not to look suspicious.
Glancing around, I realize we’re in the industrial district. We’re on the opposite side of the city, not even close to the prison at all. The car slows and pulls into a warehouse. Liam slows at the end of the street and turns off his lights. We wait until Weston gets out of the car and walks inside, then I turn and look at Liam. “This is weird as fuck,” I whisper.
Liam watches the building like it might disappear as I research the address of what the hell this place is. I ask Liam for his binoculars and barely make out a sign that says something about storage. Going back to my phone, I add the word to my search and eventually come across a listing for a security guard position that was posted a year ago.
“It’s a storage warehouse,” I tell Liam. “He’s a goddamn security guard.”
Liam glances at me. “If he’s lied about this, what else is he hiding?”
“That’s what concerns me the most,” I admit. What’s his motivation for lying? Frustration and annoyance take over when I see Weston step outside. I get out of the truck and slam the door, and Liam calls out my name.
Soon, he’s walking behind me. “Mason, you’re gonna blow our cover.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” I hiss.
“Alrighty, I guess we’re doing this.” Liam cracks his knuckles. “Gonna fuck him up then?”
I smirk. “Well, no. But I got a few words to exchange at least.”
When Liam and I round the corner, Weston looks up from his phone and narrows his eyes at us. Normal people would say something, but Weston isn’t normal. He instantly balls his hands into fists as if he’s ready to fight.
“What the fuck do you want?” he asks.
Liam takes the lead and pushes Weston with all his strength, knocking him off balance. Weston stumbles back, losing his footing, and I can smell the alcohol permeating from him. The motherfucker is drunk, so that means he either started early or woke up still trashed from the night before. As Weston picks himself up from the ground, Liam places his foot on his chest, knocking him back down. It’s not fair because Liam is double Weston’s size, and he could easily squish him like a bug.
“Now, we have a few things we need to discuss,” Liam tells him.
I move closer and recognition finally flashes across Weston’s face. “Wait. I know you two fucks. Sophie’s friends, right?”
Liam adds more pressure, keeping him pinned on the ground. “Exactly. Her friends. Now, explain to us why everyone thinks you’re a correctional officer when you’re nothing more than a fuckin’ security guard?”
In a split second, Liam loses his balance as Weston struggles against him and is then standing on his feet. He marches closer, getting into our faces. “I’m going to call the cops on you both for assault and get you arrested. You have no fucking business following me here.” He pulls a Taser from his belt and points it at Liam, who rushes him and fights for it, ripping it from his hand.