“As you can see, Landry has been a very busy boy.” She waved her hand at her stomach and mine. “I came to appeal to you, woman to woman, to let him go so he could do the right thing and be a part of our child’s life, but I see now that you might want to ask the same thing of me.”
“You already knew I was pregnant.”
“I can assure you, I
did not.”
“Tackle already told me he told you. There’s nothing for us to discuss.”
“Interesting that you believe he told me about you when he obviously didn’t tell you about me.”
I knew she was attempting to goad me into asking if the baby really was Tackle’s, and I had no intention of falling into her trap.
“You don’t think the baby is his, do you?”
“Who the father of my baby is, is none of your business.”
She smirked. “You know what I meant.”
“We’re done here.” I got the door partway closed when she held up her phone.
“I can prove it to you. I’m sure he’s frantic with worry since he flew all the way out to California to reassure me that he’d be there for me and our baby. I’ll just give him a call, and you can hear for yourself.”
I slammed the door before she could make good on her threat.
28
Tackle
“You’re sure she knew I was coming?”
Ranger glared at me.
“Answer me, goddammit.”
“Fuck off, Tackle.”
“Yes or no?”
“I already told you she did. More than once.”
“So where is she?”
“I wish I knew. Instead of me standing here while you grill me, wouldn’t it make more sense for me to get out there and look for her?”
I picked up the keys to the rental.
“You should stay here in case she comes back.”
After Ranger left, I called Sloane, who didn’t pick up. It didn’t surprise me since, by now, she would be shopping with her mom. I ended the call without leaving a message and called Nick, like I had been every fifteen minutes since I landed and Ranger told me she wasn’t at the house K19 had set her up in. This time, she answered.
“Nick? Where the hell are you?”
“I’m in Chicago.”
“Chicago? What the fuck are you doing there?”
“Why are you swearing at me?”