Wildcard: Volume Two

I pause, expecting him to say more. He doesn’t.

“Um, I-I need something taken care of.”

“Something or someone?”

“Someone,” I say. I breathe out. My eyes are closed as I run my fingers through my hair. What am I doing? I can’t do this. But I don’t feel I have a choice. I focus on the steering wheel, cutting off my emotions.

“What exactly are you after?”

There’s a menu for this kind of thing? My mind goes blank. I rub my forehead and try to think. I don’t know what I want. I’m annoyed at Penny for not warning me that I needed to place a fucking order.

“My ex-boyfriend is blackmailing me. He’s the father of my boy and he wants money. But I know if I give it to him, he’ll be back. I-I think I want to scare him off. I don’t want to hurt him, just threaten him?” My voice squeaks.

“You think you want to threaten him?” His voice rumbles as he laughs. “Lady, there’s no thinking in this business. There’s do and don’t.”

“I want him out of my life.” This time I speak with conviction. I have no idea where this strength has come from, but it’s there. Silence greets me.

“You know the truck stop leading out of Menzies Creek?”

“Yes,” I say. I don’t, but I’m sure I can look it up.

“Meet me there in an hour. I’ll need his details, a recent photo of him, and ten grand in cash.”

He hangs up before I can respond. I drop the phone and focus on my breathing.

Holy shit, did I just do that? What if they hurt him? God, what if they kill him? How the hell can I live with that?

I’m already regretting this, and it hasn’t even begun.

Chapter Thirteen

Scarlett

I feel like I’m in a B-grade movie.

My hands are shaking as I hold my bag close to me. Inside it sits the ten grand that will expel Tony from my life forever. I look around, though I’m not exactly sure who it is I should be looking for. My hands are trembling like crazy. I can’t think at the moment, or I know I will talk myself out of this.

I tell myself that this is all for Jake, but I know a big part of this is for me. I can’t cope with the control he has over me anymore. I can’t handle him hanging it over my head.

I jump as the phone rings. Lifting it to my ear, I hear the soft drawl of his voice.

“The booth up the back. Order a coffee, drink it, leave the cash and his information in the envelope that’s sitting under the seat.” He hangs up before I can respond, and I can only assume I’m being watched.

I walk over to the booth and sit down. My legs are weak and I’m tired. I want to laugh, because this can’t be real. What the hell would Ryder think if he knew what I was doing? I don’t even need to answer that. He’d think I’m insane. I am insane.

A pretty young waitress takes my order and brings over my coffee. I thank her and gulp it down. I just want to leave and forget about this whole thing. I just want to forget him. As soon as my cup is empty I throw a bill on the table and unzip my bag.

Glancing around, I shove the yellow envelope full of cash under the seat, and then I stand up and practically run out of the diner. Outside, I turn the corner and head for my car, stopping only at the dumpster, where I smash the disposable phone under my foot and toss it inside.

I want to erase every trace of him from my life.

***

My heart is still pounding when I pull up outside Penny’s half an hour later. I force myself to relax, because I can’t let Jake catch on that anything is wrong. I don’t want to even think about what I’ve just done, because thinking leads to regret and regret leads to guilt. I jump as my phone starts to ring. I reach over and answer it, seeing it’s Penny.

“Hi. I’m just outside.”

“Scar, I’m at Northside Children’s.”