Page 123 of Cruel Love

When I hear her, I don’t want to hear that, too.

I find a quiet spot and lean back against a solid tree. My fingers twitch around my phone with hesitation, though I’m not sure what I’m so nervous about. I’m just a guy calling his girlfriend.

Totally normal.

I dial the number. My thumb hovers over the send button for a few seconds before I finally push it and raise the phone to my ear. It rings three times, each one like a stake digging deeper into my heart.

“Hello?”

I exhale, closing my eyes. Just two little syllables and I’m already gone. “Hey,” I say.

“Fox?” Dani says with a bit more enthusiasm. “Is that you?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “It’s me.”

“Are you okay?” she asks, sensing my tone. “What happened?”

“Nothing. I...”

I hesitate, wondering how much I should say. Should I mention Lucy? Should I tell her about the failed mission or about the man strapped to a chair a half-mile away from me?

“I just needed to hear your voice,” I say instead.

“Are you coming home?” she asks.

“No,” I say. “Not yet. We still have... a lot to do. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She takes a long, quiet breath. “What time is it over there?”

“Just before midnight, I think.”

“Almost two in the afternoon here. Did you find your Russian friend?”

“We did. We, uh...” I chuckle once. “They kidnapped us at the airport. Almost got executed.”

“You almost got what?”

“It’s all right. The hangman and I go way back.”

Thankfully, she lets out a short laugh. “I’m sure I’ll find that funny someday... maybe.”

“How about you and Caleb?” I ask. “Are you doing okay?”

“We’re fine. Keeping our heads down on the road, just like you taught me to,” she says.

Something about that makes me smile. “Good.”

“Fox...”

“Yeah?”

“Did you know she was pregnant?”

“Ahh...” I chuckle. “Box told me yesterday morning after I left. That’s why she stayed behind.”

She exhales hard. “Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

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