Page 90 of Awakening

“Oh, jeez, Anthony. That’s asking an awful lot of them, especially after they let me stay in the apartment for nothing.”

“No, it’s perfect. They’ll protect you.”

“I don’t want to drag your family into this mess.”

“Liv, my father is a powerful man with a lot of connections. He’ll see to it that you’re safe, and he’ll be happy to do it.”

“You really don’t think they would mind?”

“No. In fact, I’ll go with you.”

“Go with me? You can’t go with me. What about your residency?”

“Like I said, my father is a powerful man with a lot of connections. It won’t be an issue. While I don’t usually like using his connections like this, it’ll be worth it this time. He’ll get me a residency in Las Vegas.”

Am I really doing this? Am I going to Las Vegas with Anthony? I take a deep breath and nod. “Okay. Let’s go to Vegas.”

He gives me a slow, sexy smile. “You won’t regret it, Liv.”

“But, listen…I can’t promise that this means anything for us romantically. I can’t think like that right now.”

He reaches across the table and lifts my chin. “It’s okay, Liv. I understand. I just want you to be happy and safe.” He then takes his cell phone out to call his parents. “He’s so fucking stupid,” he says, shaking his head. “I can’t believe he just told you everything,” he says, scrolling through his phone.

The hairs on the back of my neck immediately stand on end. He said that as if he believes it to be true, but he’s just shocked that Ethan let everything spill. “I’m going to go use the restroom,” I whisper. He nods, putting the phone to his ear, obviously not realizing what he just said. I grab my handbag and head to the back of the coffee shop where the restrooms are located. Turning to look behind me, I see that his back is still turned to me, and then I walk out the back door.

I can’t believe this. I can’t trust anyone. I need to know what’s really going on. I want the truth. I grab my phone and text the unknown number.

Olivia

I can be there in 30 minutes.

Unknown Number

I’ll be waiting.

I enter the address into my navigation system and pull out of the tiny parking lot. As I pull out onto the street, I look in my rearview mirror just in time to see Anthony standing in the back entrance to Espresso, watching me drive away.

Ethan

When I arrive to pick up Nick, I pull in the driveway to find Chloe standing there with her arms crossed. She insists upon coming with us, and while I know Olivia doesn’t trust her right now either, it seems reasonable that she might be quicker to warm up to Chloe. That’s how things went when we told Olivia about who we are the first time around. The big difference now, is that we’re also trying to convince her that she’s one of us as well.

About halfway to Denver I get a text message. “Here, Nick. Look at this and tell me what it says.” He takes the phone and frowns as he reads the message. “Who is it from?”

“It’s an unknown number,” he says. “I don’t know what to think of this.” He looks at me with warning.

“Tell me what it says,” I say, as Chloe leans forward from the back seat to listen too.

“It says, ‘If you want to get her back, come to 5674 Willow Rd in Conifer’.”

Nick and I look at each other. “It’s Ian,” I say.

“I think you’re right,” Nick agrees.

“Does that mean he has her?” Chloe asks, her voice shaking.

“I don’t know. He might be using her to lure me in. We’re about to take the bait and find out.”

Twenty-Three

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