Page 37 of Tempt Me

“I saw the videos of the shootout. I saw you trapped in that madness. You were covered in blood, but Aunt Fred said you weren’t shot. I don’t know what to believe.”

A sob rises in me. “It’s Atticus’s blood. He just exploded from all the gunshots. He died because of me.”

“No.”

“I should have stayed at the estate.”

“You were trying to get somewhere safe.”

“I put them all at risk.”

After mumbling no, Suzanne cries along with me. There’s nothing really to say or do. After we cry for five minutes, we both settle down and regain our composure. Even after our tears end, I feel drained of all my energy.

“Are you in pain?” Suzanne asks.

“Yes. The injuries aren’t serious, but I’m in pain.”

“Aunt Fred wants you to stay at the farm. I’ve had the jet leave Banta City like she suggested. I want to send security to you. We can get you back to the estate. Or sneak you out of town and take you somewhere else.”

“I want to stay with Tack.”

Maybe startled by my curt tone, Suzanne hesitates before asking, “Is that safe?”

“I don’t know, but he put himself on the line for me today.”

“I saw him save you in the videos.”

“Where did you find these videos?”

“They’re all over the news, even here in Hong Kong.”

My heart hurts at how I put so many people at risk and placed a target on Tack and the Backcountry Kings.

“And you can see me in the videos?”

“Yes, baby. People started recording after the initial accident. I saw you dragged out of the SUV.”

“How can I leave the farm if people might recognize me?” I ask, startled by how panicked and high-pitched my voice gets.

“Are you safe there?”

“You know where the farm is located and how it’s run. This place is probably as safe as the estate. Maybe more so since no one drives by the farm without wanting something. But even if it isn’t as safe as the estate, I can’t go back there. Not yet. It makes me think of Atticus and the other staff who died.”

Suzanne sighs, feeling powerless after watching those videos of the chaos. “I should swoop in there and take you away,” Suzanne insists.

“Where would we go?”

“I don’t know, but it’s a big world. We could throw on some wigs and go incognito for weeks or months. Whatever it takes. We can location hop until the problem is solved.”

As much as I’d love to travel the world with my mom, I want to stay with Tack.

“The Backcountry Kings risked their lives for me today. The world outside the farm and away from these people terrifies me. Does that make sense?”

“We could stick a wig on Tack and bring him along.”

Though I chuckle at the visual, we both know Tack won’t want to run off. His people nearly died today. The club is in the mix now.

As exhaustion washes over me, I say, “The time difference is wild between us, but can I call you later? I need to talk to Austen. She sounded so upset in her voicemail. Stress is bad for her pregnancy.”

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