Page 88 of Strictly Forbidden

“Please. It’s the only favor I’ll ask of you. I swear to God.”

“Fine but you will tell me what’s going on. Where are you calling from?”

“It’s a burner phone.”

“My God.”

“Just trust me. Please. Text me what you find. Okay? Then email after that.”

Oh, I was playing with the kind of fire that could burn down a forest, but it was the least I could do for the man saving my life.

Kage

Mistakes.

Freedom.

Revenge.

The three words remained in the forefront of my mind, fueling the villain inside. I was still uncertain if leaving Noel alone was the best idea, but I also knew it was only a matter of time before our location was found.

I’d prefer to be the aggressor in the situation.

I had a bad feeling that my lovely guest was up to something. But I couldn’t be in two places at once and I certainly wasn’t going to place her life in worse danger. I’d simply handle my business expeditiously and return.

After ensuring I wasn’t followed.

Help me.

She was one determined lady. I’d seen it in her eyes. Only I couldn’t allow that. Since I’d already established there was no decency left inside of me, next on the list was chivalry. I didn’t think that had been completely stripped away. I’d keep protecting the girl with the sharp blue eyes and caustic mouth with everything I had.

As I’d driven down the mountain, I’d thought about her comment regarding my grandfather. Her questions weren’t far off from what I’d wondered myself, but whatever the case, my grandfather was dead and the reasons behind the attack on my family were only a small part of dealing with the horrific murders.

Law enforcement hadn’t seemed interested in hunting down the persons responsible. Even the private investigator I’d hired at the time had suddenly dropped off the case. Then he’d disappeared off the face of the earth, which had been a not-so-subtle warning to let it drop.

I hadn’t.

The anger had only continued to build.

But not once had I been threatened directly.

How many times had I gone over what had occurred around the time of my family’s murders? Hundreds, so much so the details had become fuzzy. I wasn’t even certain if my memory regarding them was accurate or not. I’d believed then and I still did today whoever had killed them had been sending a message.

I had to think it did have to with my grandfather’s company. But I’d found nothing up to that point to indicate any real illegal activities. Granted, I hadn’t known what to look for early on before I’d landed in prison. However, the man had kept secrets from me. It had been something even my father had warned me about.

Maybe that memory had been the reason Noel’s comment had caught me off guard so much.

First things first.

Handling Saldono. How things were going to be would be explained to him. The reason I was taking the significant risk was simple in my mind.

I wanted to push his buttons.

I also wanted to put a question in his mind.

By doing nothing more than showing up unexpectedly when the man was sending him goons to look for me, I’d disarm and befuddle him. That usually led to mistakes being made, which I could use to my benefit.

My father had called it playing chicken.

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