Page 19 of Married With Lies

5

CALE

The way she stares at me.

It’s as if she thinks I might eat her as she huddles in the passenger seat, both hands clenched around her phone like it’s either a security blanket or a baseball bat.

On the other hand, she does look kind of adorable, all uptight and shivering in my jacket, which is still draped around her shoulders.

“Tell me if it gets too stuffy for you,” I say as I flip the heat on full blast.

Maybe that will make her feel better. After all, I wouldn’t be trying to help her get as comfortable as possible if I was a killer.

Scratch that. Technically, I am a killer.

But I’d never lay a mean hand on any woman and I definitely wouldn’t harm some sunshine animal savior. Especially not one that I have big plans for.

“Tell me where we’re going,” Sadie says after we sail through the open tall gates of her father’s estate.

I like how she hangs a command on her words instead of asking a timid question. She’s scared but she doesn’t want to show it.

I turn right, toward the shoreline. “I thought we could park by the water and talk.”

“Do you always talk with a gun?”

“What?” I look over and she points.

Fuck. With my jacket gone, the Glock holstered on my hip is plainly visible. Clearly, Sadie disapproves.

She inhales sharply when I pull to the side of the road. Snow flurries dance in the light and stick to the windshield.

“Open the glove box,” I say.

She hesitates but ultimately quits clenching her phone long enough to flip the glove compartment open.

“I’m unloading it,” I say so she doesn’t freak out when I pull the gun off my hip. Swiftly pulling the clip out, I hand it over. “You can hold this if you want to.”

“Why would I want to hold it?”

“Fine.” I toss the clip on the glove box. Then, after considering the matter, I throw the gun in there as well. I’m not used to being out and about without carrying. The move is against my better judgment and I don’t often act against my better judgment but it looks like I’ll need to work a little harder to get this girl to relax. “Is that better?”

“Not really,” she says but she settles into the seat. She clears her throat. “Can you turn on some music? Maybe this whole encounter will seem slightly less bizarre with a soundtrack of Christmas carols.”

“Sure.” I fiddle with the satellite stations until an instrumental version of Sleigh Ride fills the car.

Sadie remains silent as I navigate the slick roads. But she no longer looks poised to dive out the door if I cough too suddenly. She gazes out the window and snuggles deeper into the folds of my blazer.

It doesn’t take long to reach a private strip of waterfront property. Behind us, two houses had recently been bulldozed to make way for the construction of a mansion for Richie’s newly married youngest daughter. Richie doesn’t think too highly of his daughters’ husbands. He’s right about that. The two of them are pliable fools. Family affiliated but the kind of men who will forever be followers and not leaders. They were only chosen because they are as loyal as dogs.

Sadie looks to her right, observing a pile of the rubble remaining from the demolition. “Very scenic, Cale.”

Sarcasm. A good sign. It means she’s getting more comfortable.

I flip the music off and turn down the heat a notch. Beyond the construction fence, choppy waves smack at the stretch of rocky beach.

“Who’s Gus?” I ask.

Sadie stiffens. “Why are you asking about Gus?”

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