Page 76 of The Spy Who Ghosted Me

Ivy took a step closer and tilted her head, studying me. “He told you how this works, did he not? We own him, love. He doesn’t just get to ride off into the sunset with you.”

“What will you do to him?” I worried about his safety.

“Don’t you fret. He will receive the best care in the world. And once he’s healed, then he will have choices to make.”

“What choices?”

She grinned and handed me the envelope. “Open it.”

With trepidation, I reached for the envelope. “If I open this, will some powder explode in my face and make me forget Cash ever existed?”

“Darling, you watch too many movies. It doesn’t work like that. We would make you forget you ever existed if we really wanted to.”

I dropped my hand, refusing to take the envelope, fear coursing through me like never before. Now I knew someone had drugged me. The scariest part was, whoever it had been, I hadn’t even heard them come into the room.

Ivy pushed the envelope farther. “If we wanted you out of the way, you’d already be gone.”

Although that certainly didn’t give me any warm and fuzzy vibes, I took the envelope.

“Open it,” Ivy encouraged.

Carefully, I unsealed it and looked inside at the contents before I stuck my hand in. I teared up when I saw the vintage gold filigree necklace with chrysoberyl gemstones that Cash had bought me but I’d refused to accept.

“He wanted you to have the necklace. The photo is from me. If you tell anyone or show anyone that photo, you’ll be wondering who you are,” she threatened.

Despite her warning, I eagerly took both the necklace and photo out. I clutched the necklace to my chest and stared wide eyed at the selfie I’d taken of Cash and me in France three years ago. It was one of the several photos that had mysteriously disappeared from my phone. I was kissing Cash’s cheek, and he was smiling serenely, like he was living in a dream. Now I realized why he’d looked so in awe. To him, it had been surreal.

My gaze drifted up to find Ivy looking at me with a quizzical expression. “Thank you.”

“Don’t go thinking I’m soft,” she snipped. “Or that you will get a happy ending.”

I nodded, even though I was full of the same hope I’d had in France when Cash first disappeared—the implausible hope that makes life worth living. I just couldn’t believe it was the end for Cash and me.

“Now, for your and Cash’s cover story,” Ivy snapped. “The doctors treating him here discovered he’s infected with a rare parasite from his travels to South America. The name of the parasite you can’t remember, but it begins with a z.” She smirked. “All you know is that the CDC has quarantined him for the foreseeable future. Do you understand?”

“How will I know when the CDC has released him?” My family was definitely going to want to know that.

Ivy let out a disgruntled breath, as if my question bored her. “Well, darling, if you haven’t heard from Cash in the next two months or so, consider yourself permanently ghosted.”

“Oh,” I squeaked. Cash wouldn’t do that to me again, would he?

Ivy’s Cheshire grin said she was hoping I would suffer. “We will send in a team to handle the media coverage that will no doubt take place and ensure that nothing that shouldn’t be reported is. But you keep your pretty face out of the spotlight. Understand?”

I nodded.

“Very good, darling. Remember, I will be watching you. Ta-ta, for now.”

For now? I didn’t like the sound of that. When I could finally breathe normally again, I held up the necklace and the photo and gazed at them. “I love you, Cash. Remember, you’re more than you were led to believe. PS: Please come back to me.”

Sabrina

“I’M SURE CASH WILL BE all right.” Mama patted my head, which I’d rested on her shoulder. Mama, Nana, Mia, Lexi, and I huddled together on the plush couch in my parents’ spacious great room Saturday afternoon. The thunderstorm outside roared with a vengeance, filling the room with flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. The weather mirrored the storm going on in my heart. Cash was going to choose me, right?

“He better be,” Nana declared. “I didn’t get my fill of him.”

Neither had I. I wasn’t sure it was possible.

Everyone laughed but Lexi, who was practically catatonic, glued to my side and staring out the window. When I’d arrived home late this morning to tell my tale of what had happened to Cash, she’d run to me and wouldn’t let go for a good hour. She kept thanking me and telling me how sorry she was. She’d even followed me into the bathroom, refusing to leave my side.

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