Page 83 of Holy Sinner

“Sure. I’ll wake you up when we stop for gas.”

I drive for another few minutes before I see Alana fully relax. Her breathing evens out and she ends up turning onto her side. Perfect. I let out another deep breath and switch on the radio. I keep it low so I don’t wake Alana. I’d rather not have it on at all but I need something for my nerves. The scenic route that I informed Jax and Scott about does go to our new home but there’s a very important detour.

I’m going to see Dottie Bee.

My hands tighten on the wheel and my nervousness vanishes in a wash of anger. I know Grant and Rafe don’t want me near her but I have to see her. Especially when I saw the alert I have for her name go off this morning.

She’s waking up.

The fucking bitch is waking up. I’m not letting her walk out of the Shady Pines Assisted Living Center, though. It feels like the universe is unleashing everything on me at once, so it makes sense that Dottie Bee has woken up. She’s been in a coma for the past six years but last night of all nights she woke up.

She’s been showing activity over the past month but today is the day they’ve announced it. It was one thing for her to be the dirty and dark stain on my men’s past when she couldn’t leave her bed or speak but she’s starting to do both now.

I can’t have that.

I can still hear the way Grant and Rafe’s voices sounded last night. That shaking waver, the way my fearless men sounded off-center with the mention of Dottie Bee. I am not going to allow her to walk out of that room. Not now, not ever. Today, I’m going to end her and end the hold she has on Rafe and Grant.

I’m worried I’ll get lost but I don’t. The directions that I memorized that morning lead me right where I want to go and I arrive without incident. When I pull into the parking lot of the assisted living center, I’m a basket of nerves. Jax and Scott’s dark SUV pulls in right behind me and I hesitate. What’s going to happen when she turns up dead and they know I was the last one to visit her?

I bite my lip and look over at Alana. She doesn’t know what I’m doing here or even that I’m here. Am I bringing her into something I shouldn’t? Oh god. The knives Grant and Rafe gifted me are on me. Both are tucked into the black boots I’m wearing. I can’t use the knives on Dottie Bee but it makes me feel like my men are here with me for what happens next. I touch my bracelet before I open my door and step out.

Alana stirs and sits up. “What’s going on? Where are we?”

“I’m visiting an old friend,” I tell her softly.

She raises an eyebrow at me and looks at the building in front of her. “Do I want to know?”

I pause and then choose the easiest way to be honest with my best friend. “It’s better if you don’t.”

“Should I stay here?”

I nod. “Can you keep Jax and Scott occupied? I won’t be long, I promise.”

“I can do that. Just hurry back.”

Gratitude for my best friend fills my heart. “I love you. Thank you.”

Alana gives me a wink. “Love you too. Don’t get caught.”

I close the door and start walking across the parking lot to the assisted living center’s front door. “Ms. Salazar where are you-” I hear Jax start to call to me but then I hear the echoing sound of Alana’s door slamming before she beckons them towards her.

“Hello, boys! Kit’s got an errand but you can keep me company.”

I look over my shoulder to raise my hand in a wave to the bodyguards and see Alana intercepting Jax and Scott in the parking lot. I speed up my steps and walk into the assisted living center. The plan that I came up with suddenly seems flimsy. What am I doing here? When I thought about it last night, it seemed easy to look up another resident and request to visit them just to get entry into the building. Now that I’m here, the plan seems half-baked at best.

Once I’m in the building, what am I going to do?

What the fuck am I doing? Adrenaline hits my body and makes my hands shake. I shove them in my pockets and walk up to the front desk with a smile on my face. It's too late to turn back now. The assisted living center is chic and luxurious. There’s a sparkling chandelier overhead and soft classical music plays while a waterfall cascades down the wall of the building. It looks more like a luxurious hotel lobby than what I imagined an assisted living center would look like. The woman behind the counter gives me a bright smile.

“Hello, dear. How are you today?”

I return her smile and aim to look harmless. “Good afternoon. I’m fine, thank you.”

“What can I do for you?” she asks, her voice warm and her eyes kind. If I have to, I’ll use that to my advantage.

“I’m here to see a resident but I’m not sure if she’s taking visitors yet. Could you tell me if she is?”

“Certainly, dear. What’s the resident’s name?”

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