Page 6 of The Rogue

Her eyes drop, but she keeps walking. “No.”

“Then stop acting like one.” I slide my hat back on. “Do yourself a favor and stay away from Hideaway Springs. We don’t need rogues like you tryin’ to save the day.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just getting started here, Indie.” She sweeps her gaze over me. “See you around.”

She disappeared after that. Only to pop into my head like a bad song I couldn’t shake.

And just like Lilly—smokey eyes, fiery red hair—Tessa Banks kept reappearing. She would stick around for a bit, cause more trouble, then take off like a squirrel caught ransacking your apartment.

She’s the kind of addictive trouble I don’t need.

The kind I won’t be tempted by ever again.

1

Present

Frank:You need to leave again.

Fuck.

I duck out into the back alley at the sight of the message on my phone. I wish I could say it’s cryptic. But it’s not.

I know exactly what this is.

It’s also a sign that he’s about to call. I breathe in the hot summer air, waiting for that shrill of a ring tone that always cuts through the stillness of my heart.

A reminder of what I’m running from.

His calls are never casual or routine; they only come when something’s gone wrong.

I’m in danger again.

With a deepbreath, I lean against the rough brick wall and answer the call. “Ijustgot back, Frank.”

“Unless you prefer the safehouse? I can arrange for it.”

“No. Place felt like a prison. I need tolive, Frank.”

He sighs. Knowing I won’t have my life back until the Brunetti Cartel—the crime organization responsible for my boyfriend’s death and the bullet hole in my lower back—are all behind bars.

And that will never happen.

Frank’s been working on my case for over three years. Anyone else would have retired early, having been stuck with me.

I swallow my fear and man the fuck up. “They back in town?”

“Eddie Graves was traced to a warehouse on Emerson. He was one of them that day, Tess. We need to get you out of here—like tonight. Or…”

“Or what?”

“If you’ve no place to hide, we've got to bring you back to the safehouse.”

“You can’t just—”

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