Page 36 of Falcon's Prey

When she gave me her answer, I almost wished I hadn’t asked.

“Because pretty soon, you’re going to leave me too.”

My place always felt cold,not at all like a home. I sat on the sofa covered in a blanket, and I realized you could pluck me out and put someone else in and you’d never realize I’d ever lived here. The place was lovely, the decorations modern, but none of them were me.My father was still in a coma. It was fucked-up that him being chained to a bed was the only way I’d see more of him than I had my whole life.

My bong lay lonely on the ottoman. Let out of its cage, it was now just another diamond artifact that I owned. I asked all my maids, and none of them had seen my drugs. I had my suspicions, but it was a battle I didn’t have the energy to fight.

Ren was walking down the stairs, his hair a little wet, his black T-shirt fitting perfect against his muscular frame. Suddenly I was thirsty and not for water.

“Did you fall off the bed?” he said without looking at me.

I didn’t know if it was the fact that he felt sorry for me, but we had called a temporary truce. I didn’t sleep; it was one of those rare nights when dread filled the air, and in those long dark hours between midnight and dawn, you contemplated every lousy choice that made you feel like a fuckup.

“Do you want to get fired today?” I responded.

He shook his head and went to grab a water. He was always drinking water; no pop, juice, or beer for him. When he ate, he always had non-fatty foods—all bland-looking and flavorless. He took care of his body. And oh boy, did it show.

“I can feel you staring,” he said as he sat with his back to me at the kitchen island.

“I’m hungry,” I said.

“Good for you. Eat something.”

“Everyone is off today,” I reminded him.

“Then, do it yourself.”

“I need to run a few errands. Be ready to leave in forty.” With the blanket still wrapped around me, I left to take a scalding shower, hoping that would help wash away the shitty night I had.

Once I was showered, I dressed in some jeans and a T-shirt. No fancy shit today.

Money made people treat you different. Some because they felt inferior, others because they thought you were equals, and most because they wanted to use you. It was rare when you found people who treated you like you were normal.

Maybe that was why I liked my kids at the hospital. To them, I wasn’t Ember Remington. I was just Ember, the girl who made their day a little brighter. I loved, yet hated, going to the hospital because I got attached, and not all stories had happy endings. Even with all the money in the world, I never felt as helpless as I did when I lost one of my kids. Donating my time and money seemed like the least I could do to help out.

Putting my checkbook in my purse, I walked out of the room.

“Let’s go, dog. I want to get food on the way…”

The words died as I said them when I came down to the stairs and saw a plate with food for me. Ren was nowhere in sight.

Something warm stirred inside of me, a different emotion I’d never felt before. It made my eyes water and my throat clog.Fuck,I was going to cry.

There was a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich on the plate.

My mouth watered. I was starving, and the art of cooking was one I didn’t know anything about. The only baking I knew how to do was my makeup.

“You’re ready?” Ren came out, tucking a gun into his waistband as I finished off my food.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For what?” He passed by me, dismissing me.

Well, if that was how he wanted to play it, that was fine by me.

Once in the Maybach, I gave Ren the address to the flower shop.

People did a lot of things for their parents, and in trying to know my mother, I’d found her religion. Not that I went to church often, but my father, riddled with guilt over his wife, had me brought up Catholic. I assumed it was what my mother would have wanted.

---