Page 38 of Breakup Games

I bring my hand to my chest and talk to the imaginary 911 dispatch until he’s out of sight, which takes a while since he’s out of shape and does a weird walk-jog sort of thing.

“You guys okay?” I ask the group of girls. “Sorry to scare you like that. We were recording a TikTok.”

It’s scary how quickly that lie is bought, and the group of young adults all laughs. Half have their phone out already and I’m sure a little clip of this is going to end up on the internet.

“Mira,” a man’s voice sounds in my ear. It’s not Mason’s, so it has to belong to his partner.

“Yes?” I bring my hand up and touch the earpiece, making sure it’s still in place.

“I need you to quickly cross the street and step into that parking garage that will be on your right.”

“Okay.” I nod and start to turn around.

“Don’t turn. I got eyes on him. He’s gone the opposite way.”

I hurry down the street, pause at the street corner, and then speed across, not stopping until I dodge inside a public parking garage. This is the last place I’d advise a woman to take shelter, as I’d usually avoid being alone in a parking garage at night all together.

“Go down just a few spaces and we’ll be there.”

“How will I know it’s you?”

“Look for the kidnapper van,” the man says and I laugh as I look around. I don’t see anyone else in here at the moment, and I’ll feel safest if my back is to a wall. The lot is pretty full so I go down and move between a truck and a minivan, standing with a brick pillar behind me. I have no idea where Enzo went and I can’t be sure if he’ll try to resurface anytime soon.

Something is going down with his family, and the part of me that gave up on my dream of becoming an FBI agent myself has been slowly waking up. I want to follow him, go back to his place and dig through his personal items.

But would definitely involve having to sleep with him, and I’m just notthatcommitted to the role.

Pulling my purse off my shoulder, I unzip an inside pocket to get my real phone out. It’s on do not disturb so I had no risk of any calls or text coming through from my second, secret phone. I’m in the middle of texting my friends in our group chat when I hear something.

Looking up, I suck in my breath and hold it as I listen.Nothing. A car drives by and I look, thinking the FBI van is going to pull in. But it’s a regular SUV with a family inside. They go past me, looking for a spot. My guard is temporarily down as I watch them pass by, and I don’t realize someone snuck up behind me until it’s too late.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

MIRA

“Jesus!” I jump when Mason’s hand lands on my arm.

“No, Mason, but I’ve been mistaken before. Usually it’s with anoh god,but I understand the confusion.”

“What is wrong with you?” I whirl around and step back.

“A lot is wrong with him,” Mason’s partner says and I just shake my head.

“You okay?” Mason asks.

“Yeah. Yeah. Just, uh, startled from you sneaking up on me.”

He sucks in air between his teeth. “Guess that PI school you didn’t go to forgot to teach you how to be vigilant.”

“I’m usually hypervigilant, thanks to trauma,” I tell him and shrug. “What happened with Enzo?”

Mason shakes his head, but his partner answers me. “He got picked up in a Bentley a block over.”

“Really? That was fast.”

“What was fast?” Mason asks.

---