Page 42 of Once Upon A Sale

Rolling my eyes, I accept the call and bring my phone to my ear.

“Jarrett, why did I just have Terence blasting my eardrums about you and Rick fighting again?”

Okay, so maybe he doesn’t know everything because he doesn’t sound anywhere near as pissed as I thought he would.

“S’up, Dad. Rick’s a giant wanker, you know this. The fact that I’m civil at all should be noted just as much as when I kick the shit outta him.”

“That may be so, son, but you can’t just fight him every time you disagree over something. Especially not when he’s found the assassin we’ve been looking for.”

Ah fuck. There it is. But he’s remaining strangely calm, and it’s worrying.

“My orders were to find her and learn all about her before killing her. To find out what she knows about The Firm.”

“I think six months is plenty of time for that, don’t you? Why didn’t you tell me you found her?” His tone is getting firmer, like a verbal reminder that I kept something from him is what’s now getting him angry. “Did you know the girl who was being sent to the Beauforts in Texas went missing? Saved by this vigilante fucking woman you refuse to kill.”

I have to hold back my laugh because, yeah, I did know about that. I managed to track Caliope’s digital movements as they created a whole new identity for the girl they saved. Ophelia was a fucking wonder to watch as she took out two guards and a driver before grabbing the girl and running like the wind.

“No, I didn’t know about that. Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but she’s higher profile than we thought. We can’t justtake her out because people will have questions. That could be bad for The Firm if people start digging into her disappearance or death. It’s gotta be done carefully. Calculated. I need the time to plan properly.” I’m only half lying, because I do need time to plan. Just not her death.

“Hmm. I get it, Son, but the higher ups are putting their foot down. You’re no longer on the case. I told them not to put you on something like this. You were never going to be good enough to climb higher in the ranks than a trainer.”

Okay, so now I’m pissed off. That was fucking uncalled for.

“What the fuck, Dad?” He’s always been a bit of a cunt, but fuck me, he could at least pretend to not be so disappointed.

“Don’t speak to me like that, Jarrett. It’s disrespectful and I’m your elder. You will leave this assassin case alone. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.” That one syllable is difficult, but I manage it through gritted teeth. I’m full-on lying now too, because no fucking way am I leaving Ophelia to the wolves.

“Good. Terrence will be sending you two new girls sometime in the next month. Don’t let me down by sending these ones back.” The line goes dead, no goodbyes, just as there were no hellos.

That’s my dad.

A fucking tosser.

Maybe if I took off the block I put on Caliope’s searches for him…nah. I can’t let them kill him. He’s a cunt, yeah, and not particularly the best kind of man, but he’s still my dad and killing him wouldn’t make all my problems go away. The Firm, as a whole, want Ophelia dead, which means they’ll do what they can to make sure that happens.

My insides are bubbling and I can’t fucking concentrate on what the clear path is right now. I’m torn between my loyaltyto my dad and wanting to give Ophelia everything she needs to satisfy her thirst for vengeance.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath before walking to my car. I need to clear my head, and the only way I can do that these days is by watching her.

Ophelia.

The taste of her still lingers on my lips. The feel of her is like an imprint on my skin. Her smell is ingrained into my very being, and most importantly, a few of my shirts that I refuse to wash.

Okay, so I’m gonna need to step up my game. If The Firm has sent someone else after her, the only way she’s going to be safe is if she’s with me.

At all times.

Chapter Seventeen

Ophelia

Ican feel him around me.

Not once have I seen Jarrett since we’ve been back, yet I know, deep inside my skin, that he’s not far, watching me, teasing me with his unseen presence. And no, it’s not just my pussy being a little ho because she hasn’t been thoroughly fucked in the last two weeks.

Definitely not that.

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