Page 109 of Silent Betrayal

“Be good, Malishka. And don’t forget, I’ll always find you.” He gives me a quick kiss before he winks at me, a smirk on his lips. He quickly turns and I watch him through the window as he jogs across the street and into the police station.

“What did he mean by that?”

“Hmm?” I ask, turning back to my dad.

“He said he’ll always find you, what did he mean?”

“Oh, it’s just something he says to make me feel safe. Knowing no matter where I go, he will always come for me.”

“Jesus, Mina, that guy is a stalker.”

“What? No! He doesn’t mean it like that.”

“Well, how did he mean it then? By the way, how did they track you down in the forest? When Helen took you?”

My hand instinctively goes to my watch as I play with the band. But something stops me from telling him about the added tracking app on it. “Helen never checked, and I had my phone on me the whole time,” I lie. Something about revealing the truth of my gift feels like a betrayal to Ben somehow.

“Doesn’t surprise me, she wasn’t that bright, especially when her temper got the best of her. I never should have left you with her. I’m sorry, Honey,” he says softly, his hand on mine again.

“I don’t suppose you’re allowed to go somewhere with me? I was hoping we could go see a movie together today.”

“Oh—Um… I don’t know that I’m up to that just yet. It’s still a bit hard being out around people.” I’m not lying, I do feel a bit on edge being here, but I had a strong suspicion that was more to do with the fact that none of my guys were with me.

I look around the coffee shop nervously, now realizing it’s my first time out of the house without one of them with me.

“Is something wrong?”

“I… I think I should go to the station. I’m starting to feel uncomfortable being out like this. I feel exposed.” I whisper the last sentence.

“Oh, honey. Nothing is going to happen. In fact, I actually bought you something to help with that,” he says with a proud smile on his face.

“You did?”

“Yep, but it’s in my car. I thought we’d be going somewhere after the coffee shop, so I’d have a chance to give it to you.”

“Oh, well, I can just get it from you next time.”

“Honey, you know I have to go back to California in two days. Come on, humor your old man. My car is parked right outside.”

“Really?” I ask, leaning towards the window to take a look.

“I’m a few cars down, the black one, there,” he says, pointing down the street. “Let’s go get your gift, then I will personally walk you across the street and deliver you right to the hands of your… boyfriends.” I can tell he’s uncomfortable with the word, but I appreciate him trying.

I think about it for a second, but see no harm in going to his car. If I wanted to go to the guys, it’s basically on the way, anyway.

“Alright,” I say, moving to stand. I follow my dad to the street and he places his arm around my shoulder, making me tense up. My eyes scan the police station hoping to glimpse one of my guys. I wonder what the update was? Is it something to do with me?

“Here we are, it’s in the trunk,” my dad says, moving us around to the back of his car. He pops the trunk, but I don’t see anything.

“Where is it?”

“Right there,” he points to the back and I bend a little, squinting to try to see what I’m missing. Something pricks my neck and my hand tries to move up to slap it away, but it doesn’t make it before everything goes black.

Chapter forty-nine

We all look up from where we’re seated around the meeting room when Atlas comes storming through the door.

“Okay, we’re all here, can you please tell us what was so important that you needed us all here?” Dom asks Chief Walters, and we all look at him expectantly.

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