Page 28 of Vicious Hearts

“Do you remember what we spoke about before you fainted?”

I give him a short nod. I remember everything, and I’ve forgotten nothing. And the reminder almost has me fainting all over again even as I lay in a bed.

“How long will I have to stay here?” I ask him.

I can’t think about what my disappearing will do to my career. It’s just taking off and I’ve just received the raise I deserved. More than a raise; Hinky was more than generous in spreading the love around when he got his checkbook out. I would have expected nothing less; both my articles saw the presses running nonstop for days. We sold more papers in the past week than we had the whole year, his flailing small time publication finally getting the much-needed boost it needed. At least Hinky could admit it was my articles that did that, even if only with his check book.

“For as long as you value your life. You’re not a prisoner here, Ariadne. But I do hope you take the situation seriously for your own safety. At least until I can contain the threat.”

“How will you do that?” I ask him. “People that order hits don’t retract them.”

“No, they don’t,” he agrees. “But dead men don’t pay bounties."

* * *

I believehim when he says I’m not a prisoner. Aside from kidnapping me – twice – he’s never treated me like a prisoner. He even saved my life once when crazy creeped into my life and I jumped overboard from his yacht into the ocean. This is the second time he’ll probably save my life; this time from assassins, so my debt to him is climbing a little high.

He hands me a phone with pre-programmed numbers for Nina, Michael and Hinky. I don’t know why he thinks I’d want to speak with Michael – unless I was looking to add to my trauma. I call Hinky first. Needless to say, he’s beside himself with worry that I’ve jumped the fence and gone to greener pastures. I assure him that I’m fine and I’m following another lead which could result in another massive coup, which was Caleph’s suggestion, although I don’t know how I’m going to go back home without a story. This presents another problem, but I push on with the story until Hinky’s teetering with excitement and telling me he’ll send funds for expenses.

I roll my eyes and hang up, throwing a glance Caleph’s way as I dial Nina’s number. He’s pretending to work on something on his computer, when I know he’s watching me out of the corner of his eye. I turn my back to him and greet Nina in hushed tones, though I know her voice carries through the room because her shriek is so high pitched, it almost bursts my ear drums.

“Girl, where have you been? Why aren’t you answering your phone? What’s this number you’re calling from?”

Her questions come hard and fast, and she doesn’t stop to take a breath. The noise she’s making is painful to my head. I rub at my temple then try to answer her questions as best I can, telling her more or less the same story I told Hinky; that I’m on assignment, I lost my phone, and this is a new number. No, I wasn’t mugged, I assure her.

I never did tell her how I came to be in Caleph Rojas’ presence when I interviewed him; I didn’t think she needed to know then, and I don’t think she needs to know now, so I press my lips together and suppress the urge to share too much with her.

“So, when will you be back?” she asks. “We have so much to catch up on.”

“I’ve only been gone two days, what could I possibly have missed out on?” I ask her, frowning into the phone.

“Lots. Like lots. But… hmmm. Maybe you don’t want to know.”

“Know what?”

“Rand broke up with his fiancé. And he came around asking about you.”

“Asking aboutme?” My tone changes involuntarily, the disbelief in my voice unmistakable.

I look over my shoulder at Caleph. He’s no longer pretending to do his work. Instead, he sits back in his chair and watches me suspiciously, trying to decipher who’s asking about me. I don’t know why he’s so interested to know, and I don’t know why I flush in embarrassment before I turn away.

24

CALEPH

Ihave an overwhelming urge to know who’s asking about her. She seems surprised, so it’s obviously someone she didn’t expect to be asking. She walks out of the room as she finishes her conversation, and I don’t follow her. I don’t want to crowd her, and I don’t want to scare her; my goal is to protect her the best I can, and that’s what I aim to do.

When she returns a few minutes later, she stands in the doorway silently looking at me before she holds up the phone to tell me she’s done.

“Keep it with you,” I tell her. “It’s routed through a server in Australia, so it can’t be tracked here. If you don’t tell people where you are, you’ll be safe.”

“How long do you think that’ll be?” she asks.

“You have somewhere you need to be?” I ask her.

“You know why I’m here, Caleph. It’s not by choice but out of necessity. I have a life away from here; obviously that’s where I want to be.”

“Who was asking about you?” I ask her, my curiosity getting the better of me. She decides to plead ignorance until I remind her of the conversation she had with Nina. “If it’s someone you didn’t expect would be asking about you, we can’t rule them out as being involved.”

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