Page 152 of On a Fault Line

“Then we’re all set?”

“Yes. Just give the signal.”

“You know they have him on suicide watch.”

“He wants them to think that,” I say with a sneer. “He has to know I’m gunning for him the first chance I get.”

“Then it better be a brawl and not some hissy fit that derails this entire thing.”

“Exactly.”

Raising our windows, we leave the shop and go our separate ways. I turn on my phone that will be used to get the signal, just in case.

It’s a waiting game now.

I drive in silence back to Sky View, with just the sound of the car and asphalt filling the space. My mind wanders to what Penny’s doing. She’s probably driving Chris nuts with a million questions.

29

COLLINS

“What in the actual hell is going on here?”

My eyes narrow in on Chris, who is supposed to be guarding Penny while I was tending to business.

Critically important business…

“What’s up, Redeye?”

“What in thehellare you doing?” I ask again.

A few pieces of popcorn fall from his mouth. “Enjoying a snack with Penelope Hoffman.”

A snack?It looks like a meal.

My eyes look at the movie playing. A freaking chick flick. Are they on a date?

“Did I interrupt?”

Penny has the nerve to look at me with her sassy smile, now deciding it’s the right time to stop ignoring me. Then she places a finger to her lips and shushes me. She fucking shushes me. “It’s the best part.”

Shaking my head at her, I growl, “I’ll deal with you later.”

She pops another piece of popcorn into the air, completely missing her mouth. It gets stuck in her hair. “That sounds toxic.”

I close the distance, standing right in front of the duo on the couch. “You had one job to do, man. One.”

“And I’m doing it. The princess is safe—obvi.”

“Don’t call her that,” I snap.

Penny looks at me with amusement. Why does she find joy in my torment?

I snatch the remote and pause the movie.

“Time to leave,” I say to Chris.

I am three seconds away from relocating his body from that couch.

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