Page 143 of The Reluctant Hero

Instead of pumping me up, the idea calms me down. Something just clicked over for me. I have no idea what it is, and I don’t care. I’m calm and rational right now. I have a plan that isn’t a plan at all. No one could follow it because I have no idea where I’m going with it. I’m ok with that.

Blake. His bestie lawyer friend. Fullerton. Matthias and Co.

They want to scare me? Threaten me?Killme?

Let’s see how they like it.

They’re already tipped off, and I’ve got nothing to lose. What’s a little more digging going to do?

To do that, I have to get out of here. To dothat,I have to have at least one damn visitor to open the door. Hurry up and come to kill me already!

Someone in a uniform opens the door but doesn’t step inside. I look at him calmly, waiting for whatever is coming next. I don’t feel the doom pressing in, so I’m curious instead of defensive.

“You’re out of here, lady. Collect your things with the guard out front.”

I’m not going to question the catch and release. They have no idea what they’ve just let out of this jail.

I don’t hesitate to stand and walk past him, following the path they took me down to get out. I stop at the guard's desk. My dead phone, the eviction letter, my key card for the elevator, and a small amount of cash are handed to me.

The second I’m out the front door I take in a deep breath of fresh air. It’s evening. I got here by eight thirty in the morning.Now it’s dark out. That’s how long I was left alone in a room and ignored. It’s all adding up to the cold rage inside me. One more thing to keep me going.

The first person I see has teal hair with dark blue highlights and a blank expression.

“Let’s go,” South says breathily.

“No. You’re with Gabriel.” My voice is so flat and cold it reminds me of that jackass. It also gives me a tearing sensation in my chest that I can’t ignore.

I can’t believe I slept with him. Or comforted him. Just another man I wasted time on. Loser is terrible enough, but Gabriel? Somehow, that’s the one I can’t stand to think about.

Maybe Mrs. Danvers will find some pictures to help me process it.

Oh God.

“I’m not. Who owes for this?” she turns her dead eyes on me, twisting her lips in a psychotic smile. “They’re going to pay up.”

Pay up. Yeah, they are. As many of them as I can find. That doesn’t answer why she’s here. She saw me get arrested. She had to have asked questions about it.

“Why bail me out?” I glance around the parking lot suspiciously. It isn’t until my chest begins to ache that I realize who I’m looking for. Or thegroupI’m looking for.

Of course, they aren’t here. They wouldn’t be unless it was to throw me back inside or kill me.

“No bail. No sign of arrest. It’s all gone.”

My gaze sharpens on her.

“How convenient,” I shift on my feet and eye her suspiciously.

“Tera is a master at wiping corrupt cops' computers. As far as anyone else is concerned, they think you were a witness to a crime, and your interview is over.”

What? How is that possible?

“Gabriel wanted me here. The rest of them, too.” My warning is wary, a test.

“Too bad,” she shrugs. “They can take this decision up with me or fuck off.”

I stare at her, and she returns the favor. Her best friend is a hacker who cleaned out the reason I’m here. Her boyfriend is scary enough he could be in a slasher film. And she’s standing in front of me, utterly unafraid of the consequences of defying Gabriel.

I’m smelling a team-up, but I have a few reservations.

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