Page 254 of The Invite
“Yeah?”
“I don’t think I can be around Ace or Maverick.”
His roaming hands pause on my hips. His eyebrows pulling together in concern. “Tell me how to make it up to you, Ness. I can’t stand you being mad at me.”
“I’m not upset with you.” I brush my fingertips over my name inked on his throat. “It’s just hard. Okay? I need some time.”
“I understand that. You don’t have to be their friends or forgive them, but try to be around them. At least until we put Anonymous into the ground,” he implores. “These men are the only ones I’d trust to bring anywhere near you. If something happens to me, I trust them to guard you with their lives.”
“If something happens to you, I’m not spending another minute on this earth.”
His face crumbles. “Honey.”
“It goes both ways, Augustus. My heart beats as long as you’re near it.” Hugging him, I whisper against his chest, “You die, I die. That’s how it goes. You’re not convincing me otherwise.”
He sighs, kissing the top of my head. “I won’t.”
“I’ll give Ace and Maverick another chance when I’m ready.”
“Take however long you need.”
Pressing a kiss against the ink on his neck, I pull back. “You all can discuss the plan or whatever. I’ll just go to the mall and get my nails done.” And buy a burner phone. “I’ll return once they’re gone.”
His features harden. “You’re not going alone.”
“I’ll be fine. No one’s attacking me in broad daylight,” I reason with him, praying he agrees. “You have me tracked. So, you’ll know where I am the entire time. I’ll be around hundreds of people.”
He mulls it over for long seconds, leaving me tense.
“Fine.”
I sigh.
Cupping my face, he sternly orders, “Video call me when you get there. I want to see you the entire time. Okay?”
“Okay,” I reply happily, and press a quick smooch against his lips.
“One hour, Ness. Then I’m coming to get you.”
“Yes, sir.”
His eyes flash with mirth. Slapping my ass, he playfully warns, “Go before I change my mind.”
I’m inside the car, reversing it, and pulling onto the street in less than a minute. Augustus’s body reflects in the rearview mirror until I turn to the main road. I drive fast, cutting through traffic.
Once at the mall, I take the elevators straight to the electronics shop I visited the last time to purchase a secondhand phone. The same lanky teen stands behind the counter. I can’t tell if he recognizes me, though.
“Yes?”
“I need a burner phone.”
“It’ll be fifty dollars.”
Damn. “I’d like one.”
“Cool,” he replies. “Let me get it.”
After ten minutes, I’m all set and find a quiet spot to first text Arjun and lie I have no news regarding my spying mission. Then I dial Michael’s number. My feet tap on the ground nervously as I wait for him to pick up.
