Page 75 of Worth the Heat
“No,” I whisper.
“No?” he repeats, raising a brow. I barely see his backhand before it lashes across my face, but the metallic taste filling my mouth lets me know immediately that I’ve been hit. “You wanna try that again?”
I back up against the closest wall, holding my throbbing cheek, my eyes darting between this man and Ava. Her eyes are terror-filled, as I’m sure mine are now as well. “I swear I don’t know what you’re looking for. I didn’t take anything from Rick’s apartment.”
“You think we actually believe you?” he asks.
“It’s true. My boyfriend got the doorbell camera from across the hall. You can see someone else enter the apartment thirty minutes before me, then come out a minute later.”
“Why the hell would I believe you?” he retorts.
“Because I have no reason to lie?” I try to keep my voice calm as I reason with him. “I’m just a baker. I wouldn’t know any drugsother than what I can buy at the grocery store for a headache. I like my life, and I’m not made to survive in prison, so I wouldn’t take a chance on stealing drugs, and then selling them. I just wouldn’t. I’ve never even taken anything from Rick. I was only there because I was pissed he cheated on me with my best friend.”
“Which is exactly why you’re the only suspect, you stupid cunt. But since you seem so sure of yourself, I’ll give you one option to walk away —”
“Yes, yes, please. I’ll do anything,” I blurt out quickly.
“You sure about that?” he asks. “Because it’s either you or her.”
Confused, I look at Ava, but the guy shakes his head. “No, not this bitch. Her.”
He holds up a phone, and I see a video of my sister, Arianna, with her two children at a playground near her house. Then I notice it’s a video call. “Is that …”
“Oh, it’s live. You think I’ve only been tailing you? Took me a bit to find your sister. She was only on screen for a second at your boyfriend’s apartment.”
Confused, I reply, “She hasn’t been to Sebastian’s.”
The guy sighs dramatically. “Rick’s.”
“Wait. Rick has cameras now?” I ask.
“Only one. In the bedroom. You’re boring as fuck in bed, babe.”
Blood drains from my face as his words hit. Rick had a camera? He was recording me — us — in bed? Without my consent or knowledge? I feel sick.
Sebastian seemed genuinely remorseful for his cameras. Is it the same thing, though? Did Rick just innocently forget to tell me he’d added cameras?. At least Sebastian told me as soon as he remembered. But I know if I’d said I didn’t like it, he’d have deleted the footage and probably move the cameras somewhere else. Knowing the difference between Sebastian and Rick,however, tells me Rick would record me without telling me, and he’d never feel an ounce of remorse over that fact.
“Aw. You’re upset.” He gives me a fake frown. “Poor Isabella. She thought Rick was the one, and he’d never do her wrong.”
I laugh bitterly. “No, I absolutely do know he’d be like that.”
He looks surprised. “But he cheated, and you destroyed his apartment.”
“So?”
He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. Let’s go. You’re gonna have to sit with the boss to see if he believes you or not.”
I try to keep my voice even as I plead with him. “I’ll go with you. But please leave Ava here. She really doesn’t have anything to do with this.”
He ponders this for a moment, tilting his head as he studies me, with one finger against his chin. “Nah. I think she’ll come with us as collateral.”
Using his gun, he motions for me to step toward the door, but then he slaps my ass twice. I jump, squeaking in shock, making him laugh. “Just checking to see if you’re trying to be sneaky and bring a phone. Won’t end well for you if you cross me, Isabella.”
Ava grabs my hand when I get close to her, and I squeeze it reassuringly. She’s completely terrified, and I feel awful for bringing her into this chaos. Still a teenager, Ava has her whole life ahead of her.
We’re directed to the east, away from Sebastian’s new bar, and I feel hysteria rising in my throat. He’d have seen us if we walked past. But now he’ll walk back to an empty bakery and have no clue what happened.
I can only hope he’s silently listening on my hidden phone, and he’ll be able to follow us, or track my location somehow. Here I am, hoping a man loaded tracking software onto my phone like he said he would.
