Page 41 of Burn for Me
What she heard left her ice cold and feeling ill. Like she’d been catapulted back to the night Gray had been trapped in tons of rubble and no one knew if he was dead or alive.
“You, better than most, know how incredibly lucky you were during that cave-in, bud,” she heard Kyle say. “If another beam had failed instead of the one that did, that scene could have looked a whole lot worse.”
“Yeah, I know it. But you also know it’s part of the job, Ace.”
“Sure, it’s part of the job. But if the roles were reversed, you’d be on my back like a cheap suit to go speak to someone.” The pause seemed interminable. Then, when Gray didn’t speak, “Have you even spoken to Kitty about any of this yet?”
“No, Kyle. I haven’t yet. I’m not sure I ever intend to. I’m not sure how she’ll react.”
“You kidding me? This is as much her life now as it is yours. Bud, you play this one so close to the chest it becomes a tiger by the tail situation. What happens when you let go?”
“At a guess, my friend, I’m going to say I’d be well and truly screwed.”
“Well, it’s your funeral.” Kitty could almost hear Kyle shrugging. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”
For the second time in as many hours, Kitty felt tears stream down her face. Turning as quietly as possible, she headed back to the guest bedroom she’d been sleeping in to pack her bags. The decision she’d been grappling with since this whole emotional rollercoaster had started, it seemed, had been made.
* * *
They’d waited for nightfall.As the dark of night settled, they climbed out of the car. Having followed her to his house, they now knew their new target. They just needed to scout around the property to find a weakness, the best place to set a fire. If they couldn’t get to him on the job, they’d catch him in his home – the place he’d feel most secure. The one place they knew his guard would be down. If the whore stayed, she’d be caught in the blaze. And she’d have no one to blame but herself. After everything they’d done for her.
Chapter Fifteen
The game over,Kyle stretched. Gray knew how he felt. He was exhausted. And everything hurt, again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friend look over at him.
“You need anything else, bud?”
“No, I’m good, thanks. I’m done for the night.”
“Yeah. I’m pretty much done for the night too. In fact, I think I’m going to scoot on home. Get some shuteye.”
“Sounds like a solid plan to me.”
Calling out, Gray let Kitty know Kyle was leaving. She came into the living room to see him out. When she was done, she came back into the room. Without a word, she collected his medication and brought it to him with a glass of water.
Swallowing down the pills she’d handed him, Gray let his gaze roam over her face. He couldn’t put a finger on it, but something seemed off. When she’d left him and Kyle earlier, she’d seemed fine. Now, she didn’t. And he had no idea why.
“Everything all right there, honey? You seem quiet.”
“Yes, everything’s fine.”
Her words and her body language were in direct contrast. She seemed to be holding her body very stiff. As if she were in pain. Reaching for her hand, he was taken aback when she snatched it from his grasp.
“Kitty?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Then what was that all about?”
“What was what about?” Kitty asked. But Gray could see on her face she knew exactly what he was talking about.
“Seriously?” Gray waited for her to answer. When she didn’t, he continued, “I can see something is wrong. Out with it.”
He watched as she appeared to gather herself. His stomach sank. If she was having to prepare herself to say whatever she had to say, it couldn’t bode well. She sat down on the coffee table, across from him. Giving him a long, measured look, Kitty took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, she looked down and started to speak. Instantly, he regretted asking.
“I overheard the conversation you had with Kyle about the day you got trapped in the collapsed building. I didn’t mean to, but I was coming down the passage, and you weren’t speaking softly.”
Gray’s gut tightened further. He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear any more. But he asked anyway.
