Page 91 of Wicked Me
What would she sound like? Was she funny and smart? Did she like to read? Oh the horror, what if she didn’t? But most importantly, would she love me as much as I’d always loved her?
My eyes stung at the memory of her kicks and somersaults, of crossing my arms protectively over my swollen belly every night while I slept, of her first red-faced cry.
“I’ll be back,” I said, my voice thick, and stood.
Nicole stopped scribbling in her notebook long enough to say, “We’ll make sure we’re not here by then.”
Charlotte snorted. “I think my sarcasm is running off on you. That’s my line.”
I walked away quickly, wishing I could scoop them both into my pocket forever. I would miss them. Terribly. And Sam... If I left here, if I lefthim, I hated to think what it might do to me. Unless I somehow convinced him to come to Wichita and meet Her. And stay there. With me.
“Paige?”
So lost in my own thoughts, it seemed to take forever for me to turn around and register who was speaking.
Janice stood outside the House Members room, her entire face made up of thin, straight lines and a hard glint inside her eyes. “May I see you in my office?”
26
Sam
FRIDAY, 1 PM.
Abandoned warehouse.
Don’t be late.
Hill’s text had arrived a long two days after my shrivel-dick apology. Myfakeshrivel-dick apology. I had to let him think he still held all the power, that I had no idea it was Rose who had leaked the information about Riley, that he could still ruin Dad’s career if I slipped up one more time.
And I wouldn’t.
I knocked on Tony’s apartment door. It opened a crack, enough to let out an orange cat. He blinked green eyes up at me and then sideswiped my leg in greeting on its way to the elevator.
“You supposed to be out, Major?” I called.
He swished his tail, a signal for me to mind my own business. Okay, then.
