Page 54 of Dare
I’mso grateful to have a friend like her. “Shit. My laptop is at his place.”
“Noproblem. I can get it. I’ll stop by after work.”
Ihand her a list of things to grab from my apartment. Maybe I’m being dramatic,but I can’t bear to go back and listen to him next door. I know he’ll never letup trying to talk to me through the walls like we used to, and I just can’ttake it right now.
“Ihave to be at the studio this afternoon, but I’ll be back around seven. I’llpick up dinner. Tacos?”
“Soundsgood. One of my patients today is a hopeless whiner, so if he drives me toocrazy, I may return with alcohol.” She grins at me from the door. “See youtonight.”
“Thanksfor everything, Sadie.”
“Anytime,bitch.”
Silencefills the house and I let myself cry for a few minutes. I’m trying to keep myshit together. I’m used to physical pain, but this is different. For the lastfew months I’ve felt something I didn’t even recognize until now. Hope. EmilyDickinson called hopethe thing with feathers. I guess she’s right,since it can up and fly the fuck away, leaving nothing but the memories of howit felt.
Iwas happy before. Well, content at least. I was satisfied with my solitarylife, my dancing, and an occasional day out with Sadie. Then Dare came alongand made me want things I knew I couldn’t have. He gave me hope for a differentfuture, with love and maybe even kids. Even with the pain of losing him andthat future shredding my heart into tiny scraps, I wouldn’t change a thingabout the time I spent with him.
Hechanged me, gave me confidence to crawl out of my hole and face the world. Nomatter how badly I want to curl up and bemoan my fate, I won’t let myself goback to that. I may have lost the most important thing in my life, but I stillhave a new job I love, and friends who care about me.
ChapterThirteen
Dare
Aydajust broke up with me. One second her hand is on my cock, teasing me, and a fewhours later, she needs some time away from me. I’m not buying it. Something isgoing on that she isn’t telling me. I need to get to her, but I’m stuck in thisstupid fucking apartment like a dog in a pound. Every fiber of me wants to sayfuck it, and go after her, but I won’t be able to help her if I’m locked up.
Landon,Justus, and Jeremy show up an hour after I call them, laptops in hand. “He musthave got to her, threatened her,” I tell them as they settle in my living room.I was worried that she may have even been taken against her will, but herfriend, Sadie, answered her phone last night after Ayda was asleep. She told methe same thing, to give her some time to think. It’s not what I wanted to hear,but at least I know she’s okay.
Justus’sfingers fly across the keyboard. “Talbot left the hospital yesterday, againstmedical advice. No hits on his credit card, but the senator just transferred aquarter of a million dollars to someone.”
“Abribe?”
“Giveme some time. I’ll try to track the money.”
Idon’t have time. I meet with my lawyers in a few days and I’ve made it clear Iwon’t be pleading this down. I want to go to trial. I have a plan to bring bothof those assholes down, but if it falls through, I could be going away for along time.
“I’vegot Sadie’s address,” Jeremy says, smiling up from his computer. He texts it tomy phone.
Mygaze darts to the door. “No fucking way, man,” Landon says, glaring at me. “Ifyou leave, you’ll be in jail by tonight. They’ll hold you until trial and thatcould be months away.”
“Fuck!”My hands run through my hair, and I feel the need to hit something. “I know! Ican’t just sit here and do nothing!”
“Thenget your ass online and find out who the senator’s cronies are. He was a judge.I’m sure he has a few others in his pocket. You can bet he’ll be calling in afavor for your trial. You messed up his son’s pretty face.”
He’sright. I need to focus. I can’t chase my girl and bring her back, but I canfight for my freedom so I don’t lose her for good.
Theguys spend a caffeine fueled night at my place, except for Landon who has to behome before dawn. The shit we manage to put together on the senator and his sonis nothing short of devastating. They’re going to be sorry they fucked with mygirl.
Latein the afternoon, I hear Ayda’s door slam, and I’m a second away from being outmine when Justus grabs me. “Your ankle, dude. You can’t.”
Fuck.Fuck. Fuck. I don’t have long to brood before Sadie knocks on my door. “Hey,Ayda left her laptop here and she needs it for work,” she says, enteringwithout waiting for an invitation.
“Whereis she? Is she okay?” I demand, following her into my living room.
“She’shanging in there. Thinking some things through.”
I’vehad it. “Cut the shit. I know something happened. She didn’t just change hermind in the two hours she was gone. Did Talbot contact her?”
Sadiegives me a look. She isn’t going to tell me, but her expression says it all.“Fine. Since she won’t talk to me, give her a message. I’m going to fix this.Whatever he did or said to scare her away from me is bullshit. Tell her I’llgive her a couple of days, then I’m coming after her and this damn anklet isn’tgoing to stop me.”
