Page 47 of Behind the Shadows
My dick sprang to life with the recollection of pinning her to the wall, but the goddamn flashbacks had taken over, and for a moment, I hadn’t been able to distinguish between the past and present. How could she not remember me? Maybe she was the same, her past hazy due to the hell we’d lived through.
Mother’s words stirred inside my gut, followed by a rush of rage. Anger at Mother and uncle, but even I knew that Mother’s words were always laced with truth and lies. The problem was which ones? I was finished letting her play me like a goddamn fiddle. I was going to make sure this shit was going to end … tonight.
19
KIP
By the time we touched down, I was caught in a whirlwind of emotions, teetering on the edge of anger and uncertainty. Lies seemed to weave through every facet of my life—my family, Holland, and perhaps even the pastor of the church. Was there more to the story? How much did he really know about me, and was there a past connection with my family that had faded over time, or was he still very much a part of it? And where exactly did Holland factor into all of this? I was desperate for answers but unsure if I was ready to confront them.
After stepping off the plane, I climbed into my car and grabbed my cell from my back pocket. Even though I wanted to check the cameras at Holland’s place on the flight back, I couldn’t risk Dope being nosy and learning that I was watching her. Hell, I hadn’t even mentioned her to the guys. Until I had answers, there was no reason to. With a few taps on my screen, I opened the app for the live video. Nothing.
“What the fuck?” I muttered, opening and closing the app again. Frustrated, I deleted the app and reloaded it again, but still nothing. “Goddammit.” I slumped against the car seat while I realized that she’d most likely discovered the cameras I’dplanted. There was a small possibility that Draco had bugged her place and removed them too. However it played out, it wasn’t good. First, I couldn’t see her anytime I wanted to. Second, I had no damn clue if Cooper or Draco showed up and hurt her.
A fierce blaze ignited within me as I jammed the key into the ignition and roared toward her house. It wasn’t late enough for her to be asleep, so unless she wasn’t there, I had to devise a way to slip into her place undetected.
And when I did, there would be hell to pay.
An idea formed in my thoughts.
“Hey, Siri, call Ryan Steele.” Seconds later, his phone rang through the speakers.
“Hey, man,” Ryan answered. “What’s up?”
Ryan and I had worked together in the past and had become good friends. He was a Portland cop, but he played both sides of the fence at times when it was needed.
“I need a diversion.”
“Yeah? What’s up?”
I could almost hear him smile through the phone.
“I need to sneak inside a house, but she might be there. Are you able to help me with a diversion to draw her outside? She’s got some bad company following her, so I don’t want her alone.”
“Lady Luck is on your side. I’m off work tonight, but it wouldn’t be a problem to knock on her door and report suspicious activity in the area. Does she have an alley or anything behind her home?”
“Yeah. I’ll need to come through that way, so have her walk outside in front. I only need five minutes or so. Probably less, but just to be safe.”
“I’ll tell her we’re looking into a break-in and ask if she saw anything, ask her to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for potential witnesses,” he said.
A wicked grin eased across my features. “I appreciate it. I owe you one.”
The line grew silent, and I wasn’t surprised when he asked, “How’s Cami? Have you seen her?”
“No, not lately. From what Ella has said, she’s doing good, but still struggling to get past your breakup.” Ella and Cami were best friends and discussed everything. There were no secrets between them, including Cami’s feelings about Ryan. But he’d fucked up, and some lines you couldn’t cross without doing irreparable damage. I was starting to think this was one of those times.
“Good,” he muttered. “I want her to hurt as much as I am.”
“We all wish you two would work things out. You’re miserable without each other.” I flipped on my turn signal and then turned onto Holland’s street. She wouldn’t recognize my Mustang since she’d only seen me drive my BMW. Having a few different cars came in handy when trying to stay under the radar with the cops.
“Okay, I’m in her neighborhood. Her car is in the driveway, so let me know your ETA to show up.” I rattled off the address, and Ryan said he’d be there in half an hour. We hung up, and I drove around to the back of her place and parked at the end of the alley, watching to see if there was any activity from Draco or Cooper. As far as I could tell, it was quiet.
After I parked the car a few streets over, I ran through the alleyway until I approached Holland’s place again. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows that stretched across the pavement, and by the time Ryan arrived, the sky had deepened into a dusky blue, cloaking everything in a soft, muted light. This twilight provided the cover I needed.
From my vantage point, I could observe both the front and side of her house with ease, the warm glow from the windows contrasting against the growing darkness.
I chuckled as Ryan rang her doorbell and she cautiously answered. In less than a minute, she was hurrying outside with him as he pointed down the street. With her back to me, I made my move. A few other neighbors opened their front doors, which gave me even more protection from being seen as I hauled ass across her backyard. Ryan was a fucking pro, and I owed him a solid in return.
I reached her back patio and jiggled the knob. “Good girl,” I whispered as I carefully maneuvered the lock pick, feeling for the subtle clicks that signaled success. At least she was wise enough to secure the place, a small gesture toward safety. Little did she realize, however, that this barrier was no match for my skills, and it wouldn't keep me out for long.
