Page 67 of Wretched Soul
Mace
The sight of four men in custom-made suits shouldn’t look that incongruous in an exclusive hospital that’s seen its fair share of billionaires and celebrities, but every time I look up from my cell, there are eyes on us. And the nurses’ station is far more crowded than it had been when we took our seats in the waiting area.
“I swear, I’m going to suggest they pull up chairs if they don’t stop staring at you all,” Maddie huffs.
Reid stretches out his long legs, resting his hands on his abdomen as he relaxes back in a visitor’s chair. “If you do, can you make sure that raven-haired nurse gets the first invite?”
Hunter makes the mistake of chuckling, and his wife glares at him. “Have you picked out your preference too, husband?” she demands.
“You know I only have eyes for you, little bird.”
The way my brother and his wife talk to each other usually makes my stomach turn, but instead, it twists with jealousy. Today is going to be hard, and Hunter has his wife by his side while I chased Lily away. I let her get angry with me when I should have just told her that my mom was dying.
And OK, maybe Alice isn’t my mom in the normal sense of the word, but the longer I sit here and wait, the more I have to accept that her passing does have significance. There was a time when I’d secretly hoped she’d step up and be the mom I needed her to be, but the time for redemption is slowly trickling away. Minute by excruciating minute. Typical of Alice to make us wait.
I glance at Ash. He has his elbows on his knee, and his hands are steepled in front of his mouth. He was very matter-of-fact when he’d phoned to tell me Alice was on her deathbed and they were on their way to pick me up. Even when we’d transferred to our jet to fly to New York, he’d spoken only in practical terms. The deal we’d brokered with Alice for Poulton Springs is going to die with her.
But as my brother stares into space, I don’t think it’s purely business on his mind. Alice was right when she said he’d been old enough to remember her. From what he’s said over the years, he has only snatches of memory, but it’s enough to keep him lost in his thoughts.
I zone out too and use the time to check on Lily. She doesn’t want me invading her privacy, but at the very least, I need to make sure she gets home safe. I may not be able to access her cell, but thankfully, she didn’t ask me to remove all trackers, just the one on her phone.
Still able to locate her Audi, I’m surprised to find she hasn’t reached Chicago yet. It looks like she’s stopped off at another small town.
My mouth twists. Is her detour a move to throw me off the scent? I’m going to be so pissed if she books into another seedy motel.
I check the Audi’s movements over the last few hours, and I’m even more confused as my tracker plots a route that zigzags all over town. It could be that she thinks I’ve sent someone to tail her, but her attempts to shake me are futile.
Her impulsive behavior, however, could be a problem. I don’t like her taking unnecessary risks. I hack into the nearest security camera to the Audi’s current position, and as I pull up a street view, I search for Lily’s car. Unable to find it, I crosscheck the data. Something’s wrong. I should be able to see her, but I can’t. Unease creeps along my spine.
Searching earlier CCTV footage of her arrival in town a few hours ago, I spot Lily pulling up outside a diner. She gets out of the car and turns in a circle, her gaze lifted upwards as she searches for something. And then she stares directly at the security camera. When she puts her hand on her hip, I know the look she gives the lens is just for me. She strolls purposefully past the driver’s door and crouches down next to the tire.
I’m shaking my head in disbelief as I watch her reach beneath the wheel arch. It takes a while for her to find what she’s looking for, but when she stands, she tosses and catches something in her hand. It’s my tracker. How the hell did she figure that out?
I can’t believe my eyes as she strolls casually to a taxi cab parked nearby and stoops quickly to give my tracker a new home. And when she turns and heads back to her car, she gives me the finger.
Bad girl.
I’d be impressed if I wasn’t so panicked. Heaving a sigh, I rake my fingers through my hair and look up. I don’t know how long Ash has been watching me.
He rolls his shoulders and stands up. “I’m going to get a coffee. Anyone want one?”
Everyone puts in their order, and it comes as no surprise when he asks me to help.
“Are you in trouble?” he asks as we go in search of a vending machine.
“Your call didn’t exactly come at the most opportune time,” I admit. “But my comeuppance was long overdue. I don’t need anyone’s help to fuck things up.”
Ash hunches his shoulders. “That’s not what I meant,” he says. “You look like shit, Mace. I’m guessing that decision you have to make is fast approaching.”
“Oh, I’m right there at the intersection,” I admit. “Lily’s the one for me, Ash. But I don’t know if I can inflict myself on her. She doesn’t know anything about me except my habit of ignoring personal boundaries. I haven’t even told her my name yet.”
My brother swallows a laugh. “Only you could hold out on something like that.”
“It was fun…”
“While it lasted?” he finishes for me.
“Yeah, and now play time is over.”
