Page 96 of Who's Saving You
Rhett is here, and he’s already been watching me.
I move slowly and with purpose as I approach the booth, trying to make it look nonchalant, as if I’m just grabbing a drink with an old friend, but my thoughts are locked on Eva.I know it’s her. I just need to know how deep Rhett is in.
He watches my every move as I climb the two steps to his booth, his cigarette glowing and making me feel like I need a shower just from the way his eyes gloss over every part of me.
“Good evening, Ms. Moreno.” He rolls the r in my name, and it makes me feel even dirtier. “Thought you’d have a game to get to tonight?”
“You’ve got your days mixed up. But this chat is more important right now.”
He chuckles, taking another drag from his cigarette. “You got balls of steel, I’ll give you that.”
I sit down and jump right in. “I need answers.”
“Wrong place, wrong time.”
“I know it’s Eva.”
He huffs a laugh, stabbing his cigarette out in the ashtray with a bit more force than necessary.I knew it,I cheer silently. His actions prove he’s just mad I figured it out, and he couldn’t be the one to drop the bomb. “Dangerous thing, dropping names like that.”
“Tell me what you know.”
“Is this how you conduct interviews? I mean, I figured you'd bring me a drink at least.” He waves his hand. “You bought Trevor lunch.”
I hold his stare. I should have known it was him who followed me that day and sent that picture. I won’t give him the satisfaction of any kind of response, though.
He drinks from his beer bottle, then says, “I’m not involved other than doing what I'm told.”
“No? Not smart enough to have a thought for yourself?
His lips twist, and I don’t like it. “I’m plenty smart. Smart enough to just get paid and not get wrapped up in family affairs, if that’s what you think.”
He isn’t denying it—he’s just refusing to pick a side.
“You were friends; why are you helping to go after him now?”
He holds my stare for a moment before saying, “I’m helping myself. That’s all anyone does. You’d do well to remember that.”
“You know it’s wrong. Is money that?—”
He cuts me off with a bitter laugh. “Wrong? You wanna school me on morals now?” He leans forward. “Your boyfriend rigged a college gamefor money.Your boyfriend steals tips from his friendsfor money.Your boyfriend is tied to that club, and Dante is covering himfor money.So don’t talk to me about doing the right thing–”
“You don’t know, do you?” I laugh, trying to provoke him. “You’ve only heard things, rumors in the night that you can’t prove.” Rhett slides from the booth and stands, taking steps away from me. I quickly slide out and follow him. “ThisGhostisn’t telling you shit, despite sending you on errands, and it makes you mad, doesn’t it?”
He stops abruptly, turning on me and snapping, “And you’re just a piece of ass to him. Makes you mad, doesn’t it?”
His outburst lets me know I’m getting to him. And I fucking love it. “Tellme, then. Tell me what you think, what you've seen!” He walks out the back door, and I follow. “Do you want to do a legit interview? I’ll bring you into my editor. It’d be the story of the year, Rhett. You’d be exposing it all.”
The cool air hits me, and I hear the door slam behindme. Rhett studies me, his expression unreadable before it turns sinister. Then, without warning, he moves efficiently. The world goes dark before I can scream.
~~
The rumble of the car beneath me brings me back to reality. It’s dark, and when I try to move my arms, I find they're bound behind me.
“What the hell?” I twist and turn, but I can’t get loose. I try to quiet myself, listen to anything that will tell me where I am, what's happening.Stupid, Noelle. Stupid, stupid, stupid.I should have never followed him, but I was getting to him. I just needed another push, and he would have told me. I know he would have.
The car makes a sharp turn, and I hit the side. I hear gravel underneath the tires, and then we come to a stop. I wait. I listen.
I hear footsteps coming around to the trunk, and when it pops open, I shut my eyes for just a moment from the flashlight blinding me.
