Page 10 of A Damaged Soul
It was late afternoon, and we were lucky that all the shooting didn't attract attention. Granted we were in a shady neighborhood to begin with, so it was probably common to hear shots.
Without waiting around for the General Directorate of Security to show up, we piled into the two SUVs and raced off into the evening. We drove straight to a private airstrip and waited while Oxford readied the plane.
"So what has you itching to be home so soon?" Matthew asked when he caught me alone looking at my phone.
"Just coffee with a friend."
"A friend, huh?" The smirk on his face said what he was really thinking.
"Yes, just a friend," I snapped.
"All right, all right." He held up his hands. "A friend it is."
I didn't bother to tell him that his words said one thing, but his tone was screaming something else.
"Just tell this friend you got shot, and I'm sure they will forgive you."
I rolled my eyes and pushed past him. "I'm not telling her that."
Elle would likely freak out if she knew just how dangerous my job was.
I ignored Matthew's laugh at my back. I just gave him exactly what he wanted. Confirmation that my coffee date was indeed with a woman. With my middle finger in the air, I walked onto the plane.
Matthew could kiss my ass. I had some groveling to do when I got back.
CHAPTER SIX
Elle
I glanced down at my phone for what felt like the millionth time in the last hour.
Rhett was late.
Really late.
And worse yet? He hadn't even answered my text this morning when I reached out to confirm that we were still good for today.
That probably should've been my first clue that he wasn't coming, and yet I wanted to believe it was just a fluke.
The second clue should've been when I tried calling him after I had been waiting for ten minutes, and the call went straight to voicemail.
"Can I top you off?" The waitress smiled down at me.
"No, thank you. I'll just take the check, please."
"Sure thing, hon."
I pulled cash out of my wallet and made sure I left the waitress a big tip for wasting her time for just a cup of coffee.
As soon as I got back to my SUV, I pulled up Molly's name and hit the call button.
"Done already?" was exactly how she answered.
"He never showed." It wasn't until I said the words out loud that I started to cry. And not tears of sadness but the ones full of frustration.
"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry."
"I knew I should've lowered my expectations." I had gotten my hopes up when Rhett said he wanted to meet. I had immediately gone from just friends to a date really quick. So much so that I meticulously planned my outfit. A cute long flowing floral skirt with a tucked-in white top, jean jacket, and tan sandals. I looked hot if I had to say so myself.
