Bane shook his head as a reminder and I sidestepped the question. “Are you still in Atlanta?”
“No … I mean … yes.”
That was enough to confirm that Frankie was indeed lying to me after all the time we’d spent together. “Hey, I need to stay low for a little bit longer. I snuck away for a bit to make sure you got the money I wired to pay Tommy Tricks. It went into your account.”
Silence.
More Silence.
Then, Frankie erupted on the other end. “You fucker! You said there hadn’t been any money. I want what’s mine. I told you I’d help get that asshole.”
There was a shuffle and a commotion.
Then another voice came across the line. “Eric—”
The line went dead. I stared at the phone with sadness and empty feelings. Tears flowed freely down my face. Frankie hadn’t cared about me at all. What happened? A sob broke free. I couldn’t take it anymore.
Air.
I needed air.
Now.
What happened to our brotherly-sisterly love? Gasping, I leapt out of the vehicle as my stomach heaved, expelling everything into the pure white snow. I wanted my innocence and purity back from childhood. Bane was at my side in an instant.
“I’m here, angel.” I had to be strong. This was not a time to break.
Bane held my hair as I continued to be sick. Why, Frankie, why? My hands shook uncontrollably as I worked on getting control. Calm down, Maren. This isn’t news. Deep breaths, helped the heaves subside. I held up my hand. “I’m okay. I needed a second.”
I looked at Bane and he looked murderous. From his touch, I would have never known.
“What’s wrong?”
A chill went through me as Bane’s steel voice cut through the air. “The voice that said Eric’s name at the end of the call, I think is a colleague of mine.”
“Who?”
“Hampton.”
I’D KNOW THAT voice anywhere.
Fucking traitor.
I trusted that motherfucker and he betrayed me. My insides shook with rage. Hampton played me. That lying sack-of-shit played me for who knows how long. I wouldn’t know for sure until I cross-analyzed the voice on the phone with his. I’d recorded our conversation the other day in the cabin. Felicia was at the hospital. I’d verified the admittance records.
Motherfucker.
Maren leaned back over as dry heaves racked her body. I felt ill for her, knowing how the sting of betrayal felt from your own flesh and blood. My mom had been the worst. As a kid, she’d forced me to con women out of money or I’d be beaten black and blue for days. That was until I stood up for myself at fifteen. After that, she never laid a finger on me again. But, I was still called bastard until I left for the Marines.
Standing, Maren turned into me and sobbed. I hated this for her and felt like the bastard I was for suggesting she call. There wasn’t a breath of space between us as she clung to me. My body craved to be the comfort she needed, but my heart fought it knowing this was going to all come to an end sooner or later.
Crack.
My mind went into defense mode as I watched the branch on the nearby tree fall to the ground. We were exposed out in the open like this. One well-placed sniper and either one of us could be taken out if someone had been tracking us. “Maren, I need us to get back in the vehicle. We need to get back to the cabin.”
Shopping would have to wait until I further assessed the situation.
Nodding, I swooped her up and rapidly got us in the vehicle. Scanning the streets, nothing seemed out of place. There was hardly anyone out on the road which made identifying possible tails easy. There was no way they’d know I was in Colorado, but it wasn’t worth the chance if somehow I overlooked something. Maren looked out the window as silent tears came down her face.