The only question was how could she do it without signing her own death warrant?
9
Betsy felt awful.
She hadn’t slept. She’d lain awake all night thinking about what she’d learned, trying to figure out some way she could warn Ink. Without it costing her everything. She needed to tell him he was in danger.
He’ll hate you once he learns the truth.
She winced at that thought. It shouldn’t hold sway. She shouldn’t care. It wasn’t like they were ever going to be able to have a relationship. This was all fake.
Right, those feelings you have for him are totally fake.
Eventually, he’d find out that she wasn’t who she said she was.
She was a complete and utter lie.
But what did it matter if he hated her? Better he hate her and be alive.
That’s what mattered here. Keeping him safe and alive.
She walked towards Forrest’s office. She’d delayed as long as she could. It was nearly eleven. Ink was expecting her to text him. She needed a phone.
Thing One was standing in front of the door to Forrest’s office. Awesome. Thing One was only slightly more appealing than Thing Two. But not by much. Pockmarked with a nose that had been broken too many times to heal properly, his eyebrows had almost formed a unibrow and the chest hair that poked through his shirt could have done an otter proud.
He had a perpetual scowl on his face, which he aimed her way as she approached him. She’d rather deal with him than Thing Two. But she knew where one was, the other wasn’t far behind.
Thing One was scary. He was all brawn and no brain. Thing Two wasn’t much smarter. But he was far creepier.
Thing One’s gaze caught on her near non-existent boobs. She’d had some once. A long time ago, before anxiety had made eating an almost impossible task.
“What do you want?” he growled.
“I need to speak with Forrest.”
“He’s busy.”
She sighed. “I need to speak with him. It’s important.”
She didn’t want to see him. She wanted to go hide in her room or the small sitting room at the back of the house where she spent most of her time.
Each day was a kind of torture. Time moved so slow. All of it a waste.
“What’s going on?” a weaselly voice asked from behind her. “Betsy causing trouble again?”
Great. So much for only having to deal with one of them. She turned side-on. She knew better than to have her back to one of Forrest’s men. Thing Two looked nothing like Thing One. He was thin. His head was bald and shiny. He reminded her of a ferret. He was never still. Always moving. And those beady eyes made her feel ill.
“I need to speak with Forrest.”
“Boss is busy. Got orders not to interrupt.”
She let out a breath. She knew she wasn’t getting past them. That left one option.
“Where’s Kit?”
Thing Two’s eyebrows rose. “Why? What do you need with Kit? That asshole is practically a monk. Me and Frank, we can provide your greedy cunt with whatever it needs, right, Frank?”
“Huh?” Thing One asked. As usual, unable to follow along.