“Where the fuck is Sal?”
“How would I know?” I ask. The truth is, I don’t know exactly where he is and I want to keep it that way.
I hear him growl and I can picture his contoured face. His lips are in a thin line, his eyes are narrow, and his nose is flaring. I’ve seen that face more times than I care to remember. That face means bad shit is about to happen.
“You suddenly seem to know nothing about our club. That’s not how this is going. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you, get to that club and do what you’re told. Pay the man for me and find out where the fuck Sal is. I will be calling you back and you will answer your phone. Do you understand me?” he seethes.
I swallow the bile climbing up my throat. “No need to get angry,” I force out.
“There’s plenty of reasons to be furious,” he barks.
“When will you be back?”
For the first time in this conversation, he’s the one that’s quiet. It pisses me off and just as I’m about to ask again, he clears his throat.
“I’ll be home when I’m home. Get to the club.” He doesn’t wait for a reply, he hangs up.
I drop the phone to the floor and cover my face. What the hell am I gonna do? If I tell Zane he called he’s going to go crazy. If I don’t tell him, he’s
gonna be pissed. If I go I’ll probably be locked in the room until my father returns.
He knows, he knows everything. He’s playing me. There’s a plan and I probably just showed my hand. My father might be the devil, but he’s fucking smart and cunning. I need to make sure that Zane is two steps ahead. I just don’t know how.
The longer I sit here, the more sick I feel. I’m supposed to be at the club right now. I have no idea if there really is someone coming or if it was just part of his plan. Neither make me feel any better. It’s all a pressing weight on my shoulders, ready to break me. I’m not used to this. I didn’t know what my father was up to, but I knew where he was. Not knowing, is terrifying. I know fear, but this is something different. This is gut wrecking agony. It’s the thought of losing Zane.
The door opens and I jump up to grab my gun.
“Hey, woah, it’s me, babe,” Zane says.
My body is shaking without my permission. I can’t imagine what my face looks like, but it must be bad. He’s approaching me slowly, almost unsure. If he touches me I’ll break and right now I can’t break.
“Stop, I’m fine,” I say, moving from him.
“What happened, Harper?”
I turn my back to him and wrap my arms around myself. “I can’t talk about this right now, please.”
He doesn’t take my plea and he’s behind me in a flash, wrapping one arm around my shoulders from behind. “Tell me,” he whispers in my ear.
My body continues to shake, but I blink back the tears trying to spill. “My father called.”
His entire body stiffens and it does nothing to calm me down. “And?”
“And, he’s fucking infuriated. I’m supposed to be at the club right now, paying his debts, finding Sal, answering his calls. He’s going to kill you, Zane,” I yell. I’ve lost all sense of reality. I’m angry and scared, I’m shaking and stiff. I can’t process anything right now.
“Relax, babe,” he whispers, kissing my temple. “You aren’t going, you’re safe.”
He’s calm, too calm. It’s an unsettling feeling. I break out of his hold and turn to face him. “What the hell is going on?” I yell.
“We have a plan, you need to sit down and relax. No one is dying,” he says, again too calmly.
“What’s the plan?”
He wraps his arms around me and like magic, I stop shaking. He tightens his grip and I fist his shirt in my hands. I can feel my body start to relax and I look up at him. “I’ll explain it all, but right now, I just need you to tell me the entire conversation. I need to know word for word what he said. Also, I need your cell phone.”
I have no fight left in me, so I don’t pull away. “Why?”
“Alex is gonna try to track where he called from. If we know where he is, we’re a step ahead,” he explains, kissing my lips.