20
Patrena
The next day, my heart got picked apart by the vivid images that unfolded in the most depressing separation I had ever witnessed. A teary-eyed Arlo saying good-bye to his father, and Tywin promising they would get their time together to take him to, of all places, an art gallery.
Leelyn, with his gloomy-eyed gaze, had leaned over to explain that the kid was an impressive little painter. There were men out there who abandoned their children because they didn’t want to deal with the responsibility of raising them. This one wanted time with his son and was reduced to taking a small amount of days each month.
Tywin drove me to work later that day to lie to my boss in person about a family emergency that would take me out of the office for a week. I had a whole lifetime to figure out so I wasn’t sure a week would cut it, but it was a start.
When I’d called Mecca and Desiree yesterday to do our usual checkup on each other, they informed me that everything was fine. For once, they were worried about me instead of the other way around. Of course, I had downplayed my drama so they wouldn’t worry, but the truth of the matter was I was scared. I had no idea what was coming, who was chasing me or the reason why.
Now, with the evening rapidly approaching, no one, not even the members of LoC were returning my calls or texts. Tywin’s eyes kept landing on the way I kept flipping my phone in my hand.
“Something’s wrong,” I said more to myself than to him.
“I agree. I can’t get either of my cousins on the phone.”
Like the world had considered our concerns, our phones sounded simultaneously.
“Cas.”
“Desiree.”
We called out at the same time when our phones connected.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice shaking with concern.
“It’s Mecca. Arjen called Khane and informed him that she was ambushed on the highway earlier, took on some sniper fire, but survived the attack. The problem now is he thinks she is about to do something crazy after losing a guard in the ambush.”
“Shit,” I muttered.
Tywin must have been hearing a similar story because he was questioning the person he was talking to.
“Khane left to meet with Arjen. I know Mecca’s strong. I know what she is capable of, but I’m afraid for her right now.”
“She is going to be okay. I believe Tywin and I are headed to Arjen’s house right now. I’ll talk to you in a little bit, okay?”
“Okay,” she said but fear rang out in her shaky voice.
“We’re going to make a slight detour. Instead of Rhi’s, we are going to Arjen’s,” Tywin informed me, confirming my assumption.
We had been on our way to see his tech guy to put our heads together and view the mall surveillance footage. However, I could sense that there was a nightmare in the making, one that would likely make my hidden past and secret tattoo look like a daydream.
“Okay,” I finally replied. “I just got off with Desiree. She updated me about what’s going on.”
No sooner than I finished the sentence, Lady A sent a text.
Something going down with Mecca. Trying to locate her.
Double Fuck!
Another text came through from Lady A before I made the offer she knew was coming.
Stay out of sight. Too dangerous for you.
The LoC knew I had a situation churning and like Rhi and the Vallin crew, they were working all angles to figure out who the hell had made a move on me. Their investigation included members of the syndicate who I had come in contact with throughout the years and any John, Dick, and Harry who thought they had a reason to come for me.
Okay,I texted her back, knowing good and well if given the chance, I was not going to sit around hiding while Mecca’s life was on the line.