AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“You could say that, yeah. But don’t let X come to the house. Tony thinks he’s dead. He’ll shoot him all over again if he finds out he’s not.”
I heard an intake of breath, then the man said, “I’ll do my best, but X doesn’t take too kindly to being told what to do.”
For the first time in as long as I could remember, a smile touched my lips. “Yeah, I remember.”
“Listen, he doesn’t remember you. I don’t know what good talking to him will do.”
“I just need to hear his voice.” I had to fight my urge to yell at the asshole to put X on the phone, or I’d track him down and string him up by the balls. Face to face, that might have worked, but on the phone, all he had to do was hang up and refuse to answer my calls. I wasn’t going to risk that.
I heard movement from down the line again, knowing he must be going to find X. Did that mean X was staying at his place? I glanced down at the card again, as though hoping a home address might miraculously appear.
“Hey, X,” I heard him call, his voice slightly muffled. “Does the name Verity Guerra mean anything to you? Remember the broad you’ve been obsessing over?”
My heart soared. He’d been obsessing about me? Did that mean he remembered me? I couldn’t make out the reply.
Another bump and a shuffle came as I imagined X grabbed the phone.
“X,” I said, my voice filled with emotion and still hoarse from where Tony had strangled me.
“Yeah, it’s me. At least I think it is.”
Hearing his voice was like a soothing balm on my shattered nerves. I pressed the phone close to my cheek, closing my eyes to imagine him next to me. “I thought you were dead. I thought I’d never see you again …”
“What were we to each other?” he asked. “I can’t remember my life before waking up. You said I was sent to kill you.”
“But you didn’t.” I gave a small, slightly hysterical laugh. “Obviously. You helped me instead. We became close. We were friends … more than friends.”
“Lovers?” he filled in.
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, lovers.” I liked hearing that word from him. “Where are you?” I asked. “I need your address.”
“Are you able to come here?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll try to get away.” I glanced toward the door again, feeling like my time was running out.
“Don’t if it’s not safe. I will come to you.”
“No, he’ll kill you.”
“Who?”
“Tony the Hound. He’s the one who shot you—the reason you ended up in the river.”
“Can you run? Just come here. We’ll protect you.”
“My sister is here. You won’t remember her, but she’s important to me.” I remembered my promise to myself about how I wouldn’t care about her anymore. I guessed I couldn’t just switch my emotions on and off, however much I wanted to.
“Bring her with you,” he replied.
“It’s not that easy. She wouldn’t come.”
The windows at the front of the house suddenly lit up, headlights of a car shining against the glass. “Fuck. Someone’s here. I have to go.”
“Wait,” he said. “I’ll find you.”
I didn’t have time to hear any more. Already the car engine had been switched off, and the car door opened and closed with a clunk. I hung up the phone, and then slipped the business card back down my bra. Male voices, making no attempt to stay quiet, headed toward the house, and then I heard the front door open.
