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“Don’t sound so sulky. Now what the hell is going on, Kenny? Someone seems to have declared open season on your ass!” Phoe demanded and settled down.
“If I knew, I’d tell you!” I said, and Phoe’s eyes narrowed.
“Then we better figure it out quickly. I don’t want a friend targeted and severely injured,” Phoe announced as if whoever was after me was an affront to her.
“Believe me, I don’t want to keep ending up in hospital either!” I replied, and Phoe giggled.
“No, I suppose not!”
Chapter Five.
Kendara
This was starting to get exasperating. I hadn’t even healed from the car accident, and now I had a freaking concussion. Plus, I’d been grilled by Lio and Ramirez, who wouldn’t agree on whose jurisdiction this was. My answers hadn’t changed since the last two times I had been interviewed. I wasn’t aware of pissing anyone off, nor had I received any threats lately. The entire situation was completely unexpected, and I’d no idea who or what lay behind it.
Lance and his brothers had installed a high-tech security system and given me three panic alarms. One was a pretty necklace, another attached to my house and car keys, and the other stayed in my purse. Overkill came to mind, but he so was earnest I didn’t want to upset him. I’d really wracked my brains butcame up blank.
While most of my clients, through the Trusts and pro bono, were decent—and their partners just sheer assholes—I’d never sensed danger towards me. Towards them? Yes. Not me. Which was fucking annoying because Rage planned to smother me. Casey informed me that Drake was going to great lengths to uncover the identity of this person. Mac constantly talked about making me move in with him and Casey, and I hated to upset him, but that wasn’t happening. Not in this lifetime. I was twenty-nine years old, successful, stubborn, and had been alone for a long time.
Mac could chat all he wanted, but he couldn’t force me to live with him and Casey. Although, in truth, Casey had already tried that when she visited after Phoe left. It hadn’t worked for her and wouldn’t for Mac!
Only a week had passed since the accident, yet we remained clueless about the identity and motive of the person chasing me. The shit happening was disturbing, and I couldn’t lie and say I was okay. No, I felt on edge, nervous, stressed, and thoroughly disagreeable due to the pain. I hated taking painkillers and would rather suffer than get out of my mind and lose control.
All of this meant I was in a bad mood when a client called. Normally, I’d have let it go to voice mail, but this woman was particularly vulnerable. She’d just turned nineteen and already had four kids by the abusive asshole who’d got her pregnant at fifteen andmarried her the day she turned sixteen. Lola, her name, was in hiding with her children at a Rebirth Trust property.
“Lola?” I asked.
“Kendara! He found me. I was looking out of my bedroom window, which is on the third floor, and saw movement. His pickup was sitting outside in the street, and he was inside. He had binoculars with him. I pulled the curtains before he noticed me. What am I going to do?” Lola cried down the phone.
“Honey, just breathe deeply. Okay, I’m messaging security at your building. Someone will be along shortly. Without opening your curtains, can you see if he is still outside?” I asked, texting as I spoke.
“Yes, he is, I took a quick peek. He’s gonna make me go back to him, Kendara and he’ll do more than beat me black and blue. Clive’s always threatened to kill me if I left.” Lola sobbed.
“Listen to me. We have restraining orders out against him, and Clive is in violation of them. If security can apprehend him, then we can have his ass thrown in jail. Meanwhile, I’ll find someone to check for available rooms in other states. I’m aware we’re full to overflowing, but hopefully, we’ll be able to get you into another state,” I said calmly.
“Kendara, he is going to kill me,” Lola whispered.
“No, he’s not. We won’t let him. Trust me. Clive is a bully needing his ass beating.”
I heard a knock at Lola’s door, and she cried out in fear.
“Lola, it’s Mattie from security. Can you open thedoor, honey?” a woman called.
“I know Mattie; let her in, sweetie,” I urged, and I listened as Lola moved.
“Kenny, I have her, hon, and the team is moving in on the asshole,” Mattie said. “Come here, Lola; you look like you need a hug, girl.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Mattie was a kick-ass, no nonsense, thirty-five-year-old woman and highly respected in the South Dakota Rebirth Trust shelter.
“Kendara, can you please come?” Lola begged, and I winced.
I couldn’t drive in my state.
“Honey. I’ve been in a car accident and really shouldn’t drive that far,” I began, and Lola’s sobs got louder.
Crap, no doubt she thought I was abandoning her. “Let me get somebody to drive me. I don’t know what time I’ll arrive, but I will phone someone, okay?”
“Please, Kendara, just come,” Lola sobbed.
