Page 80 of Diamonds in the Mud

She was pale, the whitest white I’d ever seen. Her wig had fallen away and was lying on the floor next to her. A cup of tea had tipped over and, as I knelt beside her, I felt how cold the spilled liquid was. Which meant she’d been like this for a while.

“Please,” I said out loud, my voice a whisper in the room. “Not her,” I said as I searched desperately for any sign of life.

Chapter Nineteen

“Diamonds are forever–my youth is not.”

–Jill St. John

Jameson

In the previous week and a half, I had made more than a dozen drops or pickups. Each one, I told myself, got me one step closer to the top. There was no doubt that Felix and Ben now trusted me. Completely.

I’d gone to the Nest two more times. Declan was now acting stir crazy and had obviously been told about Evelyn’s death. The last time I saw the man, he’d been so strung out he could barely stand.

Still, Ben had acted as if it was the most natural thing on the planet.

We’d gone deep into the bayou once more to gather two more bags of cash. Every time, Ben handed candy to the little boy with the haunting eyes, who thanked him and handed over the cash as if he had no clue what he held, that so much money could have been his ticket out of the mud hole.

Felix had requested that I cut my hours back at the gym to accommodate all the running around. I’d been compensated with a crisp wad of bills to make up for the loss of income.

After each run, I’d checked in with Jasmine, who was sticking close to town and working her own angle. It wasn’t the first time she’d stepped in and done her own thing, and I knew that whatever happened next, she’d be there to see things through.

I also knew there were a few dozen agents nearby who were ready to storm in when I gave the final word. It was a sign that I was getting closer to the end of the game.

I missed Rayne. I wanted to spend all of my days and nights with her. Years if possible.

We talked as often as we could on my secure line. Sent a few coded text messages back and forth.

Since that night a few weeks back, we hadn’t had time to hold one another again.

I’d never felt lonely before. Never really thought about how empty and dark my nights were. Now, when I lay in bed alone, it was all I could think of. I missed her warmth, her softness, her laughter.

I had never loved a woman before now. Hell, I hadn’t thought it was possible for me. It had never seemed to be in the cards for my life. Now I was dreaming. Which was dangerous.

Often, when I should have been focused on work, I was thinking of our future together. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down.

In the previous two days, I had avoided replying to Rayne’s messages. I needed to push her away until I could give her all of my attention. Our future depended on it.

Tonight’s run, a pickup from another shady motel outside of some other little town along the old highway, was only shitty due to the summer rainstorm pelting my face as I drove on the old road.

I hadn’t been out to the motel before and, honestly, hadn’t even known of its existence. I was pretty sure I had crossed a few county lines by the time I stopped in front of the dive.

The sign was half lit and the no-vacancy light was the brightest thing in the evening sky, except for the occasional bolt of lightning off in the distance.

I stepped under the torn awning and knocked on the door to room 212 and waited.

“Yeah?” someone said from inside.

“I hear there’s a full moon tonight,” I said, using the code words.

The door flew open, and seconds later I stumbled back as two large dark figures rushed me. I didn’t even get a chance to ball my fists before the first blow to the side of my left temple had me seeing stars.

Half dazed, I was dragged into the room and tossed on the floor. Steel-toed boots kicked my sides, shoulders, head. I heard screaming. Felt my skin tear. Tasted blood.

Then, nothing.

When I woke, sunlight was streaming through torn blinds, hitting me directly in the one eye that I’d forced open.