CHAPTER 44HUGH
CHAPTER 44
HUGH
Dinner had been quiet. Too quiet. I’d expected much more celebration considering Denise had spent weeks combing through the digital footprint of over three hundred people. I couldn’t help but wonder if this had something to do with the interview. She’d told me she was nervous, but with the day creeping closer, I knew she was going to need some distraction.
Absently, I was scrubbing at the counters as I thought about what we could do. We had a little time to plan something before we sat down for pitches. I turned to see her staring at me as I cleaned.
“Hugh,” she hesitated for a second before continuing. “I need a favor.”
I frowned as I threw the towel back into the sink and dried my hands on my pants.
“You really should use a clean towel to dry your hands,” she said, the playful sound, stilted.
“Talk,” I said.
“Umm, that favor. It’s not from you. From Switch.”
I froze. It took several seconds before my brain kickstarted again and when it did, I knew there was some shit. I scanned her up and down as she said, “He called me—”
“Did he?”
The calm in my voice scared even me. She closed the distance between us and placed my hand on my chest.
“Baby,” she replied, her hand coming to my neck. I covered it with my own and took shallow breaths as she leaned against me.
She turned so her back was to the counter, and she put my hands on her waist. I lifted her up onto the as she grabbed the edge of my suit pants and dragged me forward, cocooning me in her warmth.
“I have a plan” she replied. I could hear the reluctance in her voice.
“What did he say?” I asked, resting my chin on the top of her head.
“He threatened to press charges against you and Cleo unless I call off the podcast appearance.”
“Okay.” It was all I could say. All of my focus was on remaining calm and letting Denny steer this conversation. Because I wanted to kill him. Find him and pull his ass apart. All my dark edges were closing in on my sanity and I was relishing in the way that it was making me feel numb. Her face was buried in my chest and I barely heard her next words.
“He’s not going to stop until he breaks me,” she whispered, “And he won’t get the chance.”
“He won’t.” I agreed.
“I have to protect the people I—” she stopped short, “I have to protect the people that love me.”
This fucking woman. Despite the wrath strangling me, I laughed, a barking laugh that startled her and caused her to glare at me.
“What?” she asked, knowing the answer.
“Really?” was all I replied.
She gave me a smile, a little glimmer of life had come back to her eyes.
“Tell me it isn’t true,” she said, knowing that I wouldn’t say anything, not right now. We’d been dancing around the words for so long, I was surprised that it had come up at all. A moment of charged silence passed between us and I watched as she wet her lips.
“What’s your plan?” I asked.
“I know where he’s staying. Some areas of Oakland can be a little dangerous,” she said. “Do you know anyone from back in the day that owes you?”
I smiled down at her.
“Yeah,” I replied.