Chapter 12
TWELVE
Bing, bang, boom
LILA
I need my emotional support cookies if I’m going to get through this night without crumbling.
Heh. Cookie puns. All the joy of dessert without the calories.
After failing to shut the door on Reed’s smug dimples—and the rest of him—I reluctantly acquiesced to his home invasion. And I’m perfectly comfortable blaming Kenzie for that. This one is all on her.
As a quick aside, a fun quirk of hers is she’s like a Depression-era grandma, often screaming about keeping the door closed when the air is on and not staring into the open refrigerator for more than five seconds.
Considering I’m paying the lion’s share of the bills since she lost her job while being a hostage, including the entire power bill, she should probably get over that.
But whatever.
She deals with a ton of my idiosyncrasies. It’s only fair I accept hers.
Anyhow, Reed seized the opportunity like the world-class manipulator he is. While cheerily waving at his sister, he invited himself in like he was stopping by for a family dinner night.
Well, I’m calling BS.
Reed is never cheery nor happy to see Kenzie.
I close the door to my bedroom, pressing my back against it while fighting the urge to melt to the floor.
Where did I put my abyss? I need to scream into it.
I’m weary to the bone. Physically and emotionally exhausted. Defeated in more ways than one.
There’s only been one other time in my life where I felt near this level of despair. When half of my soul was ripped away, leaving me broken in every possible way.
My current predicament isn’t quite as traumatizing, but the longer it goes on, the more alike it feels.
It’s been three days since that kind older FBI agent sat down at my table. That’s when I learned about Dana’s house getting ransacked, which means Silas isn’t only blackmailing me. Those monsters are terrorizing other people too. Who knows how many?
Three days of guilt gnawing at me, eating away at my insides, and leaving me hollow. A shell with so many cracks I might shatter with my next breath.
I’m giving myself one more day to find a way out of my nightmare. And if I can’t do that, I’ll turn myself in and try to help them catch Silas and his cronies. No matter what happens to me as a result, I won’t let them continue victimizing innocent people.
Naturally, Reed shows up to wreck what might possibly be my last night as a free woman.
I intended to take a warm bubble bath, then cuddle up on the couch with a pen and paper to bang out some sort of plan with Kenzie. She said she’d help me figure this out. I don’t want to put this mess on her shoulders, but we’re both involved whether we like it or not.
Since she was with those creeps for so long, she overheard quite a bit. Now that she’s been home for several days, her pain is turning to strength. She told me she’s finally ready to talk about it. And she’s prepared to help me fight those bastards.
Silas has been pressuring me to help him win big at the craps tables. I’ve dodged that so far by insisting my schedule was already made for the month. But I’m almost out of time before that excuse turns to dust.
The time to act is now.
My plan for tonight was solid.
And then came Reed.
Now, instead of running through scenarios and devising plans with Kenzie, I’ll be hiding in my bedroom. Under a blanket. In the closet.
A date? He honestly thought I’d fall for his little charming act.
How dumb does he think I am?
He’s as transparent as a freshly cleaned windowpane, emphasis on the pain. It’s obvious he’s trying to get close to me to further his investigation.
Classic Reed, using me for his own gain. How typical.
For the record, when I end up turning myself in, it’ll be to his partner, Agent Dad Andrews. He’s gonna get the glory of my arrest. Reed can suck it.
A knock at my door startles me, both in sound and the vibrations running along my spine. Pressing off the door, I turn to open it with the speed of a slug on Xanax. It better not be Reed. I just can’t.
Kenzie’s bright eyes greet me. “Hey, let me in.” She doesn’t wait, pressing past me with gusto and closing the door behind her.
I shuffle backward. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
She shushes me, speaking in a whisper. “Nothing’s wrong. I have an idea about my dumbass brother.”
I crick my head to one side, raising my brows in silent inquiry.
Grinning maniacally, she shakes me by my arms and declares, “You need to get close to him.”
My neck turns to gelatin, wobbling my head around my shoulders. “No. No. Oh, and also, nooo.”
Unbidden, that scene from The Office plays in my mind’s eye. The one where Michael Scott flips out when he learns Toby is back, and he wails, “No, no, no, no, God no!”
The thought is almost enough to make me laugh.
Then I realize Kenzie is seriously suggesting this.
Positively gleeful, she’s already celebrating. “I can’t believe I didn’t come up with this sooner. Hear me out and have an open mind.”
Crossing my arms, I narrow my eyes at her. “Go on. I’m giving you the tiniest bit of rope here.”
“Since he’s insisting on inserting himself into this shit, we might as well use him.”
The idea of using Reed does things to my gut. Whether they’re good or bad things is yet to be determined.
Then again, it might be hunger pangs. Still haven’t gotten those cookies. In fact, I don’t even know if we have any here. That’s unfortunate.
She plops down on my bed, letting her clasped hands fall between her knees. Quietly, she begins her plea. “You know he likes you still, right?”
“Debatable.”
“Oh, he does. Trust me. He’s a disgusting pig, ruled by his dick. And he’s always had a hard-on for you for whatever reason. We need to exploit his creepy obsession. This is how we save you.”
Slowly, I lower my aching body to the bed, taking the spot beside her. “Why on earth would we do that?”
“To find out what the FBI knows. Duh! It’s a perfect plan.”
“Hard disagree. Anything involving Reed and me together cannot be perfect. Kenzie, you know why I can’t be around him. Not after we . . . well, you know why.”
Her face scrunches up. “As much as I hate thinking about my brother having sex, I’m curious. Did you two ever discuss it?”
I shake my head ardently. “As much as I’ve wanted to hash it out, I haven’t been able to bring it up. I’m still really hurt. I’ll cry, and I’m done being vulnerable in front of him. I know I’m too sensitive, but—”
“We’ve well established that you’re sensitive. But that’s part of your charm.”
“Don’t patronize me to make me agree to your ludicrous plan.”
“I’m not. Honestly, I think you’ve been right to avoid the topic with him.
Let it stay buried in the past. Like I said back then, he’ll only lie anyhow, so what’s the point?
And especially now, more than ever, you should steer clear of hot buttons.
Bringing up the icky past will only make him defensive, and we need him open for this to work. ”
“Okay, let’s assume I’m able to get details about the case out of him. What then?”
“Depending on what you learn, we can figure out how to use it to stop the gambling ring without you going to jail in the process. Ideally, we can get something that will help us make a deal with Silas.”
I hate that I don’t instantly hate her idea.
“A deal?”
“Yeah, like we get Silas to give us whatever proof he has of you marking the cards. After you’re free and clear, I’ll go to the cops about what they did to me, leaving you out of it entirely.
Once he’s behind bars, it’s only a matter of time before he blabs about the entire operation, and they can bust everyone in one fell swoop. ”
Pouting, I let my head sag, my chin falling to my chest. “I don’t know, Kenz. I have no clue how to work over Reed. I’m not manipulative. He’ll see right through me.”
“You can convince him. Use that big ass of yours for the greater good, sister.” She makes two fists and does an awkward seated hip thrust, making my stoic mask fade into something resembling amusement.
“Yo’ mama didn’t give you all that junk in your trunk for you to let it go to waste.
Plus, you’re not giving yourself enough credit.
Don’t forget how you swiped his keys. I’ll believe in you enough for the both of us. ”
With unfocused eyes, I stare at the wall. Scenarios, doubts, and fears pepper my mind.
Her plan has some merit.
After all, we don’t know what we don’t know. Reed and Agent Andrews may have uncovered information about Silas that we can use to force him to hand over the evidence he has on me. Then we can turn him in, saving myself in the process. Exactly like Kenzie said.
She taps my knee and springs to her feet. “I’ll go play catch-up with the dumbass, acting like I give a shit. You get dressed in something sexy, yet casual, and come out. I’ll suggest we all go out to dinner.”
“How am I going to seduce him if you’re there?” I hold out my empty palms. “Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to have you as a buffer. In light of your highly questionable plan, having you there doesn’t jive. Right?”
“Already thought of that. I’ll fake a migraine and excuse myself not long after we get there.
You’ll have him all to yourself. Turn on that adorable charm of yours.
Bing, bang, boom. Done. Next thing you know, Reed’s spilling all his secrets, then Silas and his buddies will be tossed in the slammer for kidnapping me. ”
Of all the regrets in my life, something tells me this will be the one that keeps me up at night long into my golden years.
Seducing Reed Hayes for the purpose of saving myself from prison. And more importantly, giving justice to all the people Silas has hurt while stopping him from committing more atrocities.
Sounds like a good plan on the surface. The latter feels a touch noble, even.
The question is . . . am I strong enough to do this without letting him break me like he did before?
Losing my sister destroyed my soul. But no one has ever broken my heart quite like Reed Hayes. And here I go again, willingly giving him the stage for a repeat performance.
Kenzie pauses at my bedroom door, her hand hovering over the knob. There’s a quiver of uncertainty softening her voice when she asks, “You’ll do it, Lila, right?”
I trail my vision over her arm, noting the still-healing marks on her fair skin. A lump forms in my throat, clogging my windpipe.
Resigned to my fate, I nod. “Yeah, sweetie. I’ll do it.”
“Thank you.” Her face crumples, and she dives into me, folding herself around me in a bear hug. “Because I can’t lose you, Lila. You’re all I have.”
“Same, Kenz. Same.”