Chapter 19
The motel room was approximately twelve feet by fourteen feet. I knew because I'd paced it exactly thirty-seven times in the last hour and counted every step.
The carpet had a stain shaped like Florida near the bathroom door.
The bedspread was burnt orange polyester that probably hadn't been washed since I did that Disney movie in my late teens. A painting of a sad clown hung crooked above the bed. Sophie’s room was even worse, if you can believe it.
But she stayed in there, telling me that she didn’t want to disturb me, all the while rubbing her temples.
I hate it here.
But I would have hated a five-star hotel too. I hated sitting still while Code walked into God knew what kind of danger. I hated being the damsel locked in the tower while everyone else fought the dragons.
My phone sat on the nightstand, mocking me with its silence.
I grabbed it and pushed in one of the few phone numbers I had memorized. Angelica’s. I did it before I could talk myself out of it.
She answered on the first ring.
"Kit? Is this you Kit?”
“It’s me,” I confirmed.
“Oh my God, where the hell have you been? I've been calling your regular phone since yesterday!" Her voice came out high and panicked. "Jase won't tell me anything except that you're safe, which is bullshit because if you were safe you'd be answering your new phone!"
Guilt crashed over me. "Angie, I'm sorry. I should have called sooner."
"You think?" She took a shaky breath. "I've been imagining you dead in a ditch. Do you know what that's like? Just sitting here in Jasper Creek while you're traipsing around doing God knows what?"
"I know. I'm sorry." I sank onto the edge of the bed. "Things got complicated."
"Complicated how? Start talking. Now."
I rubbed my face with my free hand. What could I tell her? Not about the Russians. Not about Eddie Pope or Viktor Sokolov. Not about Code getting his ribs cracked fighting armed operatives.
"Code found Russell Dunlap's stepsister. We went to talk to her."
"His stepsister? What does she have to do with anything?"
"She's an actress. Sophie Tremaine. She auditioned for the same roles I got.
Three major parts over the last few years.
" The words came easier now that I had a safe topic.
"She didn't know what Russell was doing.
She was just venting to her brother about losing out on roles, and he decided to fix it for her. "
"Jesus." Angelica's voice softened slightly. "That's actually kind of sad."
"It is. Sophie's really talented, and she's been working for twelve years with nothing to show for it. When I told her about the blackmail, she was devastated."
"So, Russell's doing all this out of misguided brotherly love?"
"Looks like it."
Angelica was quiet for a moment. "Kit, I'm sorry I yelled. I was just scared."
"You had every right to yell. I should have checked in." I let out a heavy sigh. "You're my best friend, Angie. I wasn't thinking about how this was affecting you."
"Damn right I'm your best friend. Which means you don't get to disappear on me without warning." She paused. "So where are you now? Still with Code?"
Heat crept up my neck. "Yeah. About that."
"About what?" Her tone shifted, went from worried to interested. "Kit Lord, what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything."
"You absolutely did do something. I can hear it in your voice. Spill."
I took a deep breath. Maybe if I gave her this, she'd stop worrying about the danger. "Code and I... well… we're together now."
The squeal that came through the phone nearly ruptured my eardrum.
"I KNEW IT! I knew this was going to happen! From the moment I saw you two together, I knew!" Angelica laughed. "Oh my God, Kit. Details. I need details. How did it happen? When? Where?"
"Angie—"
"Don't you dare 'Angie' me. I drove you to Tennessee. I introduced you to my hot cyber warrior cousin. I deserve details."
"We kissed a couple days ago, and then things just... progressed."
"Progressed? What are you, a Victorian romance novel? I want the good stuff." Her voice dropped to a stage whisper. "How is he in bed? Because those shoulders suggest—"
"Angelica!"
"What? I'm just saying, a man who looks like that has to know what he's doing. So, does he? Does Code Drakos have skills?"
My face was on fire. "I am not discussing this with you."
"That's a yes. Oh my God, that's definitely a yes." She giggled. "You're blushing, aren't you? I can tell you're blushing even over the phone."
"Can we please talk about something else?"
"Fine, fine. But just tell me this—on a scale of one to ten, with one being 'why did I bother' and ten being 'I've found God'—"
"Angelica!"
"Okay, okay!" She laughed again, clearly delighted with herself. "But seriously, Kit. This is fast. Like, really fast. You've known him less than two weeks.”
The teasing dropped from her voice, replaced by genuine concern.
"I know it's fast." I stood and resumed pacing. "I know it sounds crazy. I'm under stress, he's helping me, all the classic damsel-in-distress-falling-for-her-hero tropes."
"But?"
"But it doesn't feel like that." I stopped at the window, pulling back the curtain to look at the parking lot.
"I'm thirty-one years old, Angie. I've been in this industry for fifteen years.
I've dated, but I tried to stay away from men in the industry.
Some of them were really good guys, but wrong for me.
Hell, I was married to a man I thought I loved. "
"Your ex was a dick."
"True. But my point is, I've never felt like this before." The words came out quiet. "When I look at Code, I don't see my hero. I see someone who understands me. Who sees me, the real me, not Kit Lord the brand."
I thought about last night, about being careful with his injuries, about wanting to take care of him the way he'd taken care of me. But that felt too private to share, even with Angelica.
"I'm almost positive he feels the same way," I continued. "The way he looks at me, the way he—" I stopped myself. "It's real, Angie. I know it sounds insane, but it's real."
Angelica was quiet for a long moment. "You know what? I believe you."
"You do?"
"Kit, you have great instincts about people. It's one of the things that makes you such a wonderful actress. If you say this is real, then it's real." She paused. "Plus, I saw how Code looked at you when he thought no one was watching. The man is gone for you."
Relief flooded through me. "Thank you for saying that."
"Just don't forget to invite me to the wedding. I want to be maid of honor."
"Angie, for God’s sake, we've only been together for like three days!"
"So? When you know, you know." Angelica's tone turned mischievous again. "Now, about those shoulders—"
"Moving on!" I cut her off. "Has that stranger been back in Jasper Creek? The one Pearl spotted?"
"No, thank God. But something weird did happen." Her voice got serious. "Someone's been calling around town, asking about doing a book on Jasper Creek's history. Wanted to know if any celebrities had ever lived here, specifically people from Nashville."
My stomach tightened. "Russell."
"That's what Jase thought too. Everyone who got called pointed him to Little Grandma, because obviously she knows everything."
"What did she tell him?"
"Oh, this is the best part." Angelica's grin was audible.
"She made up a bunch of complete bullshit.
Told him Hulk Hogan used to give self-defense classes to seniors in the town square.
That Dolly Parton's third cousin twice removed ran the hardware store.
That Elvis faked his death and lived above the diner for six months in 1982. "
Despite everything, I laughed. "She didn't."
"She absolutely did. Said if this guy was going to snoop, she'd give him so much fake information he'd never find the truth." Angelica paused. "She never mentioned you or me. Didn't confirm any celebrities at all, just fed him wild stories until he stopped calling."
"God, I love that woman."
"Me too. But Kit, why would Russell send someone if he thought you were going to drop out of the film because of the blackmail?"
I thought about the emails sitting in my regular phone's inbox. "I haven't answered his last two messages. On the first one, I told him I needed time to think about it. That I'd give him an answer two days before production started."
"So, he's getting nervous."
"Exactly. He sent someone to see if I was actually considering dropping out, or if I was stalling.” I blew out a frustrated breath. “This role matters to me. But I also don't want that video released. It’ll end my career."
"Code's going to fix this. You know that, right?"
"I hope so."
“He will. He’s amazing. All those guys are who work with Jase. They’re going to take care of this for you.”
I took in a deep breath, praying she was right.
"Hey." Her voice softened. "Kit, I know I gave you shit about not calling, but I need you to know something. You're not just my best friend. You're my sister. And I love you."
My throat tightened. "I love you too. More than you know."
"Good. Now stop scaring me by disappearing."
"I'll try."
We hung up, and the silence of the motel room closed in again.
I resumed pacing. Twelve feet by fourteen feet. Thirty-eight laps. Thirty-nine.
My phone buzzed. It could only be Code. I lunged for it on the dresser.
CODE: Found Eddie's location. Going in. Stay put.
My fingers shook as I typed back:
Be careful. Come back to me.
Three dots appeared, then disappeared. No response.
I turned on the TV and muted it, watching news anchors mouth words about traffic and weather. Normal people problems. Normal people lives.
An hour passed. Then two.
No word from Code.
I tried his number. Straight to voicemail.
I texted:
Please tell me you're okay.
Nothing.
I called Angelica back. "Have you heard from Jase?"
"No, why?"
"Code went to find someone. He's not answering. I was hoping he was in contact with the men in Jasper Creek."
"Kit, when these guys are on a mission, they go dark. We don’t hear from them. That’s just the way it is. He’s fine."
"Or he's hurt. Or captured. Or—"
"Stop. You're spiraling." Angelica's voice was firm. "Code knows what he's doing. He's been doing this for twenty years."
"That doesn't make him invincible."
"No, but it makes him smart enough to stay alive. Trust him, Kit."
We hung up again.
I paced. Forty laps. Fifty.
The sad clown painting seemed to mock me with its droopy face.
Three hours passed since Code's text.
I picked up my phone to text him again, even though I knew it was pointless.
A text came through before I could pull up our text thread.
Safe. Found Eddie. Russians have him. Heading to intercept. Don't worry.
Don't worry. Like that was possible.
I typed back:
Be careful. I love you.
I stared at the words. Three days together and I was telling him I loved him?
But it was true. Insane, impossible, way too fast, but true.
I deleted the words. This was something I wanted to say in person.
I typed again:
Take care of my man.
The three dots appeared. Stayed for a long time. Then disappeared.
I sank onto the bed, phone clutched in my hand, and prayed harder than I'd prayed in years.
Please let him be okay. Please bring him back to me.
The TV played silently. The sad clown watched.
And I waited.