27. Not A Small Ask
Chapter 27
Not A Small Ask
HUNTER
T he back of the driver’s head blurs slightly as I stare, the tension wrapping around my chest, squeezing tighter with every heartbeat. For the first time in a long time, I feel uncertain, helpless—like a kid trapped in a game where the stakes are just too high. Every option feels like a dead end. Whatever move I make now could shape the rest of my life, and that of Megan, our child, and too many others.
With a steadying breath, I type a response to the anonymous message, keeping my fingers calm, even though my mind is racing.
Me: Who is this?
The wait for their reply stretches longer than I’d like, each second thick with the hum of the car engine, the faint smell of stale coffee, and my own pulse drumming in my ears. Then finally, the screen lights up.
Unknown Number: Wrong question.
A flicker of anger burns through my frustration. They think they’re calling the shots. I grip my phone tightly, the plastic casing creaking under the pressure, and respond like this is just business as usual.
Me: Then I’m done.
It’s a bluff. I don’t negotiate with cowards hiding behind blocked numbers. If I’m going to protect Megan, I need to act like I have nothing to lose. I sink back into the seat, feeling the car jostle slightly as we drive over a patch of rough road. A few heartbeats later, the next message buzzes in.
Unknown Number:You shouldn’t call our bluff.
I clench my jaw, forcing down the instinct to respond with rage. My emotions and logic battle it out, and for once, I’m unsure which side to follow. The stakes are too high, and this isn’t a game.
I dial Christian. He picks up on the first ring, his voice sharp with tension.
“Where are you?” he snaps, anxiety pulsing through the line.
“What’s going on in there? Can I talk to her?” My words spill out, tighter than I intended.
“Hell no, you can’t talk to her!” he shoots back. “She’s scared shitless, man.”
The driver glances at me in the rearview mirror as I slam my fist on my thigh, ignoring the questioning look he gives me.
“Christian!” I grit out, my patience slipping away.
“Alright, listen—Megan’s safe for now. But where are you? How far out?”
“There’s someone following me. They’ve threatened her safety if I get any closer to the hospital.”
The phone line goes silent as he processes my words, then comes back with grim determination. “I’ll call Vaughn. We can get extra men and more firepower. We’re not letting some–”
“No.” I interrupt him, each word controlled, deliberate. “I’m not putting Megan and my baby through a damn gunfight outside the hospital doors. That's not what I want for either of them.”
Christian lets out a frustrated huff. “You’re really going to let a random threat keep you from being there for the birth of your kid?”
“It’s not about me,” I tell him, swallowing back the urge to lash out. “It’s about keeping them safe, whatever it takes.”
“Then what are you gonna do, Hunt?” His words are strained, verging on desperate.
Just then, another text flashes across my screen.
Unknown Number:If you get any closer to the hospital, we’re going to assume you aren’t taking us seriously.
I close my eyes briefly, the weight of the situation pressing down hard. I need a plan, and I need it now. I lean forward, catching the driver’s eye.
“Hey. Change of plans. I need you to take me somewhere else.”
He frowns at me in the mirror, eyebrows raised. “You have to update the address in the app, man. I can’t just–”
“Just pull over for a second,” I snap, tapping through my phone to update the destination, trying to quiet the dread curling in my gut.
“Hunter?” Christian’s voice drags me back. “What should I tell Megan? She’s going to know something’s off if you’re not here soon.”
“Tell her… tell her I’m coming,” I lie, the words sticking in my throat. “Tell her whatever she needs to hear to keep calm.”
Christian’s silence hangs thick for a moment. “And Lena? You want me to lie to her, too?”
“Of course,” I say, exasperated.
“She’ll know something’s off, too.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Christian? Neither of you know each other well enough to understand each other’s tells. Whatever you have to tell my sister or Megan, just do it and make sure they both feel safe.”
Christian mutters a string of curses under his breath. “This isn’t exactly a small ask, Hunt.”
“There’s a reason why I called you,” I add, my voice low and urgent. “And only you.”
Christian sighs, resignation laced in every word. “Fine. But Megan isn’t stupid. She’s going to know something’s off.”
“You're a lawyer, aren't you? Then lie. Be convincing. It’s your job to ensure she doesn’t think anything is off. Do I need to remind you of what’s at stake?”
There’s a pause, and he huffs, “Fine.”
The driver looks back, clearly growing impatient. “You still back there changing the address?”
“Yes, almost done,” I say, glancing back at my phone. The screen stays blank, but the tension in my gut tells me they’re still watching, waiting.
“Hunt?” Christian’s voice drops, laced with worry. “Where exactly are you going? I should know.”
“It’s better if I don’t tell you,” I mutter, looking out the window at the blurred lights. “But if I’m not there by tomorrow night, send Lars to look for me.”
“And tell him what, exactly?”
“Tell him the truth if it comes to that. But not now—I want him with Megan. She’s the priority.”
Another long pause. Then, with a resigned sigh, Christian mutters, “You better show up, man. She needs you. We all do.”
I end the call and turn to the driver, my phone raised with a crisp hundred-dollar bill folded underneath it.
“Forget the app,” I say, my tone low and demanding. “Take me to this address in East LA, and the cash is yours.”
He eyes the money, weighing the offer with a shrewd look before nodding.
“Alright,” he murmurs, the unspoken agreement hanging between us.
He changes course, the car veering off onto a darkened street as I settle back, gripping my phone with white-knuckled determination.
And as we plunge into the night, the only thought in my head is a cold, steely resolve.
I’m coming, Megan.
Hold on, baby.