6. Scarlet #3
“It’s a good thing you’re not a doctor,” I pointed out, heartsick and reeling as my world continued to shrink around me. How was I supposed to go back to living a normal life? And all he could do was urge me to trust him without a hint of sympathy. “Because your bedside manner would probably suck.”
“Good thing, then.” He turned toward me, and I forgot to breathe for a second.
What was it about him? Maybe the compassion and darkness fighting for control in his every movement, every line of his body as he held himself rigidly.
“I have a few things to take care of back in Vegas, but you should be safe here so long as you’re smart.
Can you be smart for a couple of days while I try to work this out? ”
Anxiety gripped my heart almost as tightly as I gripped the stupid pillow. “What are you going to do that it’s going to take a couple of days?”
“Scarlet.” The way he said my name stole my breath. It had been a while since anyone used my real name beyond my old landlord and HR at the casino before they printed a special name tag at my request. “Can you follow instructions? Or are you too busy asking questions to listen?”
"Wow, my bad. I’ll stop asking questions and just blindly follow along like a robot. That better for you?”
He narrows his eyes, his expression darkening. The corner of his mouth twitches briefly as if trying to suppress the urge to snap back. Instead, he takes a slow, controlled breath, the tension in his posture palpable. “I will not ask again.”
The man could be condescending, that much was for sure. “I can follow instructions.”
“Good. While I’m gone, there are a few things you need to do if you don’t want somebody else showing up here looking for you.
” He dipped his hand into his back pocket and withdrew a generic-looking phone.
“Use a burner. Always. Power down your cell, and do not power it back up for any reason. Do you understand me?”
Rather than answer verbally, I took my phone from the nightstand, powered it down, and then tossed it on the bed. “Done.”
“Next. Cash only.” Again he reached into his pocket, withdrawing a wad of bills.
“Don’t worry about it,” he muttered when my mouth opened in surprise.
“We can settle up another time. If you need anything, use cash. I am honestly surprised he hasn’t found you yet.
It’s not that difficult to trace card activity. ”
The truth behind his words tightened my stomach. “Right. I won’t do that again.”
“There is enough here to cover anything you might need. This is where you’re going to go.
” Along with the money, he handed me a slip of paper with an address written across the top and directions scribbled underneath.
“It’s another motel around two hours north of here.
You’re going to go, you will get a room, and you will pay in cash.
Once you’ve checked in, tear that paper up and flush it down the toilet.
You can’t afford to leave anything to chance. Understood?”
“I’ve got it.” Strange, but even though he almost barked orders at me, there was comfort in handing the situation over to him and doing what he instructed. Normally, I would have told him to fuck off with his attitude.
There was nothing normal about this. I needed all the help I could get.
“I will call you on that phone. I am the only person who knows the number,” he said.
“You don’t have to worry when it rings. Call me when you arrive, then lay low.
I’ll update you. It won’t be more than a day or two before I come to get you. ”
“What happens after that?” It wasn’t an easy question, but I couldn’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t ask it. What happened after this? Where would I go? What was I supposed to do? This couldn’t go on forever.
“After that?“ With another glance out the window, he muttered, “We’ll figure it out when we get there.”
Staring at him, I voiced one final question weighing on my mind. I thought I knew the answer, but I had to ask. “You’re not like him, are you? Please, tell me.”
“No, I am not like him.” But it took too long for him to answer. He had to think about it. If Dominic had hired Grayson to do this, he trusted him. What would happen if that trust were broken?
“What happens if you never come back? What do I do then?” I asked, my heart picking up speed at the idea.
There was no hesitation this time. “Run. You keep going until the cash runs out, and then you pray he can’t track you. But don’t worry,” he added. “I will come back. All I need is for you to lay low and wait. Can you do that?”
Could I? Do I have a choice? “Yes.” I identified the determination in his voice, his face, his every move and decided to adopt it myself. If he were determined, I could be too. “Yes, I can do that.”
He held my gaze for a beat, and I swear I saw his eyes darken, the color shifting like a storm cloud rolling in. It wasn’t just intensity, it was something dangerous. My heart skipped, my breath caught, but I didn’t look away.
For a moment, everything stilled, even the air between us thick with unspoken words. Then, without another word, he rose from the window seat. He stood, slow and deliberate, like he was deciding whether to stay or leave.
Stay.
But then he walked out without looking back.