CHAPTER TWELVE
Jess
I went out front to get my ride from Nadine.
I didn’t even want to see anyone, much less ride in a car with them.
I didn’t want to tell my big sister that I was being dumped after I’d been dumb enough to fall for a guy so quickly.
Even if Nadine was the sweetest person in the world, I still didn’t want to disappoint her.
But I didn’t have much choice. I sure as hell wasn’t going to take an Uber until I knew for sure Skeeter was dead.
I just couldn’t shake the feeling that he was still alive.
I walked slowly to the front of Sugar, looking around for Nadine. She was nowhere to be found. Confused, I went to the bar. I hated to bother Nora during her busiest time, but I knew she saw everything that went on in Sugar. She had an eye for detail.
“Hey,” I gave her a little wave. She smiled and held up a finger. She loaded a tray with drinks and handed it to Glory. Then she hurried over to me.
“What’s up?”
“Have you seen Nadine?”
She frowned. “Don’t you know?”
I lifted my eyebrows. “Know what?”
“Well, Byron left for Virginia. He said something about catching a flight to tell his parents his plans.” She must’ve seen my face fall. “Hey, are you okay?”
“Not really.” I told her what I’d heard between Carmen and him before my set in Cayenne.
“That doesn’t sound like him. I mean, I knew he and Carmen used to be… something. But he doesn’t hop from woman to woman. There’s no way he would’ve started something back up with her before finding you and telling you first.”
“He flew to Virginia to tell his parents his plans. That seems like he could be telling them he wants to marry Carmen.”
“I doubt it. Anyway, Nadine and Reynolds flew after him. They think he’s accepting a job from his dad or something.”
I was totally confused now. Byron hadn’t shared much with me about his parents. Was he leaving West Bay? Or marrying Carmen? “I bet he’s never coming back,” I said.
“I don’t think that’s it.” A couple of hostesses yelled for her. “I’ve got to get back to work. Don’t worry about this. I’m sure it will all be fine.”
I turned around and realized Leo was standing so close to me I was startled. “Oh! Leo, you scared me.”
“Sorry. I’m here to take you home.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Nadine told me to come get you. She and Reynolds flew to Virginia after Byron. I’m going to stay with you at their place tonight, okay?”
I had so many questions, but it was loud in the club. I’d wait to ask the important ones until we were in the car. “Um, Joaquin’s not coming, right?”
Leo laughed. “After you shut him down hard earlier? Not a chance.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t shut him down hard. I just didn’t want to… you know. Mess around with him.”
“I think it’s fantastic, and don’t worry. I won’t try anything on you, I swear.”
“Thanks, Leo…”
“Unless you want me to.” He gave me a slow, sexy grin, and I blinked. It was the first time he’d turned his powers of charm on me, and I could definitely see why he got so many women. I mean that, and he was incredible looking.
“No,” I shook my head.
“Had to try. Come on.” He held out his arm, and I looped mine through it.
Once we were safely in his car, I leaned back and let out a long held-in breath. I needed to relax. “So… why exactly did Nadine and Reynolds fly after Byron?”
Leo ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, that’s a good question. I know Byron’s family has this ultra exclusive security firm that his dad built from scratch. Byron’s been down here in West Bay to watch Reynolds and to provide overall security for Salazar properties.”
“I didn’t know that last part.”
“Nobody does. He likes it that way. Anyway, Byron called Reynolds to tell him what he was doing, and now Reynolds thinks he’s going to move back to Virginia.”
I scrunched up my face in confusion. “I don’t understand. I thought he was going to tell his parents he was going to marry Carmen.”
Leo’s head whipped around. “You heard them in the office, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“I was afraid of that. I heard the door to the back hallway close during their conversation, and I was worried it was you.”
“Is that what you think he’s going to do?”
Leo shrugged. “I’m not sure. I only heard bits and pieces of what they said to each other.
I was trying to get closer, but Ardy kept pulling me back.
She said it ‘wasn’t my business.’” He took his hands off the wheel to do air quotes with his fingers.
He scoffed. “I make everything that goes on in Sugar my business.”
My eyes widened in alarm until he put his hands back on the steering wheel.
“So… we think he’s in Virginia either to tell his parents he’s moving home or to tell them he’s marrying Carmen…”
“Or both,” Leo finished. “Who knows? You should move on with Joaquin. He never shows that much interest in a woman. Or you could choose me, of course.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.
I couldn’t help laughing even though I was upset and confused by whatever was going on with Byron.
***
After a night of restless sleep, I was glad to finally get out of bed. I knew I was up early, but I was sick of trying to force myself to rest some more. I knew I had a late night ahead of me, but I’d just have to sleep harder when I got home.
I was getting dressed, ready to go talk to Carmen about letting me do the auction.
I knew she was meeting with Nora this morning, and I’d try to get in on the meeting if Nora didn’t mind.
I didn’t particularly want to sleep with some guy for a couple of months, but I wanted the money.
I wanted to earn enough to get me and Mom out of here once she was done with her therapy retreat.
I hoped Mom was doing well. I got a weekly update from her therapist and psychiatrist. They’d all been good, but she was having a significant amount of difficulty overcoming the agoraphobia.
I was glad I’d been able to help Reynolds pick out a therapy center I thought would be best for her.
Before she left, I was able to give her hugs and thank her for getting me out of the MC.
That was about all the time I had before she got on a plane.
And she was all drugged up on anti-anxiety medicine, so I wasn’t sure she would even remember talking to me.
As she left, I’d yelled out for her to keep working on her cozy mystery series.
I was going to talk to Reynolds and see if he had any contacts in the publishing world. It was worth a shot.
When Mom got out of in-patient treatment, I wanted to get us far away from West Bay and never come back. I liked it here, but I sure didn’t want to be around Byron and Carmen while they settled down together.
No, it would be best to start over somewhere new.
I’d apply to college wherever Mom and I decided to go and then get on with our lives.
Nadine and I would be able to fly back and forth to visit each other.
That would have to be enough. I’d pictured settling down near her and being an aunt to the children I was sure she and Reynolds would start having soon.
But that just wasn’t going to happen.
My phone buzzed, right as I finished applying some light makeup and pulling my hair into a messy bun.
I grabbed it, mad at myself for hoping it was Byron.
It wasn’t him.
Unknown: I know where you are. I know you’re fucking some other guy. You’re going to pay for that, you little whore. You know you’re mine. You’ll always be mine. You can’t hide from me. Ever. When I find you, you’re dead. And so is he.
I gasped and dropped the phone. I had to sit back down before my legs gave out.
Skeeter was alive.
I dropped my head into my hands and forced myself to take slow, deep breaths. My heart was pounding.
I had to calm down. Then I had to think.
There was a knock at my door, but I couldn’t say anything. I was too freaked out.
Leo cracked the door open. “Are you okay in here?” He must’ve seen me then. “Whoa, Jess. What’s going on?” He came over and sat beside me on the bed, patting my back comfortingly. “Can I help?”
I pointed to my phone.
He picked it up. “Oh, shit. You think it’s that guy. Keeter?”
“Skeeter,” I croaked out. “Yeah. It’s him.”
“Fuck.” He started pacing around. “Let’s get you out of here. Not to brag, but you need to be in a Salazar establishment. Nobody’s dumb enough to take you out from under my family’s nose. Even that serial killer waited to kill anyone connected to us until they’d left our clubs.”
He was right.
“I have an idea.”
I told him about it on the way to Sugar.
He was less enthusiastic than I was. “I mean… maybe. But I still think you should wait and see what Byron has to say for himself first. He might be thinking the two of y’all are still together.”
I gave him a look. “And what about that conversation we both overheard?”
“I heard bits and pieces. Did you hear every word they said?”
“Well… no.”
“Exactly. And until you know for sure, I don’t think you should write him off. You have to give him a chance to defend himself.”
I was quiet. “I think I’m just going to handle this myself. But thanks, Leo.”
He had a worried look on his face, but he didn’t say anything else.
I made a beeline for Carmen’s office once we got to Sugar. I didn’t have time to waste.
I knocked on her door before Ardley had a chance to get up and stop me.
“Wait!” she lurched up from her desk. “She’s with someone.”
“I’m sorry, Ardley.” I opened the door and walked in before she could stop me.
Carmen raised an eyebrow at my intrusion, and Nora stared at me.
“I need to do the auction this month,” I burst out. I put my phone on her desk so she could read the text. Then I sank into a chair beside Nora. “I’m sorry I hijacked your meeting. It’s an emergency.”
“It’s not a problem,” she smiled at me.
Carmen held my phone. “I take it this is from the man who held you captive?”
I nodded.