Chapter 72
72
“So Reuben is taking you home to see your family?” Cat asked.
She and Charlie were sitting on Faith’s bed while she packed her clothes.
“Yeah. He thinks it would be a good idea to get away for a while after . . . everything.”
Everything included being hit by a car, finding out a person she thought was a friend had tried to kill her and was then murdered by her own brother. Oh, and that brother attempting to kidnap her and Reuben. Not to mention all the stuff with Smith.
To her utter relief, Cat had never believed for a second that she’d deliberately kept her relationship with Smith a secret. Alejandro had seemed a bit more suspicious. But Cat reassured her that he would come around.
Three weeks had passed since Darcy Rivers attempted to kidnap them. He’d been arrested, and with the evidence from Abel Venturo’s lawyer, he’d confessed to everything. Turns out he’d been following Faith for a while. Which really creeped her out. And she’d even talked to him. He’d been the guy outside Reuben’s building looking for the accountant.
And Darcy had hired someone to run Juliet over. Although he admitted that was against the rules, so he’d called the guy back after Louanne found out and threatened to tell the lawyer that he’d cheated.
After that incident, Juliet had been impossible to get to, so after seeing Faith with Reuben at the charity dinner, he’d decided latched onto a new target.
He’d killed his sister after they’d gotten into an argument. Louanne had been boasting about winning all of the money and he’d strangled her before dumping her in the Hudson.
“Wish I had a chance to kick Darcy Rivers butt. I can’t believe that asshole tried to frame Rafael for Louanne’s murder. Just because he saw him with us one day when we were having lunch and thought he’d make a good target.” Cat’s eyes were dark with outrage.
“I can’t believe you attacked a police officer when he was arresting Rafael,” Faith retorted.
“It was badass,” Cat said.
“It was dumb,” Charlie told her bluntly.
“Yeah, well, I got my butt beat plenty over it.” She shifted around uncomfortably. “Can you believe Rafael threatened to spank me too? So ungrateful.”
“You got arrested, Cat,” Faith said. “I was so worried about you.”
“It wasn’t fun, but I’d be fine in prison. I look great in orange.”
Charlie sighed. “I still don’t understand why he framed Rafael.”
“He was getting desperate,” Faith said as she folded up some more clothes and put them in the suitcase. They were leaving first thing in the morning. “He couldn’t get to Reuben or me since Alejandro had his men posted at the hospital, and once we left the hospital he sent men here as well. He figured if he framed Rafael, then the cops would arrest him, and he could get Reuben to leave the apartment to go bail him out. I don’t know what he planned to do since the aim was to hurt someone close to Reuben. Maybe he thought he could get to me easier.”
“But how did he know to talk out Steven? How did he get to Steven? Is he all right?” Charlie asked.
“He is. It was a bad concussion, and he’s having some time off to recover but he’s all right. And that bit was blind luck. Like I said, Darcy was desperate, and he doesn’t think his plans through well. He was watching the police station when he saw Steven pull up down the block. He quickly whacked him on the head and stuffed him in the car, then drove around the block, took off Steven’s jacket and dumped him in an alley before driving back. He used facial recognition to get into Steven’s phone first, so he could text Reuben that he was stuck in traffic. He damaged the locks and drove back to the police station to get us.”
“I can’t believe he knocked Steven on the head when he was so close to a police station.” Charlie shook his head. “That took balls.”
“Balls that I hope get broken while he’s in jail. What an evil asshole,” Cat muttered.
“Yeah.” Faith sat on the bed and Cat reached for one of her hands, Charlie for the other.
“Are you all right now, Charlie? After everything?” Faith asked.
Charlie shook his head slowly. “It’s going to take me a while to get past watching you fall into that traffic. Not being able to stop you from getting hurt.” He shook it off, but she could see it haunted him. “But what’s important is you. How do you feel about going home?”
Faith shot Cat a look, but the other woman shook her head. Charlie wasn’t doing great, but they’d keep an eye on him. They’d keep working on their matchmaking service, which would hopefully help distract him.
“Not great. I haven’t really talked to my family since I came here. I don’t know what is going to happen. I texted them that I was coming home and bringing my boyfriend, but I’ve been too scared to check my texts since. I’ve even booked us a room at the local motel because I don’t know how I’ll feel about staying in my old house.”
Or if her parents wanted her there.
“It will be fine,” Cat reassured her. “You know that Reuben won’t let anything or anyone hurt you.”
Yeah. That was partially what she was afraid of. Reuben Jones and Public, Missouri did not really seem to mix.
“Will you be all right flying?” Charlie asked with concern.
“I don’t know. Alejandro and Cat are lending us their private jet which will help since Reuben thinks it will be better for me to travel in Little headspace.”
“You got this,” Charlie told her, clasping her hand.
“And if anyone isn’t nice to you, then tell me and I’ll kick their butts,” Cat told her.
Her phone started ringing and Faith picked it up, surprise filling her as she saw who it was.
“Who is it?” Cat asked.
“It’s Cammie.”
“Whoa. Have you heard from her since she here?” Cat asked.
“No.” And it had hurt, she wasn’t going to lie.
Faith had sent her a message to wish her luck, but she’d heard nothing back.
They’d been friends a long time and she’d really thought that Cammie would have been in touch before now.
“Are you going to answer?” Charlie asked.
“Put her on speaker,” Cat urged.
She nodded and answered, putting it on speaker. “Hi, Cammie. How are you?”
“I need to know where he is.”
“Sorry. What?” she asked in confusion.
“Where’s Eric, Faith? What did Reuben do to him?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Cammie,” she said coldly. Was Cammie going to ask how she was? Faith had kind of hoped that once she got away from Eric, her friend would realize what a horrible person he was.
But perhaps not.
“Eric has gone missing. Reuben had to have something to do with it. The house is in foreclosure, there’s no money in the accounts, his boss fired him and hasn’t heard from him since. So where is he?”
Cat stared at her with wide eyes.
That was it.
She was done.
“I have no idea where Eric is and I don’t care,” Faith told her coolly. “Eric is a complete prick and he always has been. It’s not my fault that you can’t see it. And if he’s disappeared, then that’s on him. Not me. Not Reuben. We had nothing to do with it. And if Reuben hears that you’re going around saying that he had something to do with it, then he won’t be pleased. And neither will I. Obviously, Eric is running from his problems. Instead of worrying about him, you’d be better off moving on with your life. I’m going to block your number after this conversation. I’m sorry it came to this, Cammie. And I do love you. But I can’t be friends with you anymore.”
She ended the call before the other woman could say something. Then she immediately blocked her number.
“Faith, are you all right?” Charlie asked.
“I . . . I don’t know. I think I’m in shock. I can’t believe I did that.”
Cat hugged her tight. “She deserved it. She’s a shitty friend. But hopefully she can move on with her life.”
Where was Eric, though?
Did Reuben know?
“I need something to take my mind off this,” she said.
“Oh. I have just the thing.” Cat climbed off the bed and grabbed her large handbag and pulled out a packet of water balloons and a container of blue dye.
“Oh no,” Faith said.
“Oh yes.” Cat grinned. “We’re going to fill these up with blue-colored water and pelt our Daddies when they walk out of Reuben’s study.”
“I’m out.” Charlie stood, holding up his hands.
“But you’ve got to help us, Charlie.” Cat pouted. “All for one and one for all Littles.”
“That isn’t how the saying goes,” Faith told her dryly.
“Eh. Well, we’re all in this together. I don’t know about Reuben, but Alejandro is being very extra, and he needs to chill out.”
“Cat, you were arrested,” Charlie pointed out. “Of course he’s being extra.”
“He spanked me every night for a week after it happened!” Cat cried. “That’s just not cool. I need to find someone to complain to. There must be a Governing body of Littles, right? Or laws against smacking your Little’s bottom so much.”
“Yeah. I don’t think there is,” Faith told her with a commiserating smile.
“You just have to take your licks,” Charlie added.
“Well, now, I’m going to have some fun. Now, who is with me?” She held up the water balloons.
They filled up the water balloons. Cat reassured her that the blue dye wouldn’t stain.
And then they’d crept down to wait outside the office door for Reuben and Alejandro.
Cat and Charlie hid behind a hall table while Faith was behind a big potted plant.
The door opened, and Cat jumped out with a yell, her hands already filled with balloons, which she threw at an unsuspecting Reuben and Alejandro.
Both of them had quick reflexes, though. They ducked back into the office. Cat ran after them with a cry that brought Rafael running from the kitchen.
Panic flooded Faith for a moment. Even though she knew what was going to happen, all of the yelling and running still filled her with anxiety.
Calm. Chill.
Everything is fine.
Pulling herself together, Faith smiled at Rafael before following Charlie and Cat. Charlie was carrying the bucket of balloons. Reuben quickly plucked the bucket out of Charlie’s hold and set it aside.
“Daddy! You party pooper!” Faith cried. She hadn’t even gotten to throw one.
Then she remembered that she had one in her hoodie pocket.
Reaching in, she drew it out and threw it at him. Shock filled her as it exploded on his face. He stepped toward her.
She stepped back.
They played that game until she hit the wall behind her.
“Faith! Charlie! Run!” Cat cried.
Faith saw a wet and stern-looking Alejandro grab Cat. He put his leg up on the seat of an armchair and drew Cat over his thigh, smacking her butt several times.
“Nooo!” Cat cried. “Unfair and unjust.”
“Do you think that looks unfair and unjust, Little Blossom?” Reuben asked.
Picking her up, he put her on his hip. She snuggled into him. Faith loved when he carried her around.
“Umm.”
“Say goodbye to Charlie. He’s going home now.”
“Goodbye, Charlie.”
“Um, well.” Charlie looked from Faith to Cat, clearly torn.
“Rafael, call a car for Charlie, please,” Reuben said. “Make sure he gets into it okay.”
“Will do.” Rafael steered Charlie out as Reuben carried Faith into the bedroom.
“What about Cat?” she asked.
“Cat is fine. Alejandro is taking her home now. You need to worry about yourself,” he told her as he entered the playroom and sat on the rocking chair with her cradled on his lap.
“Are you gonna spank me, Daddy?” she asked as she undid the buttons on his shirt. She needed some of his skin.
She might have become addicted.
“No.”
“No?” she asked in surprise.
“Not yet,” he said. “You’re still recovering.”
“You saw me panic, huh?” she asked.
“No. What?”
She bit her lip. Oops. She snuggled into his chest, licking his nipple. Yum. “It was just for a moment. It was the yelling and running. I don’t know why I got all . . . anxious. It wasn’t like I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
“Hmm. I want you to think about talking to someone about all of this when we get back.”
“Like a therapist?” she asked, drawing back to look up to him.
“Exactly.”
Could she do that? Perhaps it would help to talk through everything. “Maybe that would be a good idea.”
“Good. I’ve already made you an appointment.”
Of course he had.
“I always knew Cat would be a bad influence,” he muttered.
“I know. Isn’t she the bestest?”
To her surprise, Reuben burst into laughter. “Life won’t be boring with the two of you together, that’s for sure.”
It certainly wouldn’t be.
“There’s something I’ve got to tell you.” She ran her finger over his nipple.
He grasped hold of her hand, stilling her. “What is it, baby?”
“Cammie called me.”
Reuben stiffened. “What?”
“Yeah, while I was in the bedroom with Cat and Charlie.”
“And what did she say?”
“Not much. Basically, she said that Eric has disappeared and then she accused you of having something to do with it. Can you believe her?”
Faith was getting angry all over again.
“Did she just?” Reuben mused. “I don’t like that she contacted you like that.”
“I blocked her number and told her not to contact me again.”
“Good. If she does, I want to know. I might have to send her a message of my own, though.”
“I don’t want her hurt, Reuben.”
He cupped the side of her face, tilting her head back. “I will only talk to her. I promise. As long as she doesn’t take this any further. I won’t have her hurting you. Or telling people I had something to do with Eric disappearing.”
She thought about asking him again if he had . . . but there were some things that she figured she was better off not knowing.