Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
EVELYN
I spent the rest of the workday trying not to panic. I hadn’t infiltrated any information from Ricci for a while. When I began sifting through the files and codes Kade had provided, I noticed that whoever was tampering with the files was sloppy.
I didn’t know if I should be insulted or not because none of this seemed like my work, aside from the signature. The culprit was good at that part at least. I rubbed my temples as I shut down my computer, not sure what to think. Maybe Badger would have some ideas since she had been tailing Ricci.
When I grabbed my phone, I realized I had silenced the ringer. I had four missed calls from the facility my mother was at and two text messages.
Arrow:
Hey, can we please talk?
Badger:
Hey boo, Butcher is up to something. Please keep an eye out for anything weird.
Both texts made my stomach sink and anxiety rise. I texted Badger first to let her know I would stay vigilant, then I took a deep breath and responded to Aaron.
Me:
Yes, we can.
Aaron and I planned to meet up tomorrow at Domino's after I got out of RSS. I tried calling my mother’s facility several times with no answer.
It was taking all of me not to drive down there and demand answers.
Grabbing the homemade pizza I’d put together with the dough Kade and I had made out of the oven, my stomach did a little flip at the memory of how everything had gone down last night. So much good and bad had happened.
There was a quick and sudden knock at the door before Kade entered my apartment with the key I had given him.
Although he was working with the devil, I couldn't help but want the evil entity that was Kaden Romano, and dammit, I was falling hard for him.
As he approached me, I took a moment to take him in.
He had changed into dark-blue jeans with brown loafers and a blue-checkered flannel shirt that was rolled up on the sleeves. Giving me a knowing smirk he wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Hi, beautiful.” He leaned down and gave me a passionate kiss.
“Hi.” My voice was breathless from the kiss.
Taking a step back, Kade leaned on the island and looked me up and down, laughing when he saw my slippers—bright yellow with polka dots. “I like the slippers, princess.”
I stuck my tongue out, then took the pizza cutter I was using and pointed it at him. “Just you wait, Mr. Romano, I plan on getting you a pair!”
This earned me a belly laugh from him as he put his arms up in surrender. “How about I promise not to tease you and in return no slippers for me.”
I gave him a devious smirk. “Not happening!”
Before he could respond again, my cell phone rang. Wiping my hands on a dishtowel, I snatched my phone off the counter to see that the facility was calling me back. I put up one finger and mouthed, “I’ll be right back.”
Kade dipped his head in acknowledgment.
“Hello?” I tried to keep my voice steady as I walked into my bedroom.
“Hi, is this Evelyn?” a young female voice asked through the speaker.
“This is. Is everything all right?”
There was a pregnant pause. “Hi Evelyn, this is Gina. I’m afraid not, dear… Your mother… well, there has been an accident.”
My heart began to pound hard in my chest. “What kind of accident? Can I speak to her?”
Another pause. “I’m sorry, Evelyn, your mother fell down the stairs, and um… she is no longer with us. I am so sorry–”
I couldn’t hear the rest of what Gina was telling me. The sound of blood flowing was taking over my ears. My vision began to blur as tears filled my eyes.
“Gina… I need to call you back.”
She continued to talk before I let the phone drop to the floor.
My mom was dead.