Chapter 38
SASHA
I don’t think. “Would you excuse me, please?” is all I manage, calmly spoken.
I storm out of the restaurant, stalking toward Sam.
“Sasha.”
“How did you find me?” The words aren’t curious. They’re filled with anger.
Sam puts his hands up, and I see the look in his eyes wasn’t anger.
It was concern. His eyes dart left, right, over my shoulder. Like he’s scanning for danger.
Griffin does the same thing.
“Sasha, you have to come with me,” Sam says, his tone urgent.
My heart twists at the sound of his voice. I haven’t seen him in person in a long time. He’s been too busy for me.
“How did you find me?” I repeat, enunciating my words.
An older couple walks by on the street, openly staring. I smile at them in a slightly unhinged way, willing them to move along. I love that everyone looks out for each other in small towns, but not right now. “We’re all good,” I assure them.
“It doesn’t matter,” Sam says, taking a step toward me.
The couple moves along, hopefully not recognizing my brother.
Frustration that he won’t tell me how he found me threatens to make me lose my composure. But I take a breath. “Fine. Why are you here?”
“There’s trouble back in the city. And I think there’s a chance it’s coming here.”
My heart thuds as his words echo around me. “Creelman?” My voice sounds suddenly weak.
“Sort of.”
“Is he here?”
“No.”
I let out the breath caught in my throat. “Where is he?”
“Nobody knows. He’s ghosted.”
That information stuns me. It should make me happy. But somehow, a sick, cold feeling of dread washes over me. How can Sam know he’s not here? What if here’s where he’s ghosted to? I look around wildly, as if Creelman’s going to walk out from behind a corner, his eyes filled with bloodlust for me.
“Please, Sasha. I can explain everything. But you need to come with me. It’s for your own safety.”
Panic starts to flutter in my chest. Griffin. He told me he didn’t want me staying at home by myself. But he also said I was safe…
And Sam hasn’t seemed to care for my safety in the past. I will myself to calm down. What if this is another scare tactic? Him trying to pull me into his shit to get him out of trouble?
“Did you know I got married?” I blurt out.
Sam’s eyes flick down. “I heard.”
“From who?”
“Your mom. I’m glad. If your mom’s not happy about it, that means you probably are.”
So he doesn’t know who Griffin is. That’s a good thing. I think.
“But you need to come with me. I’ve been looking for you for days.”
“You just happened to see me in that restaurant?”
“Yes, thank Christ.”
He’s antsy. But I believe him. He’s always been determined to get what he wants. He holds out his hand.
I almost reach mine out before remembering myself.
“I’m not going with you.”
“Sasha, don’t be stupid.” He drops his hand. “I know I haven’t been looking out for you in the last—”
“Haven’t been looking out for me? That’s the understatement of the year, Sam. You sent me into the fucking fire!”
Sam looks genuinely anguished. I see the pain in his face. Maybe the outstretched hand wasn’t cockiness. Maybe it was desperation.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. If I had any idea the chain of events…” He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter now. There’s no excuse for how I’ve hurt you. But I’m begging you. Please.” He steps toward me. I step back.
“Hey!” a voice shouts from behind me. I spin around.
John is striding over. He stops by my side, puffing his chest out. “What’s going on here?”
My heart swells about three sizes.
Sam frowns. “Is this—”
“My father-in-law,” I say, folding my arms and stepping closer to John. “Looking out for me like family members should.”
Sam looks wounded enough that I know that stung.
“Then maybe you can help make Sasha understand,” he says, turning to John. “She needs to come with me. Now.”
“Sasha’s not going anywhere.” Cass has appeared next to her father.
Even Chelsea’s coming outside, Imogen on her arm, looking as upset as the rest of them.
Sam eyes Cass a moment longer than the others, and I remember then that Cass used to work in finance in New York before she took over the hotel here. She was a big deal like him; they probably crossed paths before.
Cass gives him a disgusted look, and once again, I see the pain in his eyes. But this time, there’s a bitterness in it. Sam moves on, looking back at me. “I don’t think you understand.” Sam’s pleading with me now. “You’re in danger, Sasha.”
Cass frowns. “How on earth would Sasha be in danger?”
But John looks at me as if checking to see if it’s true.
They don’t know the real reason I’m here.
I smile, hoping my rattling nerves aren’t showing. “It’s okay. He just means…political exposure.”
“I don’t—” Sam begins, but I cut him off.
“I’ll be fine, guys. Thank you so much for coming outside, but Sam’s not a risk to me. Are you Sam?”
Sam looks incredulous. “What? Jesus, I would never hurt you.”
The funny thing is, after all that’s happened, I think he still believes that’s true.
“I’ll just be a sec,” I tell my family. When they don’t move, I take John’s hand and meet all of their eyes. “I promise. It’s just family stuff.”
“Come on,” Cass says, urging them back. They don’t go inside, though, just stand outside the restaurant, at the ready.
My throat swells. They really are looking out for me.
When they’re out of hearing distance, Sam sinks onto the hood of his car, pressing his hands to his forehead. “Sasha, I’m serious.”
“I know you are. So tell me what you think is happening.”
“I think if I found you, there’s a distinct possibility they will, too. Creelman—he doesn’t work alone.”
“Why do you think they want me so badly?”
“To get to me. It’s one of the reasons I’ve resigned my position, effective immediately.”
My jaw drops. Then I register what he said and realization dawns. He’s doing damage control. “So let me get this straight. You took public office. You fucked up. And now you’re worried everything’s going to get out if they find me?”
“It’s not—I’m not the only reason Creelman wanted you.”
“You know what he said when you sent me in on that date? He said you owed him something. That you took something of his. Is that what you’re worried he’s going to come for me for?”
“Sasha—”
“Do you think I’m in immediate danger right now? Answer me honestly, Sam.”
He hesitates. “I don’t know. I just have a bad feeling—”
“Then I don’t care.” This is not about him being worried for me.
This is about him needing to cover his own ass.
“This is your mess, Sam. I’m going to bet you only resigned so more of your mistakes wouldn’t come to light.
You need to fix your shit yourself, and you need to find a way to make me not a part of it. ”
“You don’t understand. I never wanted to hurt you.”
“There was a time I would have believed that, Sam. But you should know you already broke my heart.”
Then I remember—I reach into my pocket. I take Sam’s hand and drop the canary in it. “Keep that. And don’t contact me again.”