Anything For Love by Ashley Corke Page B

quickly
pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car.
    “Answer it,” Ol demanded. I scowled at him,
before doing as he said.
    “Hello?”
    “Karma! Where the hell have you been? Where
are you?” Tylon was already yelling at me.
    “I'm actually out buying clothes, because they
didn't get any from the room for me,” I told him.
    “Who didn't? Who was in our room?”
    “The detectives!” I cried, adding, You
idiot! In my head. I couldn’t say that to him.
    Where are you?  Tylon asked me again.
    “I told you. I'm out shopping,” I told him
again.
    “You're with your boyfriend, aren't you?” he
screamed.
    “No! There's only you, Tylon!” I screamed
back. Oliver sat in the driver's seat watching me, his eyes wide.
    “Bullshit.”
    “Where are you, Ty? I can come back to you,” I
said, glancing at Oliver, who was scowling now.
    “Yea. Like I'm going to tell you where I am,”
Tylon snapped, laughing harshly. “What do you think I am? Stupid?”
    “You know I don't think that, baby,” I replied
softly. “I love you, Tylon.” Oliver climbed out of the car, slamming his door.
I winced.
    “What was that?” Tylon asked me.
    “I just got back into my rental car,” I lied.
    “You swear to me that you're alone? That
you'll come back to me and not tell anyone where I am?” Tylon questioned
slowly. I hesitated. “Karma?”
    “I swear, Tylon.” I lied again.
    “Fine,” he said before telling me exactly
where he was. I started to cry softly. “I love you, Karma.”
    “I love you, too,” I whispered before hanging
up. I sat in the car alone for a few moments before Oliver got back in. He wore
a scowl on his face and his eyes were hard. I turned away and closed my eyes as
tears streamed down my face.
    We rode in silence for about half an hour,
before pulling into the mall parking lot. Oliver parked the car and sat there
for a moment, not looking at me. I had my arms crossed over my chest, as I
looked out the window, afraid to even move.
    Finally I mustered up the courage, and I
quickly took off my seat belt and started to open the door, when Oliver grabbed
my wrist. I gasped. Oliver wasn't hurting me; he just surprised me. I froze where
I was and slowly looked up at him. His eyes were soft, despite his scowl.
    “Did he tell you where he is?” Oliver finally
asked. I hesitated before nodding. “Where?”
    “He's two hours away from here,” I replied
softly, not looking at Oliver. He let go of my wrist and took out his cell
phone. “Not now, Oliver. Please?” Oliver looked at me, his eyes holding mine.
He put his phone away and climbed out of the car. I sat where I was, afraid I
had done something wrong. Ol came over to my car door and opened it, reaching
in for me. I cowered. I thought that I was about to be punished.
    “Karma. I'm not going to hurt you. I was just
going to help you out of the car,” he told me softly. I looked up at him, blushing.
I had just made an idiot of myself in front of Oliver. He reached down and took
my hand, helping me out of the car, shutting my door behind me. Then he wrapped
his arms around me, hugging me tight. “I would never hurt you, Karma. I
promise.” I pulled out of his embrace and started walking to the mall entrance.
I just wanted to go home.
     

Chapter
Thirty-Five
     
     
    That evening, back at Oliver's house, we sat
in the living room with Detective Harris, Detective Bronson and Detective
Bensley. I told them about Tylon calling me and I told them where he told me he
was.
    “We'll go after him tomorrow,” Detective
Bensley said. She looked at me. “You go to him like you told him you would and
we’ll follow you. We won't be recognizable.”
    “But he knows Oliver!” I cried. “If he sees
him, he'll kill me!”
    “You'll be safe, Karma. I promise,” Ellie told
me, reassuringly. I looked at Oliver and he nodded. I rolled my eyes and sat
back against the couch. Detective Harris was studying me.
    “You really will be safe, Princess,”