my family. I told Gabe they were in Nevada, but
I have no idea where my mother, brother or sister are. They opted for witness
protection even though I didn’t. Dad’s in prison, for the rest of his life. The
rest have new lives and I just wanted to live mine in peace. Even if my family
hadn’t gone in, they’d probably never speak to me again anyway, so it’s not
like that made much of a difference.
“I’ll decide when the judge has a ruling,” I finally say because I
just need time to figure all of this out. “Besides, we don’t even know if
Krestyanov knows my new name or even where to find me.”
Scott frowns, as if he’s not happy with my answer. “How do you
know they’ll even wait until then to come after you?”
“If I die before that, they’ll never get the judge to suppress my
earlier testimony.”
He nods his head but Scott’s reluctant.
“Let’s see what happens. I’ve been fine for years.” I’m not sure
if I’m trying to convince him or myself that I don’t need to worry just yet.
He studies me, and then finally nods his head before taking a
phone out of his pocket and presses it into my hand. “Have it your way, but be
careful and watch your back.”
I give him the used one to dispose of. “Don’t call until there’s a
ruling.”
“Fine.” He turns and walks away and I walk over to the steps and
sink down onto them.
Just when things are going great, this happens.
I will not go back and testify. I will not let my asshat of a
father and his business partner continue ruining my life. I’ve met a great guy
and I’m not about to just disappear. I’ll fight this with everything I have.
Unless, it can get Gabe killed too.
Slowly, it all sinks in and I just want to curl up and cry. This
is so fucking unfair. I didn’t do anything wrong, but, if I don’t put distance
between me and people I care about, I’ll put them in danger. Should I call
Paige? No, she’s on tour, and has been for months. There’s no guarantee I’ve
even been found or they know who is important to me.
Why the hell did I open up to Gabe? Why did I allow myself to
start feeling?
I’d be better off if I’d just ignored him, blew him off and came
to New York alone. Then I wouldn’t have memories that make me wish for what I
can’t have.
Gabe – 15
After she leaves, I wait at the door for her to get on the
elevator, then lock the apartment and take the next one, but she’s out of the
building before I get to the lobby. I nod to the front desk clerk as I leave
and stepped outside, just in time to see her crossing the street.
I’m still debating on if I’ll pretend I didn’t follow her to see
what she says, or just confront her about it when she enters the campus of
Columbia University. It’s easy enough to keep my distance. She’s walking
quickly and my leg, though much better than yesterday, won’t let me keep up
with her. But, I can still see her clearly enough.
She so had me fooled. How many guys does she have stashed around
the city? The country? Though in fairness, there was never a discussion of
being exclusive, but for me, that’s always a given. If I’m sleeping with one
girl, I sure as hell am not fucking anyone else and assumed it was the same for
her, though I should never take that for granted. And, we haven’t even known
each other a week. Still, why the hell was she so skittish and nervous? What
the hell is she hiding from me?
The campus is crowded with students everywhere and it’s easy to
hide among the bodies, not that Ellen has bothered to look behind her.
She approaches a large building with columns and I look up. She’s
meeting this dude at the library? Then again, the stacks, the ones in the far
back, dark corners where nobody goes, are great places to get laid. I found
that out early on in college.
Instead, she stops in front of a statue. A guy’s there who is
probably about forty, maybe fifty, wearing a dark suit. I guess he’s
I have no idea where my mother, brother or sister are. They opted for witness
protection even though I didn’t. Dad’s in prison, for the rest of his life. The
rest have new lives and I just wanted to live mine in peace. Even if my family
hadn’t gone in, they’d probably never speak to me again anyway, so it’s not
like that made much of a difference.
“I’ll decide when the judge has a ruling,” I finally say because I
just need time to figure all of this out. “Besides, we don’t even know if
Krestyanov knows my new name or even where to find me.”
Scott frowns, as if he’s not happy with my answer. “How do you
know they’ll even wait until then to come after you?”
“If I die before that, they’ll never get the judge to suppress my
earlier testimony.”
He nods his head but Scott’s reluctant.
“Let’s see what happens. I’ve been fine for years.” I’m not sure
if I’m trying to convince him or myself that I don’t need to worry just yet.
He studies me, and then finally nods his head before taking a
phone out of his pocket and presses it into my hand. “Have it your way, but be
careful and watch your back.”
I give him the used one to dispose of. “Don’t call until there’s a
ruling.”
“Fine.” He turns and walks away and I walk over to the steps and
sink down onto them.
Just when things are going great, this happens.
I will not go back and testify. I will not let my asshat of a
father and his business partner continue ruining my life. I’ve met a great guy
and I’m not about to just disappear. I’ll fight this with everything I have.
Unless, it can get Gabe killed too.
Slowly, it all sinks in and I just want to curl up and cry. This
is so fucking unfair. I didn’t do anything wrong, but, if I don’t put distance
between me and people I care about, I’ll put them in danger. Should I call
Paige? No, she’s on tour, and has been for months. There’s no guarantee I’ve
even been found or they know who is important to me.
Why the hell did I open up to Gabe? Why did I allow myself to
start feeling?
I’d be better off if I’d just ignored him, blew him off and came
to New York alone. Then I wouldn’t have memories that make me wish for what I
can’t have.
Gabe – 15
After she leaves, I wait at the door for her to get on the
elevator, then lock the apartment and take the next one, but she’s out of the
building before I get to the lobby. I nod to the front desk clerk as I leave
and stepped outside, just in time to see her crossing the street.
I’m still debating on if I’ll pretend I didn’t follow her to see
what she says, or just confront her about it when she enters the campus of
Columbia University. It’s easy enough to keep my distance. She’s walking
quickly and my leg, though much better than yesterday, won’t let me keep up
with her. But, I can still see her clearly enough.
She so had me fooled. How many guys does she have stashed around
the city? The country? Though in fairness, there was never a discussion of
being exclusive, but for me, that’s always a given. If I’m sleeping with one
girl, I sure as hell am not fucking anyone else and assumed it was the same for
her, though I should never take that for granted. And, we haven’t even known
each other a week. Still, why the hell was she so skittish and nervous? What
the hell is she hiding from me?
The campus is crowded with students everywhere and it’s easy to
hide among the bodies, not that Ellen has bothered to look behind her.
She approaches a large building with columns and I look up. She’s
meeting this dude at the library? Then again, the stacks, the ones in the far
back, dark corners where nobody goes, are great places to get laid. I found
that out early on in college.
Instead, she stops in front of a statue. A guy’s there who is
probably about forty, maybe fifty, wearing a dark suit. I guess he’s
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