the coffee table and takes a seat in one of the chairs. Mal takes the other one and Neil chooses to sit beside me on the couch instead of on the table. The three men appear to exchange some unspoken communication before Damian continues. “Looks like he’s tried calling you three more times and then finally sent a text.” The instant he mentions that, I reach out to check my phone, but Neil beats me to it, placing it screen down on his leg and covering it with his hand.
“Hold on,” he says calmly as I try to pry his hand off my phone.
“Kendra,” Damian gets my attention. “It’s not very nice.”
A feeling of dread begins to set in as I look past the worried expression on Neil’s face and try to snatch my phone from his firm hold once again. This time, he lets me pull the phone from under his hand, while he puts his other arm around me and pulls me against his side. I don’t even protest—I’m focused on reading the text.
-
F our-month investment. You think you can just walk away?
You’re nothing but a cockteasing CUNT.
-
W hoa. Quite the change of tune. Someone doesn’t like rejection. I have to admit, it’s not so much the name-calling that gives me the chills as it is the implication he’s not done with me, even though I’m so done with him. I look up and see all eyes on me. “That twatwaffle has a potty-mouth and a temper. Think I’ll pass on a second date, and change my phone number.”
Damian’s eyes pop open in surprise and Mal bursts out laughing. Neil just tucks me closer and whispers with his lips skimming the shell of my ear. “Atta girl.”
“Good to see you have a sense of humor.” Damian is smiling. “It’ll come in handy over the next little while, ‘cause you’re gonna be stuck with some uninvited guests. At least until we can check this guy out. You’ll have to wait to change your number until we find him. For now it would help if you leave the number as is, so we can monitor any calls.”
My mind is racing over the implications of what he just said. “Wait. So what you’re saying is that someone is going to babysit me until ... until what exactly? I mean, I get you want to check him out, seeing as three women have died already, but I just can’t believe—”
“Four women,” Neil says quietly beside me. I swing around to face him, but I already have a good idea what he’s telling me from the serious look on his face.
“What?”
“Fourth known victim was found this morning just inside Mesa Verde. Same MO. She was one of the missing women,” Neil fills me in gravely. “And, Pup? We just got a call on our way here. Coroner found a piece of paper clutched in her fist. A piece torn from a map. A map with your name written on it.”
In a rush, the single coffee sloshing around in my stomach, comes surging up. I slap my hand over my mouth and take off running for the bathroom.
I’m dry heaving over the bowl, having already emptied my stomach when the bathroom door pushes open. I don’t need to look up to know that it’s Neil. I can see the scuffed noses of his boots from the corner of my eye. I briefly hear water running and then I feel his hand on my head, pulling the hair that is stuck to my face. A cold washcloth is pressed on my neck and it feels wonderful.
“Better?”
“Mmm-hmm.” I make sure not to open my mouth. I likely reek. Bad enough tossing my cookies in front of him, I don’t need to add insult to injury by blowing puke breath in his face. Eewww . Dropping from my knees to my ass, I rest my back against the tub, gingerly eyeing Neil, who is crouched on the other side of the toilet bowl. Lovely. “Let me just—” I lean forward to flush, but Neil is faster. He drops down the lid and pushes the lever.
“Got it. Look, I’m sorry. I should have been a bit more careful—” he starts, when there’s a loud knock on the bathroom door.
“Neil?” It’s Mal on the other side. “I’ve got Gus on the line, he’s bringing over your
“Hold on,” he says calmly as I try to pry his hand off my phone.
“Kendra,” Damian gets my attention. “It’s not very nice.”
A feeling of dread begins to set in as I look past the worried expression on Neil’s face and try to snatch my phone from his firm hold once again. This time, he lets me pull the phone from under his hand, while he puts his other arm around me and pulls me against his side. I don’t even protest—I’m focused on reading the text.
-
F our-month investment. You think you can just walk away?
You’re nothing but a cockteasing CUNT.
-
W hoa. Quite the change of tune. Someone doesn’t like rejection. I have to admit, it’s not so much the name-calling that gives me the chills as it is the implication he’s not done with me, even though I’m so done with him. I look up and see all eyes on me. “That twatwaffle has a potty-mouth and a temper. Think I’ll pass on a second date, and change my phone number.”
Damian’s eyes pop open in surprise and Mal bursts out laughing. Neil just tucks me closer and whispers with his lips skimming the shell of my ear. “Atta girl.”
“Good to see you have a sense of humor.” Damian is smiling. “It’ll come in handy over the next little while, ‘cause you’re gonna be stuck with some uninvited guests. At least until we can check this guy out. You’ll have to wait to change your number until we find him. For now it would help if you leave the number as is, so we can monitor any calls.”
My mind is racing over the implications of what he just said. “Wait. So what you’re saying is that someone is going to babysit me until ... until what exactly? I mean, I get you want to check him out, seeing as three women have died already, but I just can’t believe—”
“Four women,” Neil says quietly beside me. I swing around to face him, but I already have a good idea what he’s telling me from the serious look on his face.
“What?”
“Fourth known victim was found this morning just inside Mesa Verde. Same MO. She was one of the missing women,” Neil fills me in gravely. “And, Pup? We just got a call on our way here. Coroner found a piece of paper clutched in her fist. A piece torn from a map. A map with your name written on it.”
In a rush, the single coffee sloshing around in my stomach, comes surging up. I slap my hand over my mouth and take off running for the bathroom.
I’m dry heaving over the bowl, having already emptied my stomach when the bathroom door pushes open. I don’t need to look up to know that it’s Neil. I can see the scuffed noses of his boots from the corner of my eye. I briefly hear water running and then I feel his hand on my head, pulling the hair that is stuck to my face. A cold washcloth is pressed on my neck and it feels wonderful.
“Better?”
“Mmm-hmm.” I make sure not to open my mouth. I likely reek. Bad enough tossing my cookies in front of him, I don’t need to add insult to injury by blowing puke breath in his face. Eewww . Dropping from my knees to my ass, I rest my back against the tub, gingerly eyeing Neil, who is crouched on the other side of the toilet bowl. Lovely. “Let me just—” I lean forward to flush, but Neil is faster. He drops down the lid and pushes the lever.
“Got it. Look, I’m sorry. I should have been a bit more careful—” he starts, when there’s a loud knock on the bathroom door.
“Neil?” It’s Mal on the other side. “I’ve got Gus on the line, he’s bringing over your
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