Straight Flushed (Hot Pursuit #1)(74)

“Why don’t I get you something to take the edge off that headache? I think I can see your pulse in your eyeballs.” He chuckled then tossed the covers off. I was hit with a funky gust of stale air coming from his body that made my stomach do a somersault. It shouldn’t have bothered me but it did.

I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, letting the bony surface be my makeshift pillow. I would not puke. I wanted to puke but I would not. I wasn’t going to compound my embarrassment by letting him see me hugging the porcelain bowl. I drew in a steady deep breath through my nose and held it there, willing the feeling to subside.

Stephen returned with a plastic cup filled halfway with water and two round white pills inscribed with the word “Aspirin” on them. Ibuprofen was my go-to drug of choice in situations like this, but aspirin would do. I really didn’t care what they were. I’d been moments away from slicing my head off with a butter knife to make the pain go away. I contemplated chewing them up to get the drug into my blood quicker but thought better of it. I’d swallow them down and stare at the clock waiting for the magical thirty minute mark when I’d begin to feel some relief.

I lay back down and grabbed the remote. The television slowly came on, and I scrolled until I found Good Morning America. Robin Roberts was talking about the latest controversy rocking the world of politics.

Rising tensions in the Middle East. How could they rise any higher? I wondered. I felt like we’d kind of peaked, but the Middle East always seems to leave room for improvement. Twenty-eight minutes left.

“You want to go shower?” Stephen asked. “It makes me feel better when I feel like you do.”

“No, you go ahead. I’m going to lay here for a few minutes and wait for the drugs to kick in. I might even hit the gym downstairs to burn this out of my system. But I’ll have to wait and see on that.” I laughed softly.

“K. Be out in a sec.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. I wanted to shrink away but smiled instead.

When he left the room and shut the bathroom door, I grabbed one of his pillows and smothered my face with it. I was a wreck. After a second, I tossed the pillow, and my frustration, back over to his side of the bed and began watching a segment about new fall fashion trends. Tick tock. Tick tock. Twenty-five minutes to go. The less I moved the better.

He turned the water on and the glass door to the shower clicked shut. One of the newscasters was rambling on about boots and big sweaters being the must have in closets for fall. Ugh, fall. It was around the corner, wasn’t it? Why did it have to come and take my shorts and flip flops away? I looked away from the screen. Maybe if I didn’t watch it would make it less of a reality that my warm weather would soon be leaving.

I put my hands behind my head, and my eyes drifted into the small office area across from the bedroom. Stephen had stacked some things on the coffee table. He must have been doing some work while I was passed out. His laptop was folded shut with the mouse sitting on top of it. Next to it was his gun. I guessed he wanted to take ownership of it again. Men.

On the edge of the table under a manila folder was a box. I hadn’t seen it before. It was only about the size of a cigar box, maybe a little bigger. I stared at it and curiosity got the best of me. I had to know what was inside. Water continued to pour and soap plopped on in the bathroom. He’d be in there for at least a few more minutes. I’d go and take a quick peak into his life. I folded the covers back and glanced at the clock. Twenty-two minutes until official relief would set in, but I was feeling slightly better already.

I tiptoed over into the office. Why? I wasn’t really sure, but the situation seemed to call for it. I walked through the French doors and sat on the couch in front of his things. I moved the folder off the top of the box and took it in my hands. It was a lot heavier than I thought it would be. I lifted a small golden latch and raised the lid.

My heart stopped when I looked at the contents.





Twenty-four



I picked up a stack of one hundred dollar bills. The thin layers of cotton and linen lay flat in my palm, wrapped together with a thin strip of white paper. I caressed the crisp bill on top, picked up the bundle, bent it and let each delicate sheet fall in quick succession. The wind brushed my cheek and tickled my nose. I breathed in the dirty, delicious, sweet musty smell of money. I’d never held so much of it in my hand at one time; it was dazzling.

Ten thousand dollars. In the box were at least ten stacks. I did the quick math. One hundred thousand dollars sat on my lap. He told me he had some money with him, but I never imagined it would have been that much. It was one hell of a survival pack.

I continued to poke around in the box. Something shiny and navy blue was folded underneath one of the stacks. I pinched it with my fingers and pulled it out. A passport.

So, in his mad dash to salvage what was left of his life, he grabbed one hundred thousand dollars and his passport?

“What are you doing?”

An invisible fist instantly punched me in the stomach as Stephen ripped the box off my lap and snatched the passport from my fingers.

My scarlet stained cheeks radiated heat. “I…I’m sorry. I should have asked. I just wanted to see what was inside.”

“Find anything good?” His voice was sharp, and he took another step closer to me.

I didn’t like him towering over me, so I stood up, acutely aware that I was still only wearing my bra and panties. “As a matter of fact, I did. Why are you carrying that much money around with you?” My hands were on my hips and my stomach was clenched tightly.