Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas #1)(72)

I reached down to the floorboard and searched in the dark for my shoes. The first one I found immediately, but the other was still missing. My hand moved back and forth until I hit something that lit up. Closer inspection revealed a cell phone. It must belong to Floss. She drove the truck to the grocery store last. Laying it on the seat, I continued searching for my other shoe.

Jake’s voice rang out, a touch of panic making it warble. “Emily…? Where are you?”

I popped my head up and saw him standing at the cottage door without a shirt. His bruised, swollen face looked worse under the porch light. “I’m looking for my shoes,” I told him. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I’m getting ready for bed.”

“You should put some ice on your face.”

He nodded and shut the door as I stared at the pair of shoes in my hands. I’d found the second shoe as he called my name, but I let him believe I was still searching. I couldn’t ask myself why because I already knew the answer. I placed my shoes on the seat and picked up the cell phone before I lost my nerve. One phone call. It’s all I needed.

She answered after the third ring, sounding half-asleep. “Hello?”

“Gina?”

A slight pause lingered as voice recognition sunk in. “Oh, my God!” Gina shouted into the phone. “Where have you been? We didn’t know what happened to you.”

I sobbed quietly to myself. “They put me in witness protection.”

She paused again. “Have you been drinking?” I giggled, but Gina must’ve heard the strain in my voice. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Girl, people are looking for you. A couple of men stopped by here and pushed their way into our apartment. They tore the rooms up searching for you. I told them you weren’t here, but they wouldn’t listen.”

“They’re dangerous, Gina. If they come back, don’t open the door. Just call the police. I saw them do something…terrible. It’s why they’re after me.” I had to shake the image of Sergio’s body from my mind.

“Is the other man with them?”

“What other man?”

“Two days after you disappeared, he showed up asking a lot of questions. He wants us to call him if we heard from you.”

“Did he have a crooked nose and a gross-looking mole on his left cheek?”

“No, but he looked like he needed some sleep. His eyes were more bloodshot than Dale’s that time we dared him to drink—”

“Okay, okay. Gina, this is important. Don’t tell anyone you spoke to me. I mean it.”

“You could’ve called us sooner, you know. We’ve been worried out of our minds. The police wouldn’t—”

“You went to the police?”

“Yeah, but no one would tell us anything,” she said, still irritated about it. “Then one cop said you were safe and that you were with Jake.”

“Are you sure he was a cop?”

“I guess so. He was in the police station and wearing a uniform. Oh, and he had his arm in a sling.”

“Officer Stevens?”

“Hey, yeah…I think that was his name. How’d you know?”

“He got shot when those men came after me,” I told her. I was glad to hear Stevens was okay, but realized I was putting her in danger as well. “Gina, I can’t talk any longer. I have to hang up now.”

“You sure you’re okay?”

Sighing, I closed my eyes and my jaw tensed. “I miss you guys. Tell Dale I asked about him, or the drama queen will never let me live it down.”

Gina laughed. “Okay, I will.”

I gripped the phone tighter. “Gina, I…I love you and Dale. You know you two are my family. Take care of yourselves.” Then I hung up.

It hurt to hear Gina’s voice. I thought I’d feel better, not worse. Depressed, I erased the call from the phone’s memory and tried to do the same to my own.

I swung open the door and got out, leaving the cell phone on the seat of the truck where Floss would find it. I wobbled as I paced, belittling myself and wearing a not-quite-oval track in the dirt beneath my unsteady feet. Did I put my friends in danger by calling them? No, I couldn’t let myself think that way. Man, how selfish could I be? I’m probably the only person in witness protection to ever come down with a case of the drunken dial-ies. God, I’m dumb.

As I walked up the stairs, I tripped and face-planted on the porch, almost landing on Dog. I didn’t have the energy to get up. I stayed there, sprawled out on my stomach, anesthetized with alcohol. I crossed my ankles in the air behind me and ran my hand over Dog’s spotted ears.

I grinned to myself. “Heavenly Father, we gather here today to remember the life of this loved one…”

“Dog doesn’t need a funeral,” Jake said, though I hadn’t heard him open the door.

“Maybe not, but I’m starting to think my vagina does.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t start again. My face hurts, and I want to go to bed.” He reached down and picked me up under my arms, setting me on my feet.

“Fine then, coward.” I stumbled past him into the cottage, shakily making my way to the bedroom.

Jake followed me, watching from the door as I went into the bathroom. He was already lying down when I crawled onto the bed and plopped onto the pillow, giving him the silent treatment.