Sheltered(28)

I lie down and reopen the book, trying not to feel salty about my cat loving someone that I think is pretty great, too.

“Cricket, I’m sorry about Johnny. Don’t be mad at him. It would break that old man’s heart if you didn’t talk to him again.”

I let his words sink in and attempt not to cry. Instead I push all thoughts of Johnny away. I block out thoughts of everything that hurts my heart and focus on my book. I turn the pages, pretending to read, while I try to come up with a plan to escape.





Chapter 13





Fritz





I beat on the door of the apartment and wait. I hear music blaring from the other side, so I know Roxy is home. I bring my fist up to pound on it again, and just as I do, it swings open.

“About time,” I say and shoulder past him. I go straight to her room and see it’s completely empty. There’s no trace that she was ever in here, and anger bubbles up inside me. “Where is she?”

I turn around and glare at him as he shuts the door. He stands there with his arms crossed over his chest and looks at me like I’ve got two heads.

“Who?” he asks, like we have any other mutual acquaintances.

“Blair, you fucking idiot.”

“Clearly you can see she moved out. What do you want?” He looks me up and down in disgust. I notice he has a fading black eye.

“I want to know where the hell she went!” I shout, but all he does is stand there looking unsure of what to do.

I’ve been looking for her for days, and nothing has come up. I wasn’t too worried about it at first until we figured out she’d taken with her all of our documents on the art. Then once we realized she had everything in hand to expose all of us, the search was on. I wasn’t going to jail, or worse, ending up dead because the people we’ve been working with find out about our little slip.

I tried to track down her redneck family, but I couldn’t remember her mom’s name or that of her trailer park. She doesn’t have any social media, and no friends. I wasn’t about to make a trip to Louisiana and just knock on her door. Plus, I don’t really think Blair would have gone crawling back to that sewer. I don’t remember much about her past, but I know she didn’t want to be anywhere near it.

Lilith has been a royal fucking cunt since Blair split town, and we’ve got people breathing down our necks. It somehow leaked to the buyers that someone has their names, and shit fell apart. I have no idea how they could have learned this. It’s almost like someone is playing against us. The pressure has been building for days, and I don’t know how much more I can take before I snap.

“Fuck!” I shout as I run my hands through my hair. I can’t remember the last time I slept, or even ate, for that matter. There are people pissed at us, and it’s the type of people you don’t want pissed off. Everyone has turned their sights on me, and I’m not the one taking the fall for this. No fucking way. Not after all the work I’ve done. I didn’t come this far to lose it all. I’m going to prove to everyone I’m something. That I don’t need my family to make it and that they can all fuck off for cutting me off.

“Look, I don’t know where she went, okay? Can you just leave?” Roxy says, and I watch him take a step back from me. I don’t believe him. He has to know something.

I start laughing at him, he thinks I’m the scary one here. Has he ever looked in the mirror? I can’t control the hysterical laughter bubbling up and feel my face turning red.

“Dude, seriously, I think it’s time for you to go,” he says, holding up his hands in defense.

I sober up and stare him down with all the rage I have inside me. “Either you tell me where the fuck she went, or I’m going to get it out of you.” My chest is pounding so loud I can hear it thumping in my ears. Blood rushes to every part of my body as my adrenaline spikes.

“Look, man, calm down, okay? I don’t know where she went. But there was this guy a few days back. Showed up here, practically kicked in the door.”

I don’t move as my focus sharpens and I wait for him to give me some useful information.

“He came in here pissed off like you are, but he wasn’t looking for her. He told me to watch myself and stay out of her room. I don’t even know how he knew I went in there. And it’s my place, I can go in any room I want.” I don’t think he believes that to be true. He’s scared of whoever this person was.

He’s acting like a petulant child, and I’m losing patience. Who the hell would come to her rescue? I know there isn’t anyone else in her life. Especially someone who would defend her. “Who was he?”

Roxy shrugs and then looks away from me. “He knocked me around a little, and I got the message.” He looks back and raises his chin. “Said to not trust you. But I figured you didn’t come around, so I didn’t have to worry about that.”

The pounding in my ears grows louder and my fists clench. “Give me a name.”

“Big fucker. I didn’t mess with her after that, I swear. He told me to keep an eye out for her. That nothing better happen to her. I told her she should go look for her own place because I didn’t want to be mixed up in all this shit. Next thing I know, her room is empty and my cat is gone. Didn’t really like that asshole anyways, but kind of a dick move on her part. Whatever, though, good riddance to the both of them. He left a roll of cash. I can’t remember the guy’s name, though. It was weird. Sounded like Rake…or Ryder—”