Secret Life Of Amy Bensen: Forsaken Part 10

NEVER LOOKING BACK, I force myself to keep a steady foot on the Jeep's gas pedal rather than gunning the engine, trying not to stand out, my mind already processing the magnitude of target a stolen vehicle makes us in a fairly small city. Driving around the other side of the building, I exit onto the main road, and then my foot goes heavy as I pull away from the restaurant and weave in and out among several vehicles to gain some much needed coverage.

"What just happened?" Gia asks. "I went to the bathroom and-"

"Don't talk," I snap, trying to put this all together. Either Jeff screwed me or Gia screwed me, and Gia was in that bathroom a long d.a.m.n time.

"Chad-"

"Don't f.u.c.king talk, Gia," I growl, p.i.s.sed at the idea I've been stupid with her all over again. She must get that I'm serious, because she doesn't push. But I plan to, and soon. She can count on it. Detouring to the highway to get out of the immediate view of any cops looking for the Jeep, but knowing it's still a sore thumb, I have a destination I can't bypa.s.s. I also can't trust Gia with the location.

"Get down on the floorboard," I order.

"What? Why? Are we-"

"Just do it, Gia."

She inhales and does as I order, wisely keeping her mouth shut. I focus on the road, and ten miles later, I exit in an area that is heavily residential and take several turns to bring us smack into middle-cla.s.s Lubbock, rows of basic houses side by side. Pulling up to a redbrick residence, I park at the curb.

"Don't ask," I say, sensing Gia is about to speak. I grab the duffel. "Let's go." I climb out of the Jeep and keep my hand in my bag, over my gun. Juan Carlos has reasons to be loyal to me, but that doesn't mean he's alone. I round the Jeep and meet her at her door, where she is looking exceedingly uncomfortable.

"What are we doing?" she asks.

"Calling in a favor," I say, closing my hand around her arm as I start walking.

"Then this is a friend?"

"I told you," I say as we stop at the front door, "I don't have friends." I ring the bell. "Just people less willing to f.u.c.k me over."

She glances at my hand on her arm and then at me. "Why are you so angry with me?"

"That is a conversation for another time."

"Please," she encourages. "I need some insight into the ever-changing playbook that is your mood."

The door is opened by a thin Mexican woman in jeans and a T-shirt. "Hola, Maria," I greet her. "Is Juan Carlos in?"

"He isn't expecting you. He doesn't do drop-ins."

"I'm certain if you tell him it's me, he'll be fine with the visit." She opens her mouth to argue and I toughen my voice and order, "Tell him I'm here."

She frowns but disappears, shutting the door. Without looking at Gia, I say, "It's your playbook we're going to discuss."

"Good. I need one of those."

I look at her then. "We both know you have one. You're going to open it to me."

"I told you I'll help you with Sheridan."

"Deflection will get you nowhere," I say.

"Deflection? What am I deflecting?"

Maria reappears. "Go to the backyard." She shuts the door on us, and I grab Gia's arm again and start walking.

"You know I'm not making a run for it, right?" she demands. "Where would I go?"

"Not a conversation for here and now." We cross the driveway, where a shiny new black Escalade is parked, and hit gra.s.s again as we travel to the back gate. I open it and pretty much set Gia in front of me, following her and shutting us inside.

"Chad-"

"Save it," I bite out, grabbing her arm again and walking toward a small building, a converted garage turned into an office, about a hundred feet away. At the door, I don't bother knocking. I simply open it and step inside, taking Gia with me and releasing my hold on her as I kick it shut.

Juan Carlos sits behind a fancy mahogany desk, his long dark hair in a ponytail, a scar down one cheek that I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing him receive. "Chad, my friend," he greets, standing and offering me his hand.

"Stay here," I murmur to Gia, stepping forward and shaking hands with him, as he adds, "I hope my sister wasn't too much of a b.i.t.c.h to you."

"She was just the right kind of b.i.t.c.h to protect you. How much did that Escalade out there run you?"

His hands settle on his jeans-clad hips, a ring carved with the Mayan sun symbol on his left hand, which I happen to know is invaluable. "A cool hundred Gs. Isn't she a beauty?"

"I'll buy her for a hundred and twenty Gs."

"What? No. I just brought it home. You need a vehicle, I'll get you a vehicle."

"I need it tonight. Now."

"This is why you came to me?"

"And I need doc.u.mentation for the woman."

"That'll take time. I can get you a vehicle and the ident.i.ty by tomorrow night."

"We both know your ID packets are done and ready to go."

"For a substantial upcharge. I don't want to charge you extra."

"Then don't."

"I'm a businessman."

"How much?"

"A hundred and fifty thousand for the ident.i.ty."

I whistle. "That's steep."

"Wait until tomorrow night. I'll get you a car and a reduced fee."

"Tonight," I insist. "On credit, of course. You know I'm good for it."

"I also know you're always cheating death by one step."

Not about to argue that truth, I reach in the bag, grab a wad of cash and toss it onto the desk. "That's a down payment."

He glances down and seems to do a mental calculation before opening a drawer, flipping through folders, and choosing one. He sets it on top of the desk and opens it for me. I glance down at the Texas driver's license with a rather unattractive brunette female who's a stretch as Gia, with a name that reads "Ashley Woods." "When do we get her picture to replace this one?"

"Now." He grabs his cell phone and dials, speaking in Spanish to his sister before refocusing on me and confirming what I've already understood.

"Maria's headed over here to take her photo, which will replace the current ones in all public databases in about seventy-two hours. We'll need several different looks to ensure the effectiveness of the cover story. As you should know by now, your price includes a family history, college degree, and a track record that reaches all the way back to birth."

"Social Security card?"

"Of course. And a birth certificate. As always, you receive everything you need to make the person she is now disappear."

The door behind us opens and I shift to put Juan Carlos in profile as I watch Maria enter. She quickly moves behind the desk, giving us her back as she and Juan Carlos talk. I motion to Gia and she steps forward. "Thank you," she whispers.

"For what?"

"I couldn't have afforded to do this without you."

Ignoring the punch in my gut at the vulnerability of her words, I stiffen my spine, refusing to let down my guard with this woman. "I need you alive to help me. This was for me, not you."

A stunned look slides over her face, replacing the appreciative one of moments before. "I see."

"Good," I approve. "Then we're clear."

"No, nothing is clear at all-but then, maybe it never will be again." Her chin lifts in the now familiar way I've come to expect from her, an act of bravado she doesn't feel. Or maybe it's just an act, period. "What do I need to do?" she asks. "What's next?"

I grit my teeth at the bite of pain I sense in her words, and resist the stupid need to comfort her, taking her arm again, and turning her to face Maria and Juan Carlos. "She's all yours," I say, but the way Juan Carlos's eyes flicker over Gia, the interest in their depths, leaves me regretting those words.

Maria motions for Gia to follow her through a door, Juan Carlos behind them, and a wave of protectiveness overcomes me. It's laughable that I would feel such a thing about a woman who must have decided she couldn't manipulate me, so she'd just turn me back over to Sheridan to save herself. It's logical. It's what has to have happened, so f.u.c.k her and any discomfort she might feel in that other room. I even turn for the door before I stop dead in my tracks, cursing and crossing the small s.p.a.ce between me and her, telling myself her safety is in my best interests-I'm simply protecting an a.s.set in the war against Sheridan.

Entering the room, I find Gia sitting in a chair facing me while Maria brushes her hair, an array of make-up and hair tools everywhere. Gia's eyes meet mine, and the bond that I sense between us has me cursing again. It's not real, I remind myself, any more than the name on those IDs we're buying. Maria steps between us, breaking the spell of the moment, and I let out a breath I seem to be holding in. Leaning on the wall, Juan Carlos joins me, a camera in his hand as he waits on the women.

"Who is she to you?" he asks.

"Just another curve in the ever-winding path that is my life," I say, wishing it were that simple, somehow knowing it isn't.

"Who'd she p.i.s.s off?"

"Me," I say.

"She got in the way of you and a prize, then."

"What's mine is mine," I confirm, embracing my reputation, "and right now, that includes her."

"Her?"

I throw a look at Juan Carlos. "That's right. She belongs to me. And so we're clear, there is no 'even' where she's concerned. You hear of anyone looking for her, I don't care what price they offer-you keep your mouth shut."

"I don't stay in business by running my mouth."

"We both know you like money."

He lifts his hand, indicating the ring. "I wear enough money on my left hand to leave any time I wish."

"I wondered about that. Why don't you?"

He laughs low and cynical. "A woman. Isn't it always? If I ever convince her I'm not a monster, maybe she'll actually run off with me."

"Indeed," I agree, thinking that's exactly what happened with Meg, and will happen with Gia too, if I let it. But what stands out in my mind are the words a monster. It's the way I imagine Amy will see me when she knows I caused all of this.

Maria motions to Juan Carlos, and I follow him toward the women. We hover over Gia, and she doesn't look at me or Juan Carlos. "Gia," I say softly, her gaze lifting to mine, and I see the uncertainty, the unease in her eyes, and somehow it's okay for me to put it there, but not anyone else. "We need to be on the road in fifteen minutes," I tell the group.

"Then let's get the first photo done for the driver's license," Juan Carlos says. "I'll get that doc.u.ment doctored while Maria takes a few for school records and things of that sort-unless you want to tell me the lady's real name, in which case I can hack her existing records."

Gia's eyes go wide and I answer, "No. Take the photos."

"Very well," he concedes, motioning for Maria to step back as he aims the camera at Gia, and says, "Smile, pretty lady." She doesn't smile. He doesn't seem to care. He shoots several photos and then waits for Maria to pull Gia's hair back and help her change her jacket.

After four clothing changes, I've had enough. "We're done," I say, pulling Gia to her feet and tugging some sort of red jacket off her shoulders as she whispers, "Thank goodness." I lace my fingers with hers and walk to the outer office to find Juan Carlos working at a computer. "Time's up," I tell him.

He rotates in his chair and hands me a folder. "Everything you need."

I take it from him. "Keys?"

He fishes them out of his pocket and hands them to me. I accept them and lead Gia to the exit, urging her outside as I pause and glance over my shoulder. "I left you a present at the curb. You should get rid of it quickly." I step outside and shut the door to the echo of his string of curse words.

Wordlessly, the air thick and awkward between us, Gia and I rush through the backyard and open the driver's-side door of the Escalade. Gia steps in front of me and climbs in the door, and d.a.m.ned if I don't get a nice, long view of her backside that I know is even better naked than in those jeans. I follow her inside and she settles on the floor.

"You don't want me to see how to get back here," she says as I start the engine.

"That's right," I confirm.

"You think I had something to do with what happened at the car dealer."

I back out of the driveway. "I told you, Gia. I can't afford to trust you."

"So I'm right. I didn't have a phone. And even if I did, if I really was working for Sheridan and this was all one big ploy to earn your trust, why would I call him to tell him where you were?"

I hit the brakes and put the vehicle in drive. I cut her a condemning look. "I guess you figured out that I won't be manipulated."

"And what? I wanted to go ahead and let him kill me for failing and get it over with?"

"Or you're naive enough to think helping him capture me again will save you. It won't." I hit the accelerator.

"I had no phone, Chad," she hisses.

"You were in that bathroom a long d.a.m.n time, Gia."