Two minutes later I was still staring at the door when Phoenix waltzed back into the kitchen. “What crawled up your ass and died?”

“She didn’t kiss me goodbye,” I whispered.

“Is that not normal?”

“Maya’s always been… emotional…” I sat and folded my arms then shook my head. “I’m reading into things.”

Phoenix placed a glass of orange juice on the table and then set his Glock right next to it. “So, what will it be? You want her blood on your hands or do you need me to do your dirty work?”

“I’ll owe you.”

“You owe me about a bazillion favors, just add to the list, remember? I thrive off secrets.”

“No.” I pushed his gun away. “I’ll do it, make it painless, she’ll simply go to sleep and not wake up.”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Fun?” I had trouble controlling my voice as rage filled me. “There is absolutely nothing fun about killing your own flesh and blood—killing the person who basically raised you.”

I stood to my full height, which matched his. I was just itching for a fight, I could feel my blood pressure rising as he smirked and inclined his head. “Good. Keep that rage in place, it’s the only way you’ll be able to do this without living with guilt for the rest of your life… sometimes it’s best to fuel the rage with anger so that when you look back on this moment, it’s not with regret.”

“When the hell did you get so smart?”

“I read lots of books, doc.” Phoenix slapped me on the back. “Now, it looks like we have a woman to hunt.”

“I know where she typically waits for victims.” I sighed. “I just…”

“We’ll split them up and find her in no time.” Phoenix grabbed his phone out of his pocket, but first we need to figure out a babysitter for Maya.

“Shit!” I shoved him away and limped toward the back room where I had left the iPad, I quickly logged in to the cameras and located the ones in the lobby.

Maya was sitting in a chair sipping coffee, I instantly relaxed. Until I saw a familiar face in cowboy boots approach her table and sit.

“Phoenix!” I yelled. “Jac’s here!”

The tongue speaks but the head does not know.—Russian Proverb

I SIPPED MY DRINK—NOT EVEN sure what I’d ordered, numbness had overtaken me the minute I stumbled upon Nik and Phoenix’s conversation. After everything we’d been through together—he was going to kill me.

Who else could he be talking about?

And why wasn’t I running around screaming my head off? It’s not like I could go to the police, I mean I could, but what exactly would I say? They’d have me file a restraining order, and who would actually believe me?

I shivered as I glanced down at my latte, it tasted like nothing.

Was it foolish of me to still be sitting in that building?

Stupid to think about going back upstairs and trying to convince him that I wasn’t so psychologically damaged that I was going to snap.

How could he possibly believe that? After everything that had been dropped into my lap over the last few weeks most people would be committed! I’d done well all things considered.

“I love you,” he’d whispered.

Tears stung, causing my vision to blur as I tried to keep myself from choking out a sob, it hurt my throat, but it was nothing compared to the slicing pain I felt through my chest as my heart crumbled into a million pieces.

Most girls crying over broken hearts didn’t have to worry about being killed, but maybe it would be less painful.

Because how, after knowing everything I knew, could I possibly live without him in my life? A few tears escaped as I covered my face with my hands. Of course that was it.

I was certifiably insane.

Because I was mourning my killer.

Maybe I did deserve to die.

Maybe I’d just lie down on the bed like I’ve lost every ounce of sense and hand him the knife to stab me with.

I was being dramatic as fear and sadness kept me rooted to that seat like I had no other option but to sip coffee and think about all the times he’d whispered his love out of one side of his mouth while the other continued to warn me against him, warn me of how dangerous he was.

Sergio had said Nik would always be mafia, always thirst for blood.

And now he wanted mine.

There was nothing romantic about it, nothing.

It made me angry, frustrated, terrified, and if I was being honest, I was sorry for myself, sorry that the same man who breathed new life into me, was going to be the one to take it.

Run! My mind screamed.

Stay. My heart whispered.

“Maya!” A female voice interrupted my inner battle. “Over here!” Jac waved a hand up at me and approached the table. “Oh dear, he told you, didn’t he?”

“Told me?” Everything about Jac set me on edge, like she was a drunk tightrope walker just waiting to take the plunge.

“About me.” She sighed sadly. “About our family.”

“Um, no, but, you know I really should get back.” This was danger. This woman sitting in front of me with the friendly smile and bright pink lipstick, this was wrong, everything about the way her cold eyes stared right through me caused panic.

I would run back into my killer’s arms—away from her, any day of the week.

I made a motion to stand, just as something pricked the inside of my wrist. With a curse I jerked back my hand. “What the hell did you just do?”

“Shhh.” Jac smiled warmly. “It’s finally going to be okay. You’ll be safe now. I promise. You’ll finally be safe.”

“I am safe!” With him, I was safe. Safer than with her. My vision blurred as my heavy body leaned against the table, I tried to hold myself up with my hand but it missed the table completely. Jac very smoothly moved beneath one arm and started walking me out of the building.

People would see us right? They’d see my struggle.

I fought to keep my eyes open and moaned out, “Help,” as we passed two large figures.

They did nothing.

“Help!” I tried louder this time while Jac talked over me about the pitfalls of drinking in the morning, first scolding me about being publicly intoxicated and then saying good thing you have family like me to help you out!

“No.” I shook my heavy head as my chin drooped to my chest.

“Ah, it’s working so much faster than I thought. I only stole as much as I could carry without him noticing, though he’ll for sure notice now.” She was breathing heavy and then we were in the alleyway between the two office buildings, the trunk of her car was already open. I had no strength left, a cold prickling sensation ran down my legs and then they gave out just as she pushed me against the back. Why was nobody coming after me? This wasn’t normal! It was daylight!

Maybe that was the danger, my mind whirled as my mouth filled with cotton, the danger in profiling. You always assume the homeless man on the street has a knife, never once looking at the seventy year old woman with heels and a gun.

“Shhh, now.” Jac pressed a finger against my lips. “Make sure you take long even breaths, don’t want you to hyperventilate or anything.”

I moaned.

“That’s it, sweetie.” She patted my check, hard, really hard, I could tell because of the force but the sting wasn’t there, why was my cheek numb? Like I’d gone to the dentist and lost all feeling in my mouth, my tongue was heavy too.  Her silver blue eyes narrowed. “That’s it, dear.”

The trunk slammed shut blanketing me in darkness, freaking the hell out of me, I willed my feet to lift to kick the taillight, like I’d seen in the movies but no matter how many times I tried, no part of my body moved.

I could still breathe, but would that go too? If my muscles were paralyzed did that mean my organs were going to be too?