When she turns to face me, I stick my fingers in my mouth and lick the remnants of her pleasure off them. The heat in her eyes intensifies as she watches. As soon as I pull my fingers away, her lips and tongue take their place. When we end the kiss, she’s ready for more but I’ve been selfish enough already.
Since Zoe came back, Layne has eaten slightly better and seems to have a little more energy, but it’s a show. Even though she won’t easily admit it, I know she doesn’t feel too much better today than she did Friday. During one of our late-night talks, she told me her mother died of ovarian cancer. It was hard for her to watch her mother’s weight loss, reduced energy, and nonexistent appetite replace the once active and vibrant woman she loved.
It’s time for answers.
She looks at me with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. “Are you getting in the shower with me fully dressed?”
“No, baby. Actually, I came in here to tell you I’m going to the store, but you’re naked and you distracted me. There’s a deputy outside watching the house. Because I’m overly cautious. Because my ex jumped on the batshit-crazy-train and took over as the conductor.”
Her response is to look at me like I’m the crazy one. “Um, okay. What if she goes after you?”
“Let her. I’d actually prefer that over anything else she could plan.” With a chaste kiss, I turn to leave. “I’ll be back in a few.”
Margot obviously figured out Zoe wasn’t coming back and changed her tactics. Friday night while Layne and Zoe were talking, I was busy listening for any scrap of information on Margot’s whereabouts so Matt could arrest her. As soon as Zoe named the places Margot was using as hideouts, I sent a text to Matt, who then immediately put men watching those locations.
It’s now Sunday and she hasn’t shown up at any of them all weekend long. I don’t trust her to not show up at my house since she no doubt knows that Layne and Zoe are both here. Lily has been chomping at the bit to get involved and coax Margot out of her new hiding place, but so far Mom and I have been successful in keeping her out of it. Not that I doubt Lily’s ability to hold her own, but I don’t need my attention divided. There’s too much going on as it is.
On my way back home from the store, my cell phone rings and the number on my caller ID instantly fills me with dread. As soon as I hang up, I call Matt and start talking before he even gives his greeting.
“Matt, I just got a call from the security monitoring service for the horse rehab center. There’s been a break-in. I’m sure it’s her. Can you meet me over there? But don’t pull the deputy at my house in case it’s a diversion.”
“Damn. You sure you’re not a detective yourself? I’ll be at the center in about ten minutes. I’m already in my car. I’ll tell dispatch to keep the deputy in place and on high alert just in case.”
The drive to the rehab center has never taken as long as it does today. I’ve looked at the clock on my dash at least a hundred times, but the time hasn’t changed. My truck feels like it’s sitting still, even though my speedometer shows I’d be considered a super speeder in Georgia if I were to get clocked by the state patrol radar.
My truck tires slide to a stop in the parking lot, and I take off in a full sprint toward the building. As I swing the door open and start to rush inside, Matt appears out of nowhere right behind me.
“Ace, you need to wait outside until I clear the building.”
“The hell I do. If she’s here, this ends today. She needs to be locked up for good.”
Once we move past the outer reception area, the light from underneath my office door illuminates part of the hallway. Matt flattens his back against the wall beside the doorknob and I move to the other side, mimicking his stance. He mouths to me not to move when he opens the door. I know he’s just doing his job, but being in the middle of this with my family in constant turmoil makes sitting on the sidelines impossible.
With his gun drawn, Matt slowly turns the knob and pushes the door open. His arms swing up, his head cocks to the side, and I immediately know he’s taking aim.
“Put the gun down!” he yells. Multiple sirens blare just outside the building indicating his backup has arrived. “Down! Now!”
“You ruined everything!” Margot screeches. “This was supposed to be a special moment between me and Ace! You aren’t supposed to be here!”
From her hysterical tone and her disturbing words, it’s painfully obvious that she’s completely out of control. The fact that she has a gun both scares the shit out of me and infuriates me. If she’d shown up at my house instead of my business, I couldn’t be held responsible for my actions.