broken. It’s goddamn annihilated. And there isn’t enough superglue in the entire world to piece it back together. Then parts of you start to fall off, one by one. You know it’s not possible to ever be put back together again. You’re fucking Humpty Dumpty.
I squeeze conditioner into my palm and rub it into her hair. Then I clear the hoarseness away and say, “Hey, kea, I hear my phone. I need to get that. Big meeting today. Sorry.”
“Okay, babe.”
I scurry out of there so I don’t make a fool of myself. I dress in record time and hit my office. The message that came through has put me in hell:
Your debt payoff commences in twenty-four hours. Can’t wait to have you back, son. Pack your bags. You’re flying to Vegas in the morning .
Like hell, I am. The only place I’ll be flying is the fucking coop.
This is the goddamn shits. I need to stay in here until Gabriella leaves so she doesn’t suspect anything. In thirty minutes, she sticks her head in.
“You’re still here?”
“Yeah. I have to get this out before I go.” I make up some lame excuse. Again.
“Oh. I’m leaving.”
“Okay. Hey, I’ll be pretty late today. Working on this new contract and I have a late meeting. Don’t wait on me for dinner.” I smile.
“Okay. Are you flying anywhere?”
“Maybe D.C., but if I do, I’ll text you.”
“Good. Love you, Skippy.”
We kiss.
I laugh. “Love you too. And I enjoyed your peachy ass.”
“Not as much as I did.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.”
And she’s gone. I give it five minutes before I allow myself to move. I want to break down but I can’t. There’ll be time for that later. I have things I need to do first. Important things.
Grabbing the duffel bag from the top shelf in my closet, I stuff in the clothes I’ve already set aside. There’s a backpack that I’ve preloaded with fifty thousand in cash, a passport, driver’s license, and two credit cards, all in the name of Jason Ackerman. It also contains a cell phone that will activate as soon as I make the call. I change my clothes, put on a hoodie and sunglasses, and leave the penthouse. Using the building’s side entrance, I walk several blocks and take a bus where I meet Sam on the west side of town. He’ll be the only one who knows how to contact me.
“Mr. H., you sure about this?”
“Sam, it’s the only way. I can’t go back or he’ll find a way to ruin her. You know he will. She can’t know anything for this to work.”
“Yes, sir.”
“She can’t know you know. Remember to wipe the security tapes of me leaving as soon as you can. This has to look like I vanished into thin air. All my things are at the house. No one, absolutely no one knows. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you know how to wipe the tapes?”
“I can do it in my sleep, Mr. H.”
“Good,” I say. “He’ll figure out I did it, but I don’t want him to suspect you. If he does, you know what will happen.”
“Yes, sir I do.”
“I hate to involve you, Sam.”
“Mr. H., I’m worried about you .”
“Sam, I’ll be fine. I survived him when I was a kid. I’ll survive him now. If I need anything, I’ll call you. But it will be from an untraceable number because you’ll be watched and I won’t contact you for a while.”
“Yes, sir. Good luck, sir.”
“Thanks. Now I need to get out of here and the fastest way is on a train, so I’m gone. You never saw me.”
“No, sir. And I’m going back now to check the tapes.”
“Watch your every step, Sam.”
I go to the nearest stairwell and take the train to Brooklyn. It’s there that my new life waits for me.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Gabriella
It’s eleven o’clock and not a word from Kolson. I’ve texted and called, and yet, nothing. Even his assistant, Jack McCutcheon, can’t be reached. Where the hell is everyone?
By 2 a.m., I’m sick with worry. I don’t know who to call, so I call Sam. A sleepy voice answers.
“Sam, have you spoken