31
Kelly
As soon as I collected my items from security, my cell phone started to ring.
“Sorry to bother you, sir.” Maxwell’s even tone filled my ear.
“Not a bother, Maxwell,” I said, stepping outside, heading in the direction of my car. “I’m just leaving County now. What’s up?”
“I’m afraid the reason I’m calling is because I don’t have good news.”
My heels dug in, my legs coming to a sudden stop. “What is it?”
“It’s Kendra, sir.”
I lifted my head and looked around with pinched brows. “What happened?”
“Well, there’s no good way to say this…”
“Just say it,” I barked.
“She ditched me, sir.”
I clutched my phone into a white-knuckle grip and gritted my teeth.
How could he let this happen? And what kind of games was she playing? Maxwell was there to get her around the city safely. That was it. My assigned protector in a city that seemed to be tormenting her.
“Where are you now?” Hurrying to my vehicle, I unlocked the door and slid behind the wheel.
My mind raced, wondering if Kendra was purposely adding to my already high level of stress, or if this was a cry for help—a way to get my attention. She could be so infuriating at times, and chasing her down was the last thing I needed to do with my already full plate. But it had to be done. I needed to know why she ditched Maxwell, and for what.
“I managed to follow her across town,” Maxwell interjected.
“Where, Maxwell?” I cranked the engine over and put it in gear. “Tell me where you are, dammit!”
“I think you were right, sir,” he mumbled.
Confusion pounded in my temples.
“I brought her to visit her friend, Alex. Then, as I was parked outside waiting for her return, I saw her leave the building and get into another car.” He sighed. “It all happened so fast. There was nothing I could do.”
“Maxwell,” I inhaled a deep, calming breath, “tell me where you are.”
Maxwell told me the cross-streets and the name of the burger joint Kendra was now at before stealing my attention by saying, “Kelly, she’s with a man.”
My heart paused for a beat as I looked up and peered over my steering wheel. “A man?”
“Yes.”
My mind swirled to try to figure out who the man might be and what it was she was trying to hide from me. “What’s he look like?”
“Big. Casually dressed. Bald.”
I got the point. “Are you inside?”
“No, sir.”
Pulling the rearview mirror down, I needed to get a good look at myself, wondering if I looked as bad as I felt. My head pounded and I could see the dark circles forming beneath my eyes. After what Oscar just pulled in the visitor room with images of Timothy Parker getting his ass handed to him, I worried that maybe this was Kendra’s way to get back at me after she learned that I had been secretly spending my time with Kaycee.
“Do you still have eyes on her?” I asked after a couple minutes had passed.
“They ordered meals not long ago. Nothing has happened. Just talking.”
Taking my foot off the brake, I began heading in the general direction of where Maxwell said he was. “I’m coming for you.”
“I’m in the parking lot adjacent to the restaurant.”
Pressing my foot down on the gas, I switched over to my Bluetooth connection and kept Maxwell on the line. We didn’t say much as I drove but I could still hear shuffling on his end every few seconds.
My conversation with the DA didn’t sit well. We had both threatened each other and whenever that happened, I knew the stakes to win were high. Oscar was like me. We would do whatever it took to win. And with that drive came paranoia—silently wondering who I could trust and who was deceiving me into thinking they were my friend.
“I’m two minutes out,” I said.
“They’re still here.”
Slowing around the corner, I dropped a gear and sped up.
“On second thought…”
I glanced at my phone’s screen, holding my breath.
“She’s getting up to leave.”
My foot pressed harder on the gas. I couldn’t let her leave without me getting to her first.
“Oh, shit.”
The crease between my brow deepened and I knew something big just happened. Maxwell rarely cursed. “Maxwell, talk to me.” I jerked the wheel and passed the vehicle in front of me. “Tell me what’s happening.”
“He just grabbed her arm.”
My heart slammed against my chest, the vein in my neck ticking.
Whoever Kendra was with I promised to strangle myself. No one laid a hand on her but me. She was my woman and I’d do anything to protect her.
Turning on to the street restaurant’s street, I knew I couldn’t be too far. I craned my neck, searching for an address. Back and forth my head went, looking for the name of the restaurant but it wasn’t anywhere to be found.
“Kelly, she’s leaving. Where are you?”
“I’m close.” My head whipped back and forth, my eyes searching.
“No way.” I heard Maxwell’s engine start. “Not again.”
“What is it?”
“She just got into a car.”
Frantically, I weaved through traffic, knowing that if I didn’t get there soon I might not see who the hell she was meeting with. “What color is the car?”
“You’re too late.” Maxwell’s voice deflated.
“Follow her!” I slammed my hand down on the wheel. “And don’t you fucking lose her this time.”