Page 39 of Fake Coral and Keys

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Daisy argued while I packed, wanting to go with me to the airfield, but I insisted she stay at the hotel. After a lengthy goodbye to her family, a weird hug from Forest thanks to Daisy telling everyone about my sick father, and an awkward handshake and pat on the back from her father, Daisy and I are now standing in the lobby, the car that’s arrived to drive me parked out front. I glance at the driver, who’s once again checking his watch.

Daisy wrings her hands, reminding me of a Shakespeare play I saw at the local theatre in high school. I grip her fingers and bring her hands to my mouth.

She stops fidgeting. “Is our agreement still in place?”

My brows knit. Why is she asking me? I’m the one leaving early. “Yes?”

“Good.” She glances at the driver. He’s practically tapping his watch in frustration. “Can we make a few changes?”

“Like what?”

“How about we email?” Daisy narrows her eyes and stares over my shoulder like she’s contemplating her words. “But only once a week?”

I almost melt with relief. I kiss her fingers again and then release them. “Yes, let’s do that.”

“Yeah,” she says like she’s coming to some sort of conclusion in her head even though she’s the one who’s amending the agreement she came up with. Daisy hurries to the counter then after a minute, the clerk hands her a piece of paper and a pen. She scribbles on the paper and gives it to me. “Please let me know how your father is doing.”

Taking the paper from her outstretched hand, I look at the small, neat letters. My stomach sinks, turning sour. Should I be doing this? Wouldn’t it be wiser if I just left her alone? Broke this all off?

Raising my eyes to meet hers, I know what I must do. If he has no qualms about threatening TJ, he’ll have no problem using Daisy as leverage to keep me in line.

I have to let her go.

“Thank you,” I tell her, as the realization nearly drowns me. That tightness in my chest returns, the same feeling I had inside me when I thought I’d never see her again. Except for this time, it’s real. “For understanding.”

She smiles. “I promise it’s okay. Some things happen that are out of our control.”

Digging in my pocket, I grab the small box I brought. Her eyes flash with curiosity. “I was going to give this to you tonight, but well…”

Daisy takes the box and opens it, revealing the two charms inside. She grins up at me, and my heart feels like it’s shriveling up. First, she pulls the little coral charm out and inspects it, then the key.

She examines the gold key with a furrowed brow, then it hits her. “The Keys.” She clamps the box shut and wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me down to her. She places a kiss on my cheek. “I’ll see you at the next Gathering.”

It feels like peeling a layer of skin off as I step back from her. I take a moment to drink her in. Her honey hair. The bright clarity of her green eyes. The delicate curve of her collarbone and the hollow of her neck.

With a nod, I turn and walk toward the doors, knowing I’ll never see her again. When the car door slams shut, I suckin the cold scent of leather, trying to fill this hollowness in my bones.

My phone rings. Clenching my teeth, I dig the phone from my pocket, expecting to see TJ’s name flash on the screen. My stomach drops when I see the unknown number. A chill shivers up my spine, creeping up to my jaw.

Right before the call goes to voicemail, I slide the green icon and answer. My heavy breathing lets him know I’m on the other line.

“Blake.” He says my name like we’re friends. Like we chat all the time about sports and have drinks at the bar on Sundays. Not like he’s forcing me to work for him.

Work. What a joke.

I’m his fucking prisoner.

“I understand you’re on a fun family trip?” he asks. “With a pretty little lady.”

My head pounds, fluorescent warning signs flashing in my mind.

“George Conner’s daughter, no less.”

There is no point in answering. He knows I’m with Daisy now, and he knows exactly who Daisy’s father is. I should have seen this coming. I knew I should have stayed away. This was what I feared the most, but I’m greedy and selfish. When Isaw George was the president of a huge investment firm, I knew deep in the pit of my being that I needed to stay away from Daisy. My entanglement with the man on the phone would be dangerous for her. I’m a hacker who steals from men like George. And I’m tied to the devil, being used as his pawn to line his pockets.

And I know exactly what he wants.

“What a great opportunity you’ve brought me,” he says. “We have an exciting new target for our business.”