Page 40 of Truth Forever
I knew he was saying it like a threat. Once upon a time, it would have made me second guess myself but his threat kind of paled against having a man press a gun between your eyes.
“I understand, yes.”
“Fine Calista, fine. Make sure your cases are passed over and clear your desk.” He sounded resigned. “And hand your ID to security before you leave.”
I nodded, turning on my heels, I headed towards the door. But I turned back when my brother’s voice called my attention back to him.
“You are making a mistake Calista. A massive one. I just hope you don’t end up regretting it.”
***
“There she is,” Layla called out from across the rapidly filling up wine bar. “And she started without us.”
I half-turned to her. But the smile on my face slipped when my phone vibrated across the table. A text message pinged through from a number I didn’t recognise.
We need your help.
I frowned down at it. My fingers curled around my wine glass. I wasn’t going to answer it. I didn’t know the number. More than likely, it was a wrong number.
Slipping from my stool, I kissed my friend’s cheek. Going around the whole group. I tried to return their smiles, join in with their laughter, but it was tough going. It felt forced and made me feel fake. Which was absurd. These were my friends. My closest and oldest friends. The very people I should feel most at ease with. Yet they felt like strangers to me.
“It went badly?” Layla eyed the wine glass.
“It went as well as expected,” I answered, honestly. “It wasn’t the best experience of my life, but then I never expected it to be.”
“But he didn’t give you a hard time?” She settled herself opposite me. “I mean any more than you expected anyway?”
“He was Curtis,” I added as if that explained everything and my best friend nodded as if she understood.
“So food and then drink? Or are we just drinking?” She cocked her head to the side. Her eyebrows arched as another message blew up my phone, and my fingers scrambled to open it.
Why did I always do that? Rush to open it like it was going to be Truth. It was never Truth. Not ever. And this time was no different.
It’s Wicked. Call me back; it’s important.
I swallowed hard. Nerves making my fingers twitch. Why was Wicked messaging me after all of these weeks?
Unless it was some kind of trap. Had the club decided I was a threat?
But no. They could find me easily if they wanted to. Truth could have found me easily.
“You ok?”
“Yeah.” I closed the message, swiping to delete it. I had to stop thinking about him. He wasn’t going to call me or come and apologise. This wasn’t some romance movie. “Yeah,” I repeated, dragging my attention back to the people around me.
My friends. People who cared about me. People who would never pull a gun on me and make me wet myself.
“Food and then lots and lots of wine.” I forced myself to laugh. “But I am going to need the food first to soak up all the alcohol, so I am not dying tomorrow.”
The table gave a small whoop of approval.
“I can’t believe you….” Layla’s eyes darted to the table as my phone started screeching.
I glanced down at it.
“Excuse me.” I held a finger up, climbing to my feet. As I pressed the phone to my ear.
“Cali?”
