Page 29 of Lillith
They pulled into a small strip of shops; the kind of place no one would pay much attention to. It was perfect. “I’ll get the phone,” Tank said. “You stay in the truck.”
Lillith turned slowly. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not,” he insisted. She stared at him and then reached for the door handle.
“Lillith—” he started, but it was too late. She was already out of the truck.
“I’m not sitting in a truck like a hostage,” she said, slamming the door shut. “I’m coming with you.” Tank swore under his breath but didn’t argue further, and she considered that a small win.
They moved fast. To the store, not lingering around the parking lot. He held her hand so tightly that she worried she’dnever feel her fingers again. Within minutes, Tank had a burner phone in his hand. Lillith didn’t wait—the second they were back in the truck, she snatched it from him.
“Hey—”
“Relax,” she said, already dialing. “I’m calling Ember.”
His jaw tightened. “We shouldn’t bring more people into this, Lillith. Be careful what you tell her.”
“Too late,” she shot back. “They’re already in it. Once I disappeared with you, they became a part of this, I’m sure of it.”
The line rang once, and then twice, and she put the call on speaker so that Tank could listen in. Lillith felt as though she was holding her damn breath waiting for her sister to answer the phone. “Hello,” Ember’s voice filled the cab of the truck.
Relief flooded her so fast it almost knocked the breath out of her. “Hey,” she said, softer than she meant to.
“Lillith, where the hell are you?” Ember demanded. “You just disappeared?—”
“I’m okay,” Lillith cut in quickly. “I’m with Tank.”
“I figured,” Ember said, “but you couldn’t pick up the damn phone and call to tell me where you were? I’ve been trying to call your cell since you left.”
“I didn’t so much as leave, but was taken,” Lillith corrected, shooting Tank a look. He shook his head at her and sighed, as though he knew that she was about to tell her sister everything.
“Taken,” Ember shouted into the phone. “What the hell does that mean? Is Tank holding you against your will?” she asked.
“No,” Tank shouted. “I’m keeping her safe.”
“Listen,” Lillith interrupted, glancing at Tank briefly before turning away. “We need help.” That seemed to get her sister’s full attention.
“What kind of help?” Ember asked.
“The kind where a guy tried to grab me off the street,” Lillith said bluntly. “And then, Tank saved me and took me to a safehouse.”
“Do you want to repeat that?” Ember asked.
“You heard me,” Lillith said. “This isn’t just about Tank anymore. The men who are looking for him are trying to get to him through me.”
“Put him on the phone,” Ember said. Lillith held the phone out, but Tank didn’t take it.
“Tank,” she said. “Just talk to her.” He stared at it, and then at her. He finally took the phone from her and sighed.
“Yeah,” he said.
“Take me off the speaker,” Ember insisted. Tank looked as though he was going to protest, but hit the button to take the call off speaker. Lillith watched his face as Ember talked. She watched the way his expression shifted. He seemed guarded and tense.
“No,” he said at one point, and paused. “No, that’s exactly why I don’t—” There was another pause—this time it was longer than the last. His jaw tightened, and then, he exhaled hard. She could tell that Ember was giving him a hard time, and a part of her took some satisfaction in that.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “I know.” That surprised her because Tank didn’t admit things easily. “Fine.” Tank pulled the phone away from his ear and ended the call before handing it back to her.
“Well?” she demanded. He stared out the windshield for a second and then looked back at her.
