Page 43 of In a Perfect World

“I’m not changing my mind,” I told her.“I’m doing this.”

When she didn’t say anything, I went back to quietly packing my bag, and it wasn’t until a few minutes later that she asked, “How will I know that you made it okay?”

Tears immediately sprung to my eyes as I turned to look at her.“I’m buying a burner phone, and I’ll call you as soon as I’m in Mexico.”

“And Tomasco?”

“I was...I was hoping that you’d keep him informed,” I stammered, my heart breaking.

“I’ll do whatever you need me to, Triana,” she said loyally, and that’s when the tears really started.

Chapter 22

Kairo~

Winston was staring at me like I’d just grown two heads, but I could hardly blame the man.When I had called him earlier to tell him that I’d needed to speak with him, there’s no way in hell that he could have ever imagined that I’d be telling him that I was running away to Mexico with Triana.

When he finally found his voice, he asked, “Are you out of your fucking skull?”

“Winston-”

“Do not Winston me,” he snapped as he begun pacing his living room.“Jesus Christ.”

“We’re not really going to Mexico,” I reminded him.“I just want her to think that we are.”

As soon as I’d gotten to Winston’s place, I hadn’t wasted any time in telling him all about what Triana had planned and my part in it all.Though I hadn’t wanted to, in order for him not to go off half-cocked, I’d had no choice but to tell him all about how her family had disowned her and why.In fact, I’d had no choice but to tell him everything, doing whatever I’d had to in order to keep him from running off and telling my father about my plans.

Nevertheless, he still had a right to be concerned.

He stopped pacing to look at me.“Do you think that matters?”he squawked.“If you’re caught with this girl in Sterling Acres, your father’s entire political career will be ruined.Not to mention that you’ll be taking Dallas and Leyden down with you.”

“We won’t get caught,” I assured him.“And even if we did, I’ll simply claim that she’s lost.”

Winston’s eyes threatened to pop out of his head.“Are you insane?No one is going to believe that, and even if they did, there’ll still be hell to pay.She will go to jail, Kairo.Is that what you want?”

“As opposed to my other options?”I countered.“If I don’t go with her, she’s going to go alone.”