Page 39 of West (The Moral Compass 1)
“It depends on how much you got through last night before you got busy.” He winks.
“We covered most of it, I think, but it was difficult, as you can imagine, taking it all in,” I admit.
“Then wake her up. There is more, and it’s not as simple as the last batch.”
Chapter 31
Sutton
Icanhearvoices,so I get up and listen at the door.
You’re doing it again Sutton. Get dressed and go and see what’s going on!
So that’s what I do.
“No need to wake me up. I’m here. And here is a t-shirt for you, West.” I throw it over the island to where he is standing. I’ve managed to get myself respectable in record time. Granted, my hair is tied up in a messy bun, but I’m dressed, and I even managed a touch of lip gloss. SSV2 is full throttle. If I’m going to live my best life, it started last night, so here goes.
I wait with a hand on my hip, looking between the two men. When West doesn’t move or look away, I nudge forward with my hand out to the other guy. “Hi, I’m Sutton.”
He takes my hand and shakes it gently. “Good morning, Sutton. I’m North, West’s younger brother. I think he may have mentioned me to you last night,” he acknowledges me.
Hell’s fire, that smile should be illegal. Kara would have a field day with him.
I look again between them and can tell easily they are brothers. Both of them are freaking gorgeous.
“I’ll put the coffee on then, shall I, Mr. ‘I-Will-Just-Stand-Here-Gawking’?” I sarcastically question.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry, sweetheart. Yes, please. Sorry, you just look so beautiful this morning. Where are your crutches?”
Ha-ha, I’ve thrown him off guard already.
“In the bedroom. My legs feel good this morning, and the doctor said to start to use them more independently after a few days. I’ll get them later if I need them.” I smile and turn to make the coffee. I can tell he is still looking at me, so I turn to give him a little wink. If I’m going into this, I’m going into this full speed ahead.
“I’ve got some more information that I need to go through with you, Sutton. And then we need to construct a plan. We need to get this thing underway today.” North isn’t smiling his million watts smile anymore.
“Okay.” I put three cups of coffee down on the island and bring out the milk and sugar. All three of us reach for the milk which brings a little smile to my face.
These are my type of people.
“So, I’ve looked into Jaxon more and how he got out of prison. It appears that a couple of guards were bought off. We know who they are and who paid them.” He looked at West and said, “They were dealt with last night.”
West nods once in reply to North.
“Jaxon was released with one purpose, Sutton. I’m sorry, but it was to kill you. With the history between you and Jaxon, it was meant to look like domestic violence and revenge. Jaxon was paid handsomely for his efforts and was given means to escape, but when you were found alive, the trigger was pulled to bring him back in and back to prison.”
I can feel every bit of blood drain from my face. I lift the spoon for the sugar, and it just drops. I don’t feel strong enough for this, but I need to be. I have to be. I want to live, and I want to survive, so I listen on.
North explains that the money transferred to the guards came from an account that is linked distantly to Raphael, and that I’m in more danger now than I was before because, at this point, we don’t know who will come after me next and, when they find me, what they will do.
But North says there is a plan, and a good one, but he wants to discuss that with West in private. He thinks I’ve heard enough for this morning, and he’d be right. I start to think about me walking the streets yesterday on my own and that anyone could have grabbed me then or followed me to Kara’s.
“Oh, shit, Kara!” I shout. Both men look at me, confused. “I went to Kara’s yesterday. What if they followed me? They might get to her and make her tell them where I’m at.”
“Ring her now,” West said. “Tell her you need to meet her at your favourite coffee shop, but don’t say its name. If she is on her own, she will question you as to why you’re being weird. If she’s not, she’ll just agree,” he explains.
“Okay, when? When do I ask her to meet me?”
“In half an hour,” North chips in. “Go get your glad rags on, West. We have work to do.”
