Page 94 of Shattered Queens: Veronica
“Veronica?” I hear him. He’s panicking.
“Frank? Is that you?”
I hear rustling in the background. “Veronica, I need your help. Please. I got a letter from someone threatening me. They said that they know you.”
“What?! From where? Who?”
“I don’t know, but I’m scared. Please.”
“Where are you?” I ask, grabbing my stuff.
“I left my apartment. I’m at a friend’s place. He’s letting me stay here. I don’t want anyone to find me at my home.”
“Send me the address. I’ll be right there. Don’t move.” I panic. Is Eric going after my friends?
I say a swift goodbye to Lana and call Kai to pick me up. When he arrives, I give him the address Frank gave me. I call Miles, but he doesn’t answer, so I send him a message and let him know what’s going on. I see that we’re driving to a part of the city I’ve never been to. I have a bad feeling about this, but Frank is my friend. Although Miles isn’t a fan of his, I won’t be responsible for putting others in danger. We pull up to the building. Before I exit, I tell Kai to get a hold of Miles. Then I run up the staircase to the apartment number Frank gave me. This is an older building, so there aren’t any elevators. I knock, and Frank opens the door with a frantic look in his eyes.
“Veronica, come in. Are you alone?”
I’m catching my breath. “Yes,” I say as I walk inside. I take only a couple of steps before a sharp sensation explodes at the back of my head. The room instantly goes dark.
Miles
Chapter 43
I’m sitting in front of Gerald, updating him on the situation with Susana. I told him she took money from the business accounts and left. He didn’t seem all that surprised that she would steal from me, then disappear. The sting of betrayal hits me. How did everyone see it but me? When I told Tomas everything, except the part where Veronica killed her, he wasn’t surprised either. No matter, she’s gone. I withdrew a large amount of funds from the business accounts, funneled them through some channels, then donated them to Serena’s nonprofit.
I leave Gerald’s and check my phone. I see multiple calls from Veronica and Kai. I pull up her trackers, and none are showing. This is a bad sign because she has a couple on her. When I said I was putting onein her,I wasn’t lying. I did it weeks ago when I sedated her as we flew to Colombia. I put it into her ass. That delicious round ass of hers.
I call Kai, and he’s not answering, so I pull up my laptop, but I can’t find them. I check her call logs and see multiple calls from an unknown number, then I see her leave the office in a hurry. I follow the car until I lose them on my tracker, but I catch them on traffic cameras. Why is she heading in that direction? I see the building Kai pulls up to. Fuck! I rev my engine and rush to the familiar building.
I call in the cavalry as I speed to her. It’s one that I’ve surveilled before because it’s owned by Eric Harrison. I pull up, and the second I turn my engine off, I get a call.
“Camilo Villanueva. Won’t you join us?” Eric Harrison says from the other end of the line. He’s watching me. “There’s someone who wants to say hello.” Then the call drops.
My phone dings, and I see a message.
Unknown: 4D
I don’t think twice. I run into the building and make my way up the staircase. I approach 4D not caring what’s behind the door because I know that I’ll find Veronica on the other side. She’s the only thing that matters. Before I turn the doorknob, someone opens it. I see none other than fucking Frank. He opens the door and has the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. His eyes are menacing; this is nothing like the meek man I offended weeks ago.
“Oh, good. We’re all here,” Eric says. I walk into the bright, empty room. Veronica is gagged and tied on the floor. Her forehead is bleeding. I’m going to fucking kill them.
I look between the two men. “You’re a dead man, Eric.” I see his smile falter. “A broken jaw is nothing compared to what I’m going to do to you.” I can tell he’s still healing.
“Actually, no, I’m not. And fuck you, if you hadn’t been saved, you’d be buried where no one would ever find you.” He looks at Frank. “You see, Frank here can make me disappear.” I raise an eyebrow.
“There is no one who can make you disappear,” I correct, but I know it’s a lie. Because I’ve made people disappear with a click of a button. “Is that so?” I push because I know this asshole will talk.
“Yes.” He looks at Frank, who can’t take his eyes off Veronica. “Well, Frank here did. That’s why no one has been able to locate me for weeks. He’s also the reason…”
“Shut the fuck up, Eric!” Frank yells.
I take a step toward Veronica, but I see the gun in Eric’s hand. He points it at me. “No. You stay right there. One move, and I’ll blow her fucking brains out.” He glances at Frank while signaling to Veronica and me. “They’re both going to die. You are using a tracker and cellphone blocker, so no one will find them.”
“Where’s Kai?” I ask.
“He’s tied up. My men will dispose of him later,” Eric taunts.
