Page 78 of Under His Control
“Fuck his intimidation tactics. He isn’t friends with all of them.” I hand her back the phone. “Tell him you’ll bring him his money next Tuesday.”
Worry persists on her face as she takes the phone. She parts her lips as if to speak then closes them. She drops her gaze to the phone and taps her thumbs on the screen.
I take a big gulp of my coffee, hoping the hot liquid will burn away the guilt in my chest. Elizabeth finding out about us, my discovery that I’m falling for Penelope, and Cedric’s threat—all signs I should let Penelope go.
She’s already endured enough. I could take her home today and pay off her debt in full like I planned to do yesterday. She could resume her life in peace, free from Cedric’s clutches.
But then she’ll be free from mine too.
* * *
“Lemme guess.” Lewis gestures at the vibrant orange snow shovel in my hand. “Third one this winter?”
I chuckle. “How’d you know?”
“They make shit that don’t last long on purpose.” He gestures at the snow shovel again. “Those plastic things can’t handle the amount of snow we get up here, man. Look at it wrong and it fucking breaks.”
A car cruises by, the driver searching for a free spot in the department store’s crowded parking lot.
I was on my way to my car with my newest snow shovel and a bag of salt, then I ran into Lewis pushing a large box into the back of his truck.
“Speaking of shit that breaks too soon, my water heater died. Mel’s party is tomorrow.” Lewis scowls at the large rectangular box in his truck bed, a picture of a water heater on the front. “And I’m the unlucky fuck who just paid seventeen hundred dollars for this thing and has to install it myself this fine Saturday.”
I glance at the giant warning sign on the box insisting only a certified gas technician should install the unit.
“Better to call someone to do that for you.”
“And pay some guy a bunch of money because it’s a rush job? Nah.” He makes a dismissive gesture with his hand. “Can’t be that much different than what I do at work. I can figure this out.”
I shake my head. “Lewis, I don’t want to hear on the news your house exploded. Everyone will still expect your corpse at work, bright and early Monday morning.”
Lewis laughs. “I’ll be fine. If I’m not, it means the plant is cursed, and you should get the hell out ‘cause we’re being picked off one by one.” His expression turns sober. “I still can’t believe Fiona’s gone. And the way she went… who would do something like that to her?”
“Someone evil.”
“No doubt about it.” He strokes his beard. “Byron’s been hard to get a hold of ever since the news broke. This must be tough for him.”
“Why would it upset him? Seemed like he wasn’t a fan.”
“He had a thing for her after she fucked him once. He fell hook, line, and sinker, but she ignored him.” He wags a finger. “Come to think of it, she did that to Keith too. He seems like he moved on though.” He chuckles. “She had a real spell on guys, that woman. Thank god I love my wife, or I might’ve been in trouble.”
I nod. “She tried to lure me in as well.”
“I’m not surprised. You would’ve been her best catch.” He grins. “You have what the ladies like, bud. Looks and money.”
Regret crosses his face and I grow uneasy.
He knows something.
“Why do you think I have money? You and I make about the same.”
He shifts on his feet, glancing around the parking lot before meeting my gaze again.
“Keith looked you up. He found out you were a bigshot at a beauty company until some bad shit happened.” He scratches the back of his head, visibly uncomfortable. “Look, I told Keith to shut the fuck up and don’t run his mouth about you to anyone else. It’s gotta be you don’t want that past shit following you around, that’s why you’re living a whole different life up here.”
The deep urge to do violent things to Officer Brent flows through me. Thanks to a nosy small town cop, my true identity is no longer a secret.
Though the reveal isn’t as terrible as I feared. I almost feel relieved that Lewis knows. He’s the only person in Wenora I would consider a friend and he doesn’t seem bothered by the truth.
