about?”
“I’m talking about you and your fucking credit cards , Cole. The first thing I told you was everything electronic could be used to trace you. I warned you never to use your cards again and what did you do? How is France?”
My heartbeat increased to a dangerous level, my blood pounding in my skull. I hadn’t told anyone where I’d gone and his comment about credit cards didn’t make sense. I paid in cash for everything since leaving. I wasn’t a total idiot.
Screwing my eyes shut, I hunched over the railing and rested my forearms on the cool metal. I forced my mind to calm down and repressed my instinct to flee. “I haven’t used any card, Levi. I’ve been careful—beyond careful.”
“Well, you haven’t been careful enough. Seven years and you decide the day Crowley gets released is the time to fuck up. Great going, man.” The sarcasm in his voice hurt like a kick to the gut, even down the phone line.
“I. Haven’t. Used. It,” I ground out, my teeth gritted.
“Are you or are you not in France? In Roya Valley to be more specific.”
“Yes, but—”
“If you haven’t used it, someone else has. It’s the only blip in what was the perfect disappearance. I’ve wiped the record and cancelled the cards, but whether anyone’s seen it is out of my hands. You need to get out, Cole. One tiny error is all it takes to unravel the web I’ve spun, you know that.”
I gazed across at Alaya with regret.
“Time to die again then.”
“Be careful, mate.”
Disconnecting the call, I hung my head and rested it on top of my hands. I inhaled long and slow. Holding the breath in for a second, I attempted to control the anger burning its way through my body to stop it taking over me. I clenched the phone so hard it surprised me when it didn’t crumble. The warm plastic felt flimsy beneath my grip.
Even in the mild evening air sweat beaded on my forehead.
I didn’t ask for any of this.
Standing, I brought my arm back above my head and threw it forward while letting go of the phone. It sailed through the air, blending in with the fading light until it hit the water with a small splash and vanished.
I waited until the ripples stopped expanding and counted back from twenty to collect myself. Then I pushed off the railing, my jaw clenched as I worked my way back through the tables to get to Alaya.
“Did your girlfriend break up with you?” She chuckled at her own joke, yet I didn’t crack a smile.
“Not now, Alaya. I need to get back.” I forced my chair under the table roughly, our drinks shuddering as I knocked the legs. Without so much as a question, Alaya dabbed her mouth with her serviette and called the waiter over to ask for the bill. She didn’t look happy.
He’s taking too long.
Standing there tapping my foot impatiently, I waited for her to pay. I knew it was unreasonable and Crowley couldn’t possibly have caught up with me yet—even if he saw the card purchases—because of the distance. Therefore I needed to calm down.
“The bill’s settled, we can go.”
Alaya stormed past me without even making eye contact. Her quick steps forced me to jog to close the gap she’d opened up between us, and even when I matched her stride she refused to glance in my direction. Every part of her body remained rigid as we wound through the narrow streets. The steps and passageways went on for what seemed like miles, twisting and turning like a concrete maze. With the light fading the shadows became even darker, only adding to my nervous disposition. No matter how much I told myself no one was following us, I couldn’t prevent my gaze from scanning the area warily, watching for any possibility of someone lurking in the darkness.
When we reached the hotel I followed Alaya all the way up to her room. She had yet to speak a word to me, and if I wasn’t going to see her again I would be damned if it ended with an argument. It would have been better as hating me would’ve made things
“I’m talking about you and your fucking credit cards , Cole. The first thing I told you was everything electronic could be used to trace you. I warned you never to use your cards again and what did you do? How is France?”
My heartbeat increased to a dangerous level, my blood pounding in my skull. I hadn’t told anyone where I’d gone and his comment about credit cards didn’t make sense. I paid in cash for everything since leaving. I wasn’t a total idiot.
Screwing my eyes shut, I hunched over the railing and rested my forearms on the cool metal. I forced my mind to calm down and repressed my instinct to flee. “I haven’t used any card, Levi. I’ve been careful—beyond careful.”
“Well, you haven’t been careful enough. Seven years and you decide the day Crowley gets released is the time to fuck up. Great going, man.” The sarcasm in his voice hurt like a kick to the gut, even down the phone line.
“I. Haven’t. Used. It,” I ground out, my teeth gritted.
“Are you or are you not in France? In Roya Valley to be more specific.”
“Yes, but—”
“If you haven’t used it, someone else has. It’s the only blip in what was the perfect disappearance. I’ve wiped the record and cancelled the cards, but whether anyone’s seen it is out of my hands. You need to get out, Cole. One tiny error is all it takes to unravel the web I’ve spun, you know that.”
I gazed across at Alaya with regret.
“Time to die again then.”
“Be careful, mate.”
Disconnecting the call, I hung my head and rested it on top of my hands. I inhaled long and slow. Holding the breath in for a second, I attempted to control the anger burning its way through my body to stop it taking over me. I clenched the phone so hard it surprised me when it didn’t crumble. The warm plastic felt flimsy beneath my grip.
Even in the mild evening air sweat beaded on my forehead.
I didn’t ask for any of this.
Standing, I brought my arm back above my head and threw it forward while letting go of the phone. It sailed through the air, blending in with the fading light until it hit the water with a small splash and vanished.
I waited until the ripples stopped expanding and counted back from twenty to collect myself. Then I pushed off the railing, my jaw clenched as I worked my way back through the tables to get to Alaya.
“Did your girlfriend break up with you?” She chuckled at her own joke, yet I didn’t crack a smile.
“Not now, Alaya. I need to get back.” I forced my chair under the table roughly, our drinks shuddering as I knocked the legs. Without so much as a question, Alaya dabbed her mouth with her serviette and called the waiter over to ask for the bill. She didn’t look happy.
He’s taking too long.
Standing there tapping my foot impatiently, I waited for her to pay. I knew it was unreasonable and Crowley couldn’t possibly have caught up with me yet—even if he saw the card purchases—because of the distance. Therefore I needed to calm down.
“The bill’s settled, we can go.”
Alaya stormed past me without even making eye contact. Her quick steps forced me to jog to close the gap she’d opened up between us, and even when I matched her stride she refused to glance in my direction. Every part of her body remained rigid as we wound through the narrow streets. The steps and passageways went on for what seemed like miles, twisting and turning like a concrete maze. With the light fading the shadows became even darker, only adding to my nervous disposition. No matter how much I told myself no one was following us, I couldn’t prevent my gaze from scanning the area warily, watching for any possibility of someone lurking in the darkness.
When we reached the hotel I followed Alaya all the way up to her room. She had yet to speak a word to me, and if I wasn’t going to see her again I would be damned if it ended with an argument. It would have been better as hating me would’ve made things
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