I look up at Moses, who is listening to the conversation. Without me voicing the question, he nods that he agrees.
“Okay, Ke-ke,” I tell her. “We’ll do it.”
“Thank God,” she replies with a sigh of relief. “I’ll tell Lachlan. V will come with instructions. Don’t worry, Mags. We’re going to keep you safe. I’m not letting anything happen to you. Not ever again.”
When I hang up with Keira, my hands aren’t any steadier. Tears slip down my face as I conjure up images of what Moses found when he went to check on Desiree.
“How ... how did he kill her?”
“Mama ...” Moses shakes his head. “Trust me when I say,you don’t want to know.”
I look deep into his gaze and see true sorrow and horror there. “I have to know.This is because of me. It’s all fucking because of me.”
He clasps my face between his palms. “You didn’t do this. You tried to make her go with the girls. You offered topay herto go. She knew the risks of staying. You did everything right. Everything you could fucking do. You can’t control what some fucking psycho does. This isn’t your fault, understand me?You didn’t do this.”
My entire body shakes, and if I don’t get myself under control, I’m going to fall the fuck apart and be useless to everyone. I grind my teeth as I take a long, slow breath in and release it.
“Atta girl. Another. Deep breaths,” Moses says, releasing his grip on my face.
I inhale and exhale a couple more times. Although I still feel like my heart is shredded when I’m done, I’m no longer in danger of curling up in a fetal position on the floor. That’s something no one needs to see. I also don’t want to do it because I may never get up, and that simply isn’t an option.
This is bigger than me. I’ve put everyone in danger. But at least we have the strength and power of the most ruthless man in the city backing us.
“Good girl. Okay. Let’s go pack. The sooner we’re locked down at Mount’s, the better.”
Fourteen
Moses
Iwould have done anything to save Magnolia from feeling what she is right now, and I fucking hate that we haven’t been able to track this fucking monster down.
The shit in the box from Ricardo’s closet will have to wait until I get Magnolia somewhere that not even the devil himself could get to her.
After what I saw in that house ... a shiver rips down my spine.
I’ve witnessed some fucked-up shit in my day. Really fucked up. Hell, once upon a time, I gave orders for bad shit. But nothing like what I saw, and I never want to see that again. There’s no doubt it’ll visit me in my nightmares as it is.
When the cops find the crime scene, they’re going to come looking for Magnolia again, and that’s another reason I want her somewhere untouchable. I’m not taking a chance that Cavender or another asshole cop will show Magnolia a picture of what happened to Desiree.
She doesn’t need to see that. Ever.
We both pack quickly, and as Magnolia fills her suitcases again, it strikes me that she’s moving for the third time in a fucking week. Yet she doesn’t argue. She doesn’t bitch. She just ... does what she’s gotta do.
Any other woman would be losing her goddamned mind right now, catatonic with all the chaos and change, but not Magnolia Maison.
If I had any doubt about whether she could handle my life, it’s been wiped away. She’s strong as hell and all mine.
Within an hour, Jules is letting in Mount’s silent second-in-command. V’s got an envelope in hand and lifts his chin when he sees me, holding it out.
I don’t have to wonder how he knew where we were, because I gave Mount the address. Although, he probably knew it already. Wily bastard.
I take the envelope and open it. Mount’s instructions are in a dark, heavy scrawl.
Come to the same entrance you used before. Don’t bring a tail. After you park, give the keys to V. He’ll have the vehicles moved out of sight and stored with my personal collection. You won’t need them.
When I finish reading the note, I meet V’s gaze. “We’re almost ready.”
He gives me a nod and goes outside to wait.