“I won’t underestimate anything when it comes to Juliette’s safety.”
“Good. Call if you need anything.”
“Tha-,” I started, but the call was ended. So the rumors were true. Tex was notorious for not taking a thank you.
“The man is as good as everyone says. Let’s have lunch before we lose the chance. I’ll fill you in while we eat,” I said, leading the way out of the gym.
We threw together a few sandwiches, but just as I took the first bite, the tones rang through the station. Grumbled curses came from around the table as we all shoved another bite in our mouths and jogged to the bay.
Two minutes into the four-minute drive, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Kayla. Fuck. I didn’t want to talk to her, and with the blare of the sirens, I couldn’t anyway.
I ignored the call and the next few after that, then gladly left my phone in the truck when we pulled up to the scene.
A couple of hours later, I climbed back onto the truck, as weary from the thought of dealing with Kayla as I was from battling a structure fire caused by an idiot with more charcoal in his barbecue than sense in his brain. Seventeen missed calls, four voicemails, five texts. Dammit.
Kayla:I know it was you
Kayla: How did you figure it out? You had no right
Kayla: You think you’re so much better than me. You’re not
Kayla: You’re going to pay for taking Leo away from me
Kayla: You’ll regret fucking up my life again
Motherfucker.I was a naive ass for thinking Kayla would just skulk away. I quickly called Juliette, my panic mounting witheach unanswered ring. Finally, just before her voicemail would pick up, her sweet voice came through the line.
“Hello?”
“What’s wrong? Why are you whispering? And why do you sound out of breath?”
“I’m whispering because I’m in the library and I’m out of breath because I ran to the lobby to answer your call. Why do you sound so panicked?”
My eyes closed. My head dropping to my chest, I dragged in the first full breath since reading Kayla’s threat.
“Dylan, what’s wrong?”
“Thank God you’re okay. As soon as we get off the phone, I want you to go back into the library and stay with Jenna. Don’t be out there by yourself.”
“Why? You’re scaring me.”
“I’ll tell you the details later, but we got info on Leo, and Kayla isn’t happy. I’m afraid she’ll use you to punish me.”
“She doesn’t know where to find me. You need to be careful!”
“Don’t worry about me. I just need to know you’re safe. Can you stay with Jenna, then go straight home? Don’t go anywhere else, and keep all your doors locked.”
“That’s fine, I was going to go home after this anyway.”
“Good. I’m sorry, baby. Please be careful.”
“I will. It’s okay. I’ll call you as soon as I’m home.”
“Bye, I?—”
“Wait! I have to tell you something!”
“What’s wrong?”