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“Then what are you gonna do, Hunt?” His words are strained, verging on desperate.
Just then, another text flashes across my screen.
Unknown Number:If you get any closer to the hospital, we’re going to assume you aren’t taking us seriously.
I close my eyes briefly, the weight of the situation pressing down hard. I need a plan, and I need it now. I lean forward, catching the driver’s eye.
“Hey. Change of plans. I need you to take me somewhere else.”
He frowns at me in the mirror, eyebrows raised. “You have to update the address in the app, man. I can’t just–”
“Just pull over for a second,” I snap, tapping through my phone to update the destination, trying to quiet the dread curling in my gut.
“Hunter?” Christian’s voice drags me back. “What should I tell Megan? She’s going to know something’s off if you’re not here soon.”
“Tell her… tell her I’m coming,” I lie, the words sticking in my throat. “Tell her whatever she needs to hear to keep calm.”
Christian’s silence hangs thick for a moment. “And Lena? You want me to lie to her, too?”
“Of course,” I say, exasperated.
“She’ll know something’s off, too.”
“What the fuck are you talking about, Christian? Neither of you know each other well enough to understand each other’s tells. Whatever you have to tell my sister or Megan, just do it and make sure they both feel safe.”
Christian mutters a string of curses under his breath. “This isn’t exactly a small ask, Hunt.”
“There’s a reason why I called you,” I add, my voice low and urgent. “And only you.”
Christian sighs, resignation laced in every word. “Fine. But Megan isn’t stupid. She’s going to know something’s off.”
“You're a lawyer, aren't you? Then lie. Be convincing. It’s your job to ensure she doesn’t think anything is off. Do I need to remind you of what’s at stake?”
There’s a pause, and he huffs, “Fine.”
The driver looks back, clearly growing impatient. “You still back there changing the address?”
“Yes, almost done,” I say, glancing back at my phone. The screen stays blank, but the tension in my gut tells me they’re still watching, waiting.
“Hunt?” Christian’s voice drops, laced with worry. “Where exactly are you going? I should know.”
“It’s better if I don’t tell you,” I mutter, looking out the window at the blurred lights. “But if I’m not there by tomorrow night, send Lars to look for me.”
“And tell him what, exactly?”
“Tell him the truth if it comes to that. But not now—I want him with Megan. She’s the priority.”
Another long pause. Then, with a resigned sigh, Christian mutters, “You better show up, man. She needs you. We all do.”
I end the call and turn to the driver, my phone raised with a crisp hundred-dollar bill folded underneath it.
“Forget the app,” I say, my tone low and demanding. “Take me to this address in East LA, and the cash is yours.”
He eyes the money, weighing the offer with a shrewd look before nodding.
“Alright,” he murmurs, the unspoken agreement hanging between us.
He changes course, the car veering off onto a darkened street as I settle back, gripping my phone with white-knuckled determination.