Page 59 of Beyond the Stix
You’re the one, bend to my will.
Passion ignites, let desire spill.
Shattered hearts, you will defend.
Bite the bullet, your love mends.
TWENTY-ONE
John
“Dante agrees to this?”I ask, making sure I’m hearing Tobias correctly. Leaving isn’t my idea, but his. Finding out that Jessup disappeared from the park, with no traces of his whereabouts, has me on the edge. There’s only one choice I can make, and that’s to track that asshole down and make sure Jessup will never bother Connor again.
“Reluctantly, yes. But I didn’t give them a choice,” Tobias says with determination. “Just make sure Lee can dig up the proof to pass along to the cops.”
“I have no doubt he can.” What I don’t mention, is what if there isn’t any proof other than those damn text messages he sent to Connor? I shake off that thought and turn to Tobias. “I don’t want to leave, not without seeing Connor.”
Tobias shakes his head. “You don’t have time. A car’s coming.”
I turn and immediately grimace. “What the fuck?”
“He’s on Dean’s payroll,” Tobias confesses with a smirk.
“You must have forgotten that bit of detail earlier?” I shoot back, but my eyes never leave the familiar red sedan that brought me here.
“I didn’t think it mattered until now,” Tobias adds, as we both approach the vehicle.
Ben climbs out of the car, his smile wide as the desert.
“You can wipe that shit off your face,” I growl.
His grin drops. “Get in the fucking car.”
Ben slides back in, and I suddenly feel a hint better.
“Play nice,” Tobias says as he turns to leave.
“Not if I can help it,” I reply as I get in the passenger side.
“You’re a fucking dick,” Ben spits out, his face contorting in a fierce sneer. “And I thought there was something between us. But you end up being a douche after all.”
I grunt, not taking his bait. Ben knew the score of our hookup. He just assumed I’d fall madly in love with him. But that’s certainly not the case.
Ben pulls onto the road leading out of the venue and heads to CR-34, and not long until we arrive at Black Rock City Municipal Airport. Even at this time of night, it’s well-lit as Ben drives around and I spot a small plane landing.
When Ben pulls up to a building that has “Vista Skies” on its facade, I glance at him in question.
“Get out of my car,” he hisses, not bothering to look at me.
“Ben—”
“I don’t give a fuck, John. Get out.”
I climb out of the car and, before the door even shuts, Ben flashes me a finger and then takes off like it’s a race for his life. I chuckle at his immaturity. But I guess I deserved that.
I’ll worry about Ben’s feelings later, once I know Connor doesn’t have to deal with his fucking uncle.
With a quick look around, I realize that Ben dropped me off at a private plane hangar. With no details on where to go, I haveno choice but walk in and see if Dean set up something for me here.