Page 66 of Cruel Possession

“I know.” Morgana clears her throat and her tone changes. “That’s right, the delivery is going to be here in an hour. The driver just has to stop at Lamarche first.”

“Boss is in the room?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“See you at Lamarche. One hour.”

I end the call and grab one of the small towels from the wall, sopping up the sweat on my face.

Aiden steps into the room as I’m getting ready to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Morgana has some information about the body, but she wants to meet with me in person. I’m supposed to meet her in Lamarche in an hour.”

His face becomes a mask of fury. “What the hell makes you think I’m going to let you leave on your own?”

“Send people to watch me.” I drape the towel around my neck, hoping he thinks the heat in my cheeks is due to my workout and not the fact that I’m standing here lying to him.

Jade pops into the room, saving me with a bright smile. “Let her out, Aiden. Send a couple of the men with her. It’s not like she’s going to be able to get away. And if she does, they can just shoot her in the back of the head and be done with it once and for all.”

Aiden’s jaw tightens as he looks down at me before pulling out his phone. “Fine. You can go. Get whatever information is going to help us. Five men are going to be going with you, but you don’t get to know who they are or what they look like.”

I smile and pat his chest. “And here I was, thinking that you trusted me more than that.”

The corner of his mouth twitches, and he rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure. I’m letting my hostage walk out of my house, and you think I don’t trust you?”

Jade snorts. “You are honestly the worst person I’ve ever met at holding a hostage.”

Aiden points a finger at the punching bag hanging from one of the exposed beams. “Get working out. If you want more independence, you’re going to have to be able to beat me in a fight.”

“I can do that with my eyes closed.” She shoots me a wink before turning and striding over to the punching bag, not bothering with gloves or wrapping.

As she pounds the living shit out of the punching bag, I start to think that I might be concerned about the wrong Lynde sibling.

Skyla may be a serial killer, but the look in Jade’s eyes tells me that she has more to fight for than she’s letting on.

I stride out of the gym, heading straight for the shower.

There’s not enough time to think of an escape plan, but if I wanted to leave, now would be the time to go. Morgana could easily get me out of the restaurant, even with a team of people watching over me.

However, it would mean losing Aiden.

And that’s where the issue lies.

Morgana swirlsher straw through her drink. “Have you really thought this through?”

“Look, I know it’s not the best idea ever, but there are things to be gained by me staying with the Lyndes. Like for once, I mightactually be free.” I keep my voice low, gaze darting around the restaurant and looking for anyone who might be listening to me.

The men sitting at the table closest to us are the ones I’m most suspicious of. Every time I move a little in my seat, they look like they’re ready to hop up.

There’s another woman sitting alone by the door. She’s pretending to read a book, but every now and then she looks at us. And there’s a couple who look like they’re in love sitting close to the kitchen doors.

Morgana glances around. “You know, all these people are here to watch you. What makes you think that you’re going to have any more freedom with them than you do with your own family?”

“I have no freedom with the Rinaldos.” I flip open the menu in front of me, but I can barely read the words, my mind already swirling. “You know that as well as I do. They may pretend I’m the leader, but I’m nothing more than the boss’s puppet.”

“I know.” Morgana flags down a waiter. “Can we get two of the biggest burgers you have with a side of beer instead of fries?”

The waiter laughs and nods, taking the menus and disappearing into the kitchen.