Page 110 of Executing Malice

I don’t get to hear whatever is on his mind when his walkie chirps. Loudly.

“Reed!”

I can almost understand his frustration when he blows out a snarl through his teeth and yanks the device from his belt.

“Goddamn it, Mandy, I heard you.” I watch him visibly struggle to calm himself before bringing the walkie back up to add gently, “Thank you.” Then it’s just us once more and he’s frowning again. “I will hunt you down like a rabid animal if you hurt her.”

With that, he turns to stalk with wide strides towards his cruiser. I watch him climb behind the wheel and tear out of the parking lot, tires spitting gravel.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LEILA

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The blank page mocks me.

No matter how fast or hard I rap my pen on the counter, my brain refuses to unload the eight years of questions I know are up there.

There are so many and yet I can’t pin down one.

Frustrated, I toss the pen down and rub both hands over my face.

“Okay, what’s important?” I ask out loud.

I get that I’m not limited to these questions. Dante will answer them even if I think of them later, but what do I want to ask first that I haven’t already?

He already told me I had no parents. No siblings. I was seventeen, which makes me twenty-five. I know my name, which has zero results in a search. I guess no one cares if a foster kid goes missing.

But I keep going back to what Dante said about someone possibly taking me. It’s the only thing that makes the most sense. It explains how I was practically naked and thousands of miles from home when Evan found me.

Or did I run?

Did I catch a ride with the wrong people? But I wouldn’t have left Dante. Not willingly. That’s the only catch. Even despite knowing him a short time, I know I wouldn’t have gone anywhere without him.

Which makes me think of his family. They fostered me. Weren’t they worried when I vanished? Has he told them he found me?

I should call Reed and let him know, and our parents. They’ll be thrilled. For years, Joy and Evan did everything in their power to help find my home. Even Reed tried, using the sheriff’s office resources.

But what about everything else? What about my name and age? Do I need to redo all my ID?

Alia Rivers.

Do I want to be her again?

Who even was she?

I snatch up my pen and start scribbling the questions pouring in. It feels good finally putting them down. Having some jumping off point to go from.

I continue to add to the list as the morning slips into afternoon. I pause only when Dante arrives with lunch from Mama May’s. The Styrofoam containers are dragged from the bag and set on the counter between us.

“Deep fried chicken!” I gasp, giving an excited little wiggle in my seat. “How did you know?”

This man, this grown man who spent the better part of several hours destroying me in every way possible, grins like a little schoolboy.

“I made friends,” he says, so proud of himself.

It’s so sweet, so endearing my heart twists in my chest. “Yeah? Who?”