Page 94 of Executing Malice

My fingers reflexively tighten around my phone even as I gingerly set it down and flip the screen open. I glance away only briefly to find my contacts and Reed’s number. It’s the first one at the top and I hit call just as my intruder turns to face me.

I turn my phone over even as I hear Reed’s voice on the other end.

“What are you doing?” I demand, keeping my voice even, but high. “People are going to notice if the bank doors are locked.”

He starts back towards me with that same easy stride. “I didn’t want any interruptions while we chatted, especially when you won’t even grab a cup of coffee with me.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re giving creepy stalker vibes,” I counter, knowing full well Reed will have some words for me when he finally arrives for antagonizing the crazy person.

“I’ve been asking about you. The people here really are so friendly. So eager to be heard.” He reaches my counter and idly picks at the corner of the paper cocooning the flowers. “You’ve had an exciting life, haven’t you? Abandoned. Memory gone. All alone to be raised by strangers. How does that feel?”

Fucking Jefferson.

There’s usually a rule about talking to outsiders, but someone sure spilled their guts about me to this asshat.

“How does it feel being incapable of accepting a rejection like a man?” I counter.

He chuckles. “You know, you and I would be perfect together. We’re both the same.”

“Do I also make your skin crawl?”

He hums with quiet meditation. “I think you should let me show you this time. I bet I can give you exactly what you need.”

I’m not scared, though I know I should be. I know Reed is on his way. There isn’t a doubt in my mind of that fact. I also know Dante will be returning soon and he will break the windowto get to me. But it’s the confidence I have in myself, the knowledge that I can easily fuck him up that keeps the panic at bay. It doesn’t matter that he’s bigger, possibly stronger. There is a certainty at the back of my mind that I can overpower him just long enough for help to arrive.

“I think you need to take the L and fuck off,” I tell him calmly. “This is embarrassing.”

“I think we should take this time to—”

I don’t get to hear his decision when a sharp rapping sound reverberates across the glass. Reed, clad in his uniform, deputy badge gleaming, motions for the door to get unlocked.

There is no patience or mercy in his cold, blue eyes fixed on the prick at my counter. His one hand stays at his belt, over his gun, the other cracks with five knuckles into the glass.

“Open. Now!” he mouths.

To my surprise, my intruder strolls up to the door like he has all the time in the world and nimbly flips the latch. He pulls open the door and slips out onto the sidewalk with Reed who immediately grabs him by the shirt front. He says something right before shoving him around just to slam him face first into the glass.

Our eyes meet as Reed is slapping the cuffs on him and he smirks like we’re sharing a secret.

It takes all of five minutes for Reed to stuff him into the back of his cruiser and return to the bank, face a mask of fury.

“You okay?” He stalks over with wide, powerful strides. “Did he hurt you?”

I shake my head and open my mouth to answer. “No, I’m okay—”

“Good, because I’m going to kill you! What the hell were you thinking antagonizing him like that?”

I exhale because I expected this.

“He started it, and I wasn’t scared—”

He points a finger at my nose. “We’re going to talk. We’re going to have a lengthy discussion on why it’s a stupid idea to piss off the guy holding you hostage.”

I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t being held—”

His scowl only deepens. “Later.” With that threat issued, he whips out his pen and pad from the front pocket of his shirt and flips it open. “Tell me what happened.”

I start from the beginning.