Page 50 of The Boss

“I can dig!” Mia offers, in English.

“No! And you don’t try it either, Ellie.” I switch again,“Both of your phones are being monitored, I’m sure. You can’t go spying on Skulls Quinn.”

“But you can?” Ellie asks in English, disbelieving.

“Vix can!” Mia yells.

“Mia, you’re one smart cookie. Vix has helped me with that and—” I stop myself. Again, Ellie’s phone is secure as far as the interests of the Spanish and her suspicious husband go. They are not secure for me.

I don’t need Ellie’s uncle’s minions deciphering our Italianishatin, telling their boss things that he, the Spanish don, would feel the need, out of professional curtesy, to share with the Irish don, whom I am unfortunately married to.

So, I don’t say out loud that—thanks to Ellie, who sent Vix my new phone number, even though Vix’s messages came through as if they were from Zeno—Vix sent me a USB chip that I plug in to cloak my laptop and give me incognito internet access. At least for about three minutes. She thinks.

I decide I should end this whole call. I don’t know if Quinn can monitor my calls, since there seems to be zero technology to do so out here, but he should be. I am a threat to him, whether he realizes it or not.

Hence, I’m not mentioning specifics. Really, I’ve already said too much.

“Shit,” I say, “I should go. Don’t worry about me or Vix or any of it. None of my plans are likely to work. They haven’t so far,”

Quinn hasn’t been back to our bedroom. I’m assuming he flipped the bird to my request about hookups on his way to Sheila’s room. Oh well.

“But you have to keep trying,” Mia pleads.

“I will,” I nod, though she can’t see. “Promise me you two won’t do or say anything. I’ll try to convince my captor to let me visit you.”

“We can come to Boston! Just say the word,” Ellie says with fake enthusiasm. She doesn’t want to leave Texas. I suspect she’s pregnant already, in the early days. She hasn’t said anything but I know her. She’s wanted babies since we were teens. Weirdo.

“I’ll check in again soon. Love you both.”

“You’re my queen!” Mia yells.

“Love you too. Stay safe.”

I end the call and set Marlon down for some peeing and sniffing. I gaze up between the tall trees. It’s getting late. This is the farthest I’ve ventured, finding exactly jack shit out here, just like Quinn said a couple hours ago. I don’t think he’d let me get lost out here, not for real. The bastard would let me rot overnight in the cold though, just to teach me a lesson.

I think you were with Daddy before. Safe and left topretendlike you could fight or plan or rule.

Asshole.

So condescending. So sure of himself and his security. I am genuinely starting to hate him.

I can just see him parading out to “find me” here tomorrow morning, smug smile on his face.

But that’s not going to happen. Tiny is with me. I’m pretty sure if I tell her to go home, the massive beast of a dog will lead me back to the house.

I turn in a circle.

“There is really nothing out here, huh?” I ask the dogs.

I expected to find a shed filled with weapons, a secret back gate, a power line that would lead to some kind of camera. Anything. Any single, stupid thing.

But no. My plans have amounted to nothing, once again.

Marlon whines. He’s hungry. I am too.

“Tiny,” I say. “Go home girl. Let’s go back. Eat? Master?” The huge black face just stares at me. “Quinn? Papa?” She barks and wags her tail. “Yes, go find Quinn. Where’s papa? Where’s Quinn?” She barks and takes a hard left, bounding along what might be this trail, or another trail connected. I gather Marlon and follow quickly after her.

I might have to run to keep up.