Come To Me (Owned Book 3) by Mary Catherine Gebhard Page B

hand, like we were in fucking school. The trainer only glared, but I realized then that we were all expendable.
    I heard muffled voices and assumed Grace was talking to Eli. I took the time to grab a duffle bag from the hallway closet. The PO boxes didn’t have any clothes, after all. Bag in hand, I stood still. Our bedroom door was just a foot from me, closed even though no one slept inside.
    I knocked, though I knew it was empty.
    “What about Charlie?” Grace asked. For a few moments, I didn’t respond, instead staring at our empty bedroom. It was dark; I hadn’t bothered turning on the lights. The hardwood was cold against my feet. Despite the whirring in my head and hushed voices on the phone, this was silent. The bed was made; everything was clean. It reminded me of before Lenny had come into my life. She made everything messy, from my brain to my bathroom.
    “What about him?” I sighed, heading over to the wardrobe. I stuffed in some thongs, but just as soon as they were in the bag, I took them out. Staring at what felt like a hundred different versions of underwear, I realized I had no idea what to pack. I dangled the stringy thong and Lenny’s body came to mind. She would look fucking great in the piece, but that wasn’t the point. The point was to pack what she needed. Things to last for a few weeks, until shit died down.
    “Can’t he help?” Grace’s voice knocked the image out of my mind and I stuffed the stringy thong back into the dresser, grabbing a thicker, cotton looking thing.
    “I get that you’re trying to help Grace, but you don’t have a clue what I’m up against.” I turned my assault to the wardrobe, grabbing sweaters, V-necks, and jeans.
    “So let us help!” Grace yelled.
    “At this point you’re a liability.” I looked into the duffle bag. I’d packed pajamas, underwear, and day clothes. What else did a woman need?
    Tampons?
    Did Lenny even use tampons? I remembered her saying something about a cup, but where the fuck did she keep that? The cupboards briefly flashed into my mind but just as quickly I brushed that awful image away. I did a three-sixty spin around the room, feeling fucking helpless.
    Eli came on the phone. “What can I do?”
    “Get my sister out of here. Follow the instructions and go to the address where no one can find you. Turn off your Wi-Fi and GPS. Only call if you’re thirty seconds from dead.”
    “All right.”
    “Wait!” Grace screamed, coming back on the phone. “What if I don’t see you again?”
    “Then it was nice to know you, Grace.” I hung up and walked back to my lair, double checking I had everything I needed. As I was throwing another burner phone into my duffel, the photo Lissie had given me caught my eye. I wasn’t sure Alice would go after her and Zoe, but just in case, I didn’t want to leave them hanging. I fired off a quick text, giving them the location and info of another PO box. When that was done, I ran downstairs to get Lennox.
    We probably only had a few hours left.
     

     
    “W hat do you mean I need to leave town?” Almost immediately after I sent the text, Zoe called. I supposed that was to be expected. Not many people would receive a text that told them to get the fuck out and accept it point blank.
    “I’m sure Lenny’s said something about the kind of business I’m in. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to affect everyone.” I took a breath. I really was sorry. I used to be a loner, keeping to myself. There was a reason for that; so nothing like this would ever happen. “I don’t know how this will affect Moore Events,” I added. I’d effectively ruined five lives and a business in the span of an hour.
    Is there something lower than a piece of shit?
    “We have enough money saved that it’s no big deal,” Zoe interrupted. “As for Moore Events, you should know that it’s fine. I’m more concerned about Nox.” As I descended the stairs to wake Lenny, I thought about what Zoe said. I didn’t