I spend a few minutes trying to calm my breathing. I hate that being confined makes me panic. There’s nothing I can do about it, though. There’s just been too much water under the bridge.
To get my mind off of it, I concentrate on the things I need to accomplish. I need to get a message through to Beth, and that’s not going to be easy. I need her to keep running. She’ll want to come after me, but I can’t risk the fact that Colin might get his hands on her, or worse, Gabby. There’s a phone in the motel room. I could call Beth’s cell. I figure that they may have the number monitored, though, and I have to decide if it’s worth the risk. Can I pretend to fall under Torch’s spell? Maybe if he thinks I’m sewn up over him, he’ll relax his guard enough so I can escape, or at least get a message out. Would that be safer?
I feel panic nipping at my heels. I should have listened to Bethie and fucking ran. No dick, however spectacular it is packaged, is worth it. I let myself forget that with Torch and I fell for his pretty eyes and the promise of fun he offered. It was fun, but at what cost? It sure as hell won’t have been worth it if it destroys the two people I love the most in the process. I don’t know what Torch’s club and Skull’s endgame is. If Colin is to be believed, he wants his child and, in return, he’s going to turn me and Bethie over to him. It pisses me off. Skull pushed Bethie out of his life in the most brutal way possible. What right does he have to come back and destroy her further after all this time? The only thing important here is Bethie.
With that in mind, I reach over and pick up the motel phone. I hope and pray I’m making the right choice.
“Hello?” Bethie’s voice comes over the line.
“Bethie, it’s me. I need you to listen.”
“Katie! Where are you? You were supposed to check in before you reached—”
“Stop. Bethie, this phone isn’t secure. Listen to me because we have to hang up quickly. I don’t know if they can trace you and I’m not taking the chance. Skull’s crew showed up at the house and they have me—”
“I warned you! Okay, Gabby and I will turn around and—”
“No! That’s exactly what they want. You know what the next step in our plan was. Do it. I’ll bide my time and get away from them. I’ll be in touch.”
“Katie, I don’t like this! I could—”
“You could listen to me,” I cut her off. “This isn’t about me—or even you anymore. We have to keep Gabby safe. So go through with our plans, understand? I’ll contact you the minute I can. Destroy this phone like I showed you and switch to your back up. I’ll use that number when I get free. Do it now, Bethie.”
“Katie…”
“Just do it. I have to go now.”
“Okay,” she whispers, and I hate that I can hear the tears in her voice. “I love you bigger than outer space,” she whispers.
“To the moon and back,” I tell her, then hang up, praying I didn’t stay on the line too long.
I stare at the receiver for a while afterwards. I need to figure out what my next step is and I need to know if I’m strong enough to play Torch, because it will take a lot of playing to get out of this mess. I will get out. I don’t have a choice. I will do it…
For Gabby.
“What do you know, amigo. Your woman’s been using the phone,” Latch says, but I tune him out. I’m still pissed at him and Sabre. They’ve been laughing enough at my expense. Today, for the most part, has been a total bust. We went back to Katie’s and ransacked the place, but didn’t find anything else. I grabbed her jeep and we went by the local bike store and bought a box trailer. I can’t trust Katie not to be stupid with my bike, and I need to keep her cuffed to me the whole time. Okay, that last part might not be necessary, but it sure as fuck makes me feel better.
I also went through her shit and there was next to nothing in there. I’m not so sure what she was throwing a fit about. The only thing I found that might hold any value for her was a picture of Beth and Gabby. Gabby was in a high chair and her little face was covered in cake. Beth was crouched down beside her, smiling. She looked beautiful, but she looked so different from the Beth the guys and I remembered. There was a sadness in her now that echoed even through the photo. One thing was clear: she loved her daughter, and though I doubted it, after seeing the photo, I am more inclined to believe that Gabby is Skull’s. The little girl looks too much like him. I snapped the photo with the camera on my phone and texted it to Skull. He didn’t respond, but then I didn’t expect him to. It’s been almost two hours, and I know Katie will be pissed. I would have been back on time, but she pissed me off, so I’ve been chilling in Sabre and Latch’s room for the last hour. I had hacked into the motel’s system and checked out the phone calls placed from my room. I was sure Katie would contact her sister; it’s almost disappointing that it would be so easy. I get the number and write it down. Then, I switch to my software and set about trying to triangulate the signal for Beth. I’m surprised when that doesn’t turn up a hit.