I answered it. “Hello.”
It was time to stop running.
“Hello, angel,” came the smooth voice of Javier over the line.
Camden came in the room, shutting the door behind him. I swallowed hard, my eyes on him as I said, “Hello, Javier.”
He chuckled warmly. “So formal with me. You’d think after the other night, we’d be a bit more relaxed. Old friends, you see. That’s what we are.”
“You’re not my friend,” I said simply. “You’re a sick fucking son of a bitch with way too much time on his hands. Don’t you have any drugs to sell or fingers to cut off?”
“Oh, nasty, nasty Eden. Sorry! I mean Ellie. Can I still call you angel? It would make things easier.”
“You call me that one more time and I’m hanging up.”
“You won’t hang up on me,” he said quickly. “I have something here of interest to you. To both of you. Angel.”
That did it. I was about to hang up when I heard a muffled cry in the background. The cry of a child. I felt like a chunk of ice got lodged in my throat and was slowly filling up my chest.
“What is that?” I cried out pitifully. Camden took a step closer and I put my hand out to stop him. I needed to keep him away from this, I needed to be sure. “Javier?”
“Sorry, angel. I was just adjusting something here. You know you really hurt me with that whole cutting off fingers remark. I would never do that to a child.”
Oh no. Oh fucking no. Say it wasn’t true.
“You wouldn’t…” I threatened, feeling so fucking helpless.
“I just said I wouldn’t. But his mother on the other hand? I have no problems with that. Hey, do you mind putting Camden on the phone for a minute? I have something I’d like to tell him.”
I took in a deep breath through my nose, trying to figure out a way to spare Camden from this pain.
“Now, my bella,” he commanded. “Before I grow impatient. I’ve had a rough few days and I really don’t want to take it out on someone. Especially when a little boy is watching. What’s his name again? Ben? Is it Ben? Why don’t you put Camden on so I can ask him.”
I couldn’t look at Camden. I couldn’t prepare him for it. I silently held the phone out for him and huddled down in the chair after he took it.
“Javier,” Camden greeted tersely. “What do you want?”
I didn’t have to listen to know what was being said. I could tell in the heaviness that rolled into the room like an incoming fog. I could feel Camden’s heart come through as he gasped in horror.
“If you fucking dare lay a finger on them…” Camden began, then trailed off. He was choking on his anger, his body tense and ready to strike at something we couldn’t get at. We were in the cage now and Javier was poking a stick through the bars.
“You’re disgusting,” he muttered in response to whatever Javier was saying. “I won’t play your games.”
Suddenly the phone was thrust in front of my face. “It’s for you,” he said to me, his eyes cold.
I took the phone. “Yes?”
“Angel,” Javier began, “your new boyfriend needs to learn a lesson or two in compromise. I suppose you’re not the best teacher though, are you? We could have compromised, you and I. We could have come to an understanding back then. You didn’t have to leave me.”
“What do you want?” I asked, ignoring him. Camden was pacing back and forth across the room, totally enveloped by this madness.
“I want to make a deal. And I think you’re smart enough to take it.”
My nerves felt electrified, prickles surging through my body. “I’ve made too many deals.”
“I know you have. Did you know you’re running with a fugitive? Did you know there are some pretty bad people out there looking for him? I mean, I’m not putting myself down here but goodness, angel, they seem worse than I am. You know the types. Liars with no remorse.”
I heard Sophia cry out in the background. The grip on the phone tightened. “Get to the point!”
“Oh, now you’re seeing the hurry. Good, good. We’re always best when we’re on the same page, you and I. Now, your Camden. Is he your Camden now? We’ll see about that soon. But I digress. Your Camden is in some very bad trouble with some very bad people. He stole a bunch of their money. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? The men want it back. They’d kill to get it back. But don’t worry, I took care of it.”
I hesitated. “How?”
“I paid them off. I gave them the money they wanted, and in exchange they gave me Sophia here and…Ben? Was it? You know I never did ask Camden, and Sophia here, well she can’t exactly talk.” I could almost hear him smile. He called into the background, “Hey son, can you tell me your name?”