Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 530(@300wpm)
Paper? My frantic gaze searches his room. A black pen from the garage rests on top of his dresser but there’s no paper in sight. I grab a crumpled receipt. That’ll have to do. I scribble a quick note on the back of the receipt, then roll it around the lip balm and stuff it inside one of the inner pockets of Griff’s backpack. Hopefully he finds it.
What if the show’s producers search his bag and they laugh at my note?
Let them.
I pack a few more essentials he’ll need and one more surprise, then start folding and rolling T-shirts into tight bundles, stacking everything in a pyramid shape.
The door opens and Griff slips inside. He carefully twists the flimsy lock on the handle and presses a finger to his lips.
He hurries toward me and backs me up to the far wall.
“Listen.” His low, urgent voice sends more fear pumping through my veins.
He presses his palms to my cheeks and leans down to stare into my eyes. “If anything happens to me, Hope Kendall has all my info.”
I frown, recognizing the name but not understanding. “The Lost Kings’ president’s wife? Why? What info?”
“She’s an attorney. She drafted a will for me.”
A hot spike of fear stabs me between the ribs. “A will? Like, if you die?” I can barely get the words past my lips.
“You never know. I wanted to make sure my mother doesn’t get her hands on anything.” He flicks one hand in the air as if it’s inconsequential. “My rent’s paid up through the end of October. One way or another, I should be home by then.”
“October! You said eight weeks.”
“It’s just in case. You have my keys. Stay here if you want.”
“Alone?” Is he nuts? “I don’t know if I can stay here all by myself, but I’ll check on things for you.”
“Thank you. Jerry already agreed to let me store your car in one of the outbuildings, so don’t worry about that. Vapor will take care of moving it when he works on the paint. The keys for Black Beauty are on the peg in the kitchen. It’s yours to drive while I’m gone if you want.”
“Griff, I can’t take your car—”
“I’m serious. I thought we’d be done with the Malibu before I left, so take the Chevelle.” He forces a quick smile. “I’ll feel better knowing you’re driving it instead of having it sit idle for weeks. If you’re not comfortable behind the wheel on your own, park it at your house. Remy can look after it.”
My brain’s struggling to keep up with all the information being thrown at me while my heart’s splintering into a thousand pieces.
“Remy’s storing my bike at your house. He and Eraser will come over and pick it up. Keys are—”
“On the peg in the kitchen,” I finish for him.
He smiles and kisses my forehead. “Yes. Thank you.”
Just help him get through this. Break down later.
Griff studies the items on the bed.
“I didn’t know what you might want to wear.” Since everything’s in a neat roll, I describe what I pulled together.
“That’s fine.” He shakes his head. “I can’t think straight.”
“Phone charger.” I snap my fingers.
He shakes his head. “I think they’re gonna take my phone when I get there.” His eyes widen. “Hang on.”
He hurries to the closet and kneels, reaching way back into the darkest corner. His shoulder jerks as he pries something loose. He slides a box out and flips the lid off. “Burner phone I keep for emergencies,” he whispers, holding up a small, silver, oval-shaped phone with a little antennae. “At least I can send you a text here and there to let you know everything’s okay. I assume cameras will be rigged all over the house, so I’ll have to be careful.” He lifts his gaze, meeting my eyes. “I’ll only use it to reach out to you.”
I bite my lip and nod once.
He unwinds a cord from the box and plugs the phone in. “Still got juice.” He flips it open and taps on the keypad.
My phone vibrates from the nightstand, and I hurry to pick it up.
Unknown: It’s me.
“Got it.” I add the number to my contacts.
“Hopefully they don’t confiscate it.” He shuts it down, wraps the cord around it, and stuffs the bundle into a sock.
“You’ve got lots of hidden pockets.” I gesture to the backpack.
“I’m so sorry, Muffin.” He slides the phone into a side pocket I hadn’t noticed when I examined the backpack. Hopefully that means no one else will notice it either. “I never expected them to come today. I thought there was a chance I might still be here for your graduation.”
Griff won’t be there to see me graduate. “They really won’t let you leave to come to my graduation?”
He shakes his head sadly. “Once I’m in, I’m in. Total lockdown, except for once-a-week calls.”