“If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
I pull my cell phone out of my back pocket. Sybil grabs my wrist, stopping me from dialing.
“You kept asking me to trust you. I need to know, Diego. Do you trust me?”
“With my life.”
“Good.” She reaches around me and takes my gun.
“What are you doing?”
“You trust me or not?”
“Yeah.”
She turns off the safety and points the gun at my chest.
“Give me your phone.” I place it on the counter.
“Thank you. Now walk to the porch and don’t do anything stupid.”
“Sybil…I…baby—”
“Stop talking and move,” she barks, sliding off the counter, marching me backwards out the door of the cabin. “Now. Stay there.” She keeps the gun pressed against me. I could take it from her, but I’m afraid of it going off and hurting us both. My life flashes before my eyes. Swimming in the lake as a boy with my old man. Riding around the front yard on his bike with him. The way my mother would hum and sway her hips as she made us food. The way the light went out in her eyes when he died. The anger I felt toward Wrath. How gorgeous Sybil was the first time I saw her. The way she made me feel alive when I kissed her for the first time. Cutting off her finger. Making love to her.
And now when the gun fires.
Chapter 20
—Sybil
“If your vitals check out you should be released tomorrow. Whoever did your finger knew what they were doing. No infection.” The nurse smiles at me. “The detective or agent whoever he is wishes to speak with you, but if you aren’t up for it, I can send him away for a few hours at least.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m ready to talk.”
“Okay then. I’ll send him in.”
“Thank you.”
“If you need anything just press the button and someone will be in.”
I nod and take a sip of my water.
“Sybil. Can I call you Sybil?”
“Sure.”
“I’m Agent Hawthorne. I’ve been investigating your disappearance. If you’re up for it, I need you to tell me everything you can about the person or people responsible.”
“What’s going to happen to Diego?”
“Once he is out of surgery and awake, he’ll be questioned, but I don’t see him catching any charges. We’ll figure it out.”
“Good. He saved my life you know.”
“You saved his too.”