<b>Chapter</b><b>276</b>
Hearingthat,Ifell<b>silent</b>.
Itwasn’t untilthecarspedoffintothenightthatIturnedtolookatGregoryagain.
“Howdidyoufindthisce<b>?</b>”Iasked.<b></b>
Heunlocked hisphoneandtossed itmyway,“Yourhusband sentmetheaddress<b>.</b>”
Incedatthescreen,amessagefromanunknownnumber.
ItmightnotevenbeBryant. Orrather,Icouldn’tbringmyself
<i>to</i>
believeit wasBryant.
Gregoryseemedtocatchontomyhesitation.Withacasualgriponthesteeringwheel,hebegantotheorize,“With everythingthat’sgonedowntoday,theMyersesmust’veofferedJarrodsomethingsweettogeton board.Dorothykidnapping<i>you</i>wasdefinitelyamove.againstBryant;thus,nobodyelsewouldknow thisaddress.”
“Jarrod’sguys,who’vegotnobeefnorbondwithmeandcertainlydon’tknowI’mconnectedtoyou,wouldn’tbetheonestogetmetorescueyou.”
“So,thetextcouldonlyhavefromBryant.”
Thiswasthefirsttimehehadtakensuchapatientandboratechwith me.
Iclenchedmyfist,“Gotit,thanks.”
Itwastheusualpretense.
SendingmessagestoGregoryononehandandturningguns onmewiththeother.
Atastoplight,Gregoryncedover,“Go tohospital?<b>”</b>
Ishookmyhead,“Justhome.”
Iwasexhaustedanddidn’twantanotherhospitaltrip.Thesewoundslookedworsethantheyactuallywere.Ahospitalvisitwouldprobablyjustmeansomedisinfectionandointment,<b>all</b>ofwhichIhadathome.
Rememberinghehadaskedmetopicksomeoneup,Iventured,“Ididn’tpickup yourgirlfriend,hopeI<b>didn’t</b>causeanytrouble?”
“Girlfriend?<b>”</b>
Hisfrownwassevereasheshotmeasidewaysnce,“Yourimagination’swastednotwriting.”
Iwasconfused.Hethensaidinacalmtone,“She’sfine,veryeasy–going.”
Thatputmymindatease,butitdidn’tstopmyquestions.
Afterwhathadhappened,IfeltlikeIhadwalkedthroughthegatesofhendback,leavingmesomewhatoutof<b>sorts</b>intheensuing
calm.
ArrivingatRiverVi,Gregorycarriedmeoutofthecarandintotheelevatorlobby,tiltinghischin,“Whatareyouwaitingfor?Hitthebutton.”
Isnappedbacktoreality,“Right.”
Steppingoutoftheelevator,weweregreetedbyafamiliar<b>figure</b>,
“Whathappenedtoyou?”
Mark’s<b>face</b>darkenedatthesightofmyinjuries,reachingouttotakeme
fromGregory.
<b>Gregory</b>heldfirm,skillfullydeferring,“We’repracticallyatthedoor.I’llbringherin.”
“Alright.”
Mark,mindfulof myinjuries,didn’tpressfurtherandreachedtoopenthedoor,surprisedtofindhisfingerprintstillworked.
Helookedatmeinsurprise,andIsmiled,“Landlordsusuallykeepa<b>key</b><b>,</b>right?Asa<b>tenant</b><b>,</b>itwouldn’tmakesense<b>for</b>me<b>to</b><b>delete</b><b>your</b>
<b>ess</b>.
.
Onceinside,Gregorycedmeonthecouch.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.
Ilookedupathim,“Thanks fortoday.<b>”</b>
ThoughitwasDorothywhostirred uptrouble<b>,</b>itultimatelyhadnothingtodowithhim.
He<b>really</b><b>didn’t</b>have<b>to</b>involvehimself.
He<b>said</b>casually,“Youowemetwomeals<b>now</b>.”
I’lltreatyouonce<b>I’m</b>better,”Iwas<b>resigned</b>.
<b>150</b>
Chapter276
Hedidn’tstickaround;instead,heturnedtoMark<b>and</b>yfullyraisedan eyebrow.“Youwouldn’ttakeadvantage<b>of</b>people<b>in</b><b>vulnerable</b>positions,wouldyou<b>?</b><b>”</b>
Mark’ssmilewaslight,“Ifyou<b>didn’t</b><b>,</b>whywouldI<b>?</b><b>”</b>
“I’llleaveherinyourcarethen.I’mnotcutoutforthedelicateworkoftreatingwounds.”
Withayawn,Gregorzilymadehisexit.
Markbroughtoverafirstaidkit,hisgaze softeningwithconcernashelookedatmyinjuries,“Whatexactlyhappene
“It’snothing.”
Ihesitated,notdaringtotellhimeverything,justsmiling,“See,Imadeitback fine,really.Youdon’tneedtodoanythingmoreforme.Iknowthingsarplicatedwithyourfamily;youneedtolookafteryourselffirst<b>.</b>”
Istillvividlyrememberedthsttimehetookabeatingonmybehalf.
<b>I</b>couldn’tbeartoseehimintroubleagainbecause of me.
Seeing theshadowinhiseyes,Ichangedthesubject,“Didyoueoverforsomethingspecifictoday?”
“Iheardyouwerelookingforanofficespace,andwehavesomeavableproperty.Ithoughtyoumightwanttocheck<b>it</b><b>out</b><b>,</b>”Markexinedgently.“Butwhen<b>I</b>couldn’treachyoubyphone,Igotworriedandcameover.”
Ithanked himbeforeletting himknow,“Noworries,Christine andIalreadyfound ace<b>.</b><b>”</b>