Silence Reveals Hidden Answers’ by Michael Anderson novel Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Chapter 88

Harvey Prescott

41%

715 vouchers

Though I’m asleep, I thought I heard something creak. In my sleep, but sharp senses are something the army carved into my bones. Made me a light sleeper and I know what I heard. Jennifer and I crashed in my own apartment so I gently move her away from my chest and her head falls back to the pillows in leep sleep. I pull the sheets over her body and get out of bed shirtless.

My robot rolls toward me in silence and twists its head in my direction. It’s showing me the camera footage of what’s outside the apartment door and I step closer when I see someone in all ack. Hoodie from head to toe with a mask on his face. Male. No…they are male.

Plural.

The robot cycles through camera angles. There’s another one. Fuck,

The Don is already sending his bastards!

I walk closer and watch them work. One of them pulls out something that looks like a replica thumbprint. He presses it to the scanner and I watch as Jennifer’s door open.

Every muscle in my body locks.

If she were the only one there, they would have gotten in. They would have taken her. They would have done exactly what Jenna described last night while I had my hand around her throa

My forehead sweats as I watch the footage. The guy disappears side her place for what feels like an eternity but is probably only seconds. He comes back out when he doesn’t find her in there and now he’s moving toward my door.

I watch them focus on it, trying to figure out how to get in. They press against it. Test the handle. Confer with each other in whispers I can’t hear.

That’s when I walk away from the robot and start moving toward the door.

I grab a handgun from an unexpected place…the kitchen wall that slides open when I press my thumb to the hidden panel. Once I’m sure the gun is loaded, I unlock the door, step out, and cock it in one motion.

Where are they!?!?

The hallway stretches empty in front of me. At the far end, near the emergency stairs, I catch a glimpse of black fabric. disappearing. One of them bolts!

Every bone in my body screams at me to chase. To catch him bu as soon as I shift my weight forward, I know this is a trap. Chase and catch. I’m supposed to run after him and leave Jennifer unprotected so the other one….the one still hiding, still waiting can do his job.

I wasn’t born yesterday.

I go back inside. Not that I don’t want to chase. I want to chase. I want to catch that bastard but I can smell bait from a mile away.

I shut the door behind me and set the gun on the counter for a second.

“Robot?”

It swivels silently toward me and stops.

1/4

12:54 Tue, Feb 24 TAO

Chapter 88

“Show me footage outside the building.”

༢41%-

65 vouchers

The screen changes and I look closely to see that near the parkway outside, one of them is just waiting. Just standing there like he’s expecting me to come running out any second. If one’s out there waiting, that means one’s on this floor waiting to get Jennifer.

Bloody bastards.

They already had her thumbprint. Could have been from her buying coffee. Could have been from the fucking tea cups at the soiree. Could have been anywhere. These people are patient. They plan. They wait.

“Robot, put my apartment on lockdown. Only my password gets in, take off option for thumbprint.”

“Processing. The robot squeaks as the percentage climbs on screen. 25…50…75…100. Done.

This place isn’t safe for Jennifer anymore. Not if they already have her print.

I have to see the Don and settle this. Whatever it costs to get him to leave me the fuck alone!

Hours since I got up at 4am. My eyes have been open the whole time, sitting in the living area, watching the door I know won’t open even if they try but that’s not the point.

The problem is I can’t keep Jennifer in here for the rest of her life to protect her. She has a life. A job. Friends. A mother who will ask questions. I can’t cage her just because some old bastard with a grudge wants to use her to hurt me.

I’m on my laptop, emailing people I can use as eyes in the city. Contacts. Informants. People who owe me favors. I need people that will help me track her movement at all times.

Problem is I don’t want to scare her. Just got into a real relationship with her again and heard it from her mouth for the first time that she’s in love with me.

And now this. Why does everything always try to take happiness away from me? Why can’t I just have this one thing…this one perfect, beautiful, incredible thing without some piece of shit trying to destroy it?

My hands were shaking at some point because I couldn’t get that disgusting thing Jenna said out of my head. The description of what her father’s men would do to Jennifer.

I know how these people work. In their world, they’d rather punish the loved ones of their enemies than fight face to face. It’s what they do. It’s how they win. Hit you where it hurts most so you’re too busy grieving to fight back.

I’ve seen it countless times. Men brought to their knees not because they were beaten, but because they lost the people they loved. I would be a fool to take it lightly. So…when she wakes up I’ll have to tell her something.

I watch the pancake flip before my eyes when Jennifer walks up to me in another one of my shirts and a towel shuffling her wet hair.

“Hungry?” I ask, switching off the stove.

“Yeah but not for food.” She bites her lip in that way she does when she’s joking with me. Trying to be cute.

“Morning.” I tell her and lean closer so she can give me a kiss. I don’t know how to bring it up yet…that I have to say something about how she needs to leave this place.

“Must you go to work today?” I say, taking the plate for her.

I really just need time to plan everything across the fucking city so I’m sure she’s safe. Unfortunately, no matter how many times I plan, it won’t be enough. Not with the Don involved.

2/4

12:55 Tue, Feb 24 TAO

Chapter 88

“What?” Jennifer looks back at me with a smile from the coffee machine.

“Can we just stay back, watch some of those romcoms you enjoy and then…eat, cook together.”

40%

55 vouchers

“I would love to, you have no idea” Jennifer faces the, coming to put her hands around my shoulder but her hands can’t circle so she dips for my waist instead and that sends tingles. “Yumy.” She jokes and I slap her little hands off. “Hey!”

“You horny little thing.

“Says you” Jennifer scoffs, pushing at my chest because I’m the one who interrupted her bath time and rocked her world. some seconds ago. Actually, like twenty minutes ago. In the shower. Against the wall. She’s lucky she can walk.

“Anyway, Tinka’s coming over to the store to give me the tea of her and Nate. You know they spent the night.”

“What” I say it with shock.

Nate! Tinka That’s a combination I didn’t see coming.

Yeah…and I have to tell her about what happened at the soiree bout you…about us. She’s gonna want to know how I was able to calm you down. Plus, I need to give her a heads up that we’re back together so she doesn’t kill me when she hears from someone else.”

“Okay” I nod and take that one. But I’m still thinking.

Still circling back to the real problem.

“My pancakes are getting cold.” Jennifer walks away to the table where I’ve set it.

“Uh…” How do I do this without sounding like a clingy boyfriend Even if I am clingy. Even if without this threat, I would still want to have her around me all the time.

“What do you think about moving in with me?” I just ask it. I’m sick of dancing around it.

“What?

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify