The RunAway Model

XXXV. A Direct Order

"Theo will kill me if he finds out about this," Richard said under his breath, sliding the phone over the table with his tattooed hands.

"He doesn't have to know...yet," she uttered as she took the phone from him. "The call will be untraceable?"

He nodded, his face grim. "I don't know why you are so desperate to get to that woman."

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You now have this," he said, waving his hand around the bar. "People underground are getting used to seeing you around. Sooner or later, you will be the next Ms. Kane—"

"I don't want to be like her."

"You liked her before you started to believe she killed Jamaica."

"I didn't like anyone before and I still don't now."

"Of course, you are lying," he said with a sigh. "You can just leave whatever life you had up there. You can tell Theo to give you a new identity so you can do more things. Being a part of this world doesn't have to restrain you from the things you love to do."

"But I want my old self back."

"Is it really that important that you prove your innocence? Will people actually care?"

"I care."

He shrugged. "If you say so."

"Don't you want to know who killed Jamaica? Don't you want to put the one who did it—"

"No, not anymore," he interrupted. "After everything she did behind my back, I have doubts about everything else she did in front of me."

He was hurt. It was all over his face. As much as she wanted to defend her friend, she couldn't justify her actions. Jamaica never told her anything of her life underground. She had to be found dead for Desiree to find out about her secret life. Maybe Jamaica was not entirely as good as Desiree thought she was, but she was good to her. She had been her best friend for years. They had gone through a lot together. That could not have meant nothing to Jamaica, could it?

She looked away from Richard because she didn't want to be reminded of what her friend did to the man. "I have to go. Thanks for this," she said, throwing the phone inside her bag.

"Just make sure you tell Theo. Don't do anything without telling him, Desiree. Because if you as much as betray my brother, you'll have to face me again."

Desiree could only nod. She knew Richard didn't give empty threats.

She left him inside the bar and looked for Tatiana. And she found her friend in the usual café they frequented.

"You owe me big time, Des," Tatiana said even before she sat down.

"I know. Did anyone suspect you?" she asked.

"Of course not. Because no one saw me do it." She slipped a small piece of paper toward her. "You promised you're going to be her godmother."

Desiree smiled. "Yes, I'm going to be the best godmother of your child."

"Why do you want her number anyway?"

"I need to tie some loose ends. Don't tell Theo, okay?"

Her friend just nodded and shrugged.

"Did you have a hard time getting it?"

"No, not really. I just visited Kane in her new office, asked if she wanted to get some coffee. Not new between us, really. She had always been my coffee partner before you. Her secretary was out so I went out to her desk when Ms. Kane was immersed in a phone call. I found the files of the models and that's it. Her number was there along with her address just like you said."