Exploited
Page 50

Even as I tried to put it out of my mind, it loomed. Words go deep. Infiltrating thoughts without realizing it.
The biggest deceivers…
Trust…
What did it mean?
—
“God, you look gorgeous,” I breathed when Hannah opened the door. My mouth went dry and my palms itched to pull the neck of her dress aside and kiss the soft skin.
“Thanks. You clean up nicely yourself.” Hannah grinned, grabbing a coat and stepping outside.
I had busted my ass to get to Hannah’s house on time. My days tended to get away from me. But today I wouldn’t be late. Not for anything.
Hannah was dressed in a tight-fitting dark red dress that fell to her knees. The neckline showed me just enough to know I really wanted to see what was underneath. Her legs looked amazing in a pair of red high heels, and I thought about her wearing them. And only them.
Her dark hair was swept up in a loose bun, wisps falling on either side of her face.
Hannah was always lovely, but I had never seen her quite so beautiful.
“How about I drive?” she suggested, leading me to her car.
“That would probably be a good idea, since I have no idea where we’re going. You want to let me in on the secret?” I got into the passenger side of her very tiny car. I felt as though my knees were in my chest.
“You’ll just have to trust me,” she teased, starting the motor and pulling out of her driveway.
Trust.
There was that word again.
As much as I tried, I couldn’t put the mysterious note out of my head. Perry had suggested having it dusted for fingerprints. I thought that was a little extreme, given that it didn’t indicate any possible threat to myself or others.
But it bothered me. Like someone knew something I didn’t. And that pissed me off.
“How was your day, Special Agent Man?” Hannah asked. I noted she was heading downtown. Soon we were stuck in traffic.
“It was just a day. Nothing too crazy,” I answered vaguely. Always vaguely.
“That’s good.” Hannah never dug for more than I wanted to give her. Another reason she was so great. She let out a sigh. “Damn it, I should have listened to the traffic report. I hope we’re not going to be late. We have to be there at eight-fifteen.”
I glanced at my watch. It was only 7:45. “We have thirty minutes. Maybe if you told me where we were going, I could tell you if it’ll be a problem.”
Hannah raised an eyebrow. “Nice try. You’ll see soon enough.” She was enjoying keeping me in suspense.
I put my hand on the back of her neck, rubbing gently. “You really do look amazing, Hannah.” I leaned across the center console and kissed the side of her neck.
“Don’t think buttering me up will make me reveal where we’re going.”
I held up my hands in protest. “There are no ulterior motives. I promise. Though I think I can safely say I don’t think you’re dragging me back to the skating rink in these duds.”
We laughed together. It was so easy to do with her.
I could trust Hannah.
Are you sure?
The voice was never quiet. Not even now. When I was close to real happiness.
“No ice-skating. I promise.” Her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled, in a way I had become familiar with.
I realized I had started noting the details of her. Putting them to memory. Like the way her nose turned up slightly at the end. Or how she tapped her fingers on her knee when there was a song on the radio she liked.
When I caught the scent of vanilla, it made me think of the way her hair smelled when I held her close. Or how she covered her mouth while she chewed in case she had food on her lips.
I had slowly been compiling information about Hannah from the moment I had met her. Secretly cataloging each tiny thing. Because I noticed everything when it came to her. I found myself loving the idiosyncrasies that made her her.
I had never been like that with anyone before. And I found that, surprisingly, it didn’t scare me. Because she never pressed me for more before I was ready to give it. Unlike Madison, who expected everything, Hannah didn’t expect anything. Maybe that was why I found myself drawn to her.
Because she had allowed me to get here on my own.
I couldn’t stop looking at her. I played with the piece of hair that brushed her shoulder, twisting it around my fingers as she drove.
“I spoke with Charlotte on the phone today. She’s had a rough week, but she sounded better,” Hannah said, and my heart hurt.
I liked hearing Hannah talk about her sister. But it made me miss Dillon. And a small part of me was jealous that she still could talk to her sister on the phone. She could see her.
What I wouldn’t give…
“How has she had a rough week?” I put my hand on her thigh, my fingers curling over fabric-covered skin.
“She still has seizures. Not a lot, but when she does, they’re bad. She loses her ability to speak. To see. The doctors have to sedate her; otherwise she gets agitated and that’s not good.” Hannah sighed.
“I’m so sorry,” I told her. She covered my hand with hers and squeezed.
“Thanks. She’s in a decent place. An expensive place but a good one.”
“I don’t mean to pry, but how do you and your mother afford her care?”
Hannah bit her lip. “It’s a struggle. The insurance premiums are ridiculous. We’re fighting all the time to have her care covered. It makes me so angry the way these insurance companies try to deny care to people who need it. Of all the things that are against the law, that should be one of them! What they do is criminal!” Hannah fumed. She was getting worked up. I had never seen her so passionate about something.
“I agree. It’s not right. I remember after Dillon died, my parents had to pay almost forty thousand dollars in hospital bills that the insurance company refused to cover.”
“Something should be done about that!” Hannah declared, looking at me, her eyes snapping.
I nodded. “I agree. I know there’s legislation—”
“No! You can’t leave it up to the government. They won’t do anything. Sometimes it’s up to the people. Don’t you think?” Hannah was incredibly animated. Like a preacher at the pulpit, she seemed filled with an almost fanaticism. I could tell this meant a lot to her.
“I’m not sure what people can do against insurance companies, though,” I said slowly, not entirely sure what she was getting at.