ENDURING {Sequel to Everlasting} ❗️EDITING ❗️

Chapter 3

His snores are loud as I sneak out of the bathroom, grabbing the glass he'd drank from as I remove all evidence of me being here. I slip the little bag of sleeping dust back into my pocket. While he sleeps, I search his entire apartment, taking his phone and a couple of letters he kept from his time in prison.

I make sure to strip him out of his clothes and toss them through the house, to make it look like he came home drunk with someone and they slept together. We didn't get to that stage, I made sure to drug him before he could even get my shirt off.

I head back to the bar which takes around twenty minutes, climbing in and heading back home.

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"Where'd you go?" Luka asks me as I clean out Apollo's stall.

"Germany." I breathe, a little breathless as I force my aching arms to keep moving as I muck out the horse poo.

"Have you slept yet?" Luka worries, figuring that I got barely almost an hour ago, and when you work out the time I left until now, it means I haven't slept a wink.

"I have to finish up here, and then I have to head out to Florence-"

Luka cuts me off. "That's three hours away."

Resting my back against the side of the stall, I let out a heavy sigh and stare at Luka.

"It's my job, Luka, and it's important. I'll be gone not even half a day, and when I get back I'll rest." I explain with finality, and slight exhaustion.

"Somethings wrong, what is it?" Luka comes closer, concern etched onto his face.

"Nothing." I lie smoothly, turning back to the wheelbarrow as I take it to the small pile that is taken away every second day.

"I know you, Kali, you only work this much when something is bothering you." Luka tries again, somewhat pushy.

"I said it's nothing." I snap, not bothering to glance up as I brush past him.

Untying Apollo's reigns, I grab onto his maine and swiftly climb up, swinging my leg over his bare back and clicking my tongue.

Apollo sets off in a slow trot, leaving Luka behind as I lead Apollo to the old dungeons.

"Did you find anything?" I ask Harley, leaning over her shoulder.

"Yep." She smiles.

"Any dirt on James?" I ask hopefully.

She chuckles. "I got more than dirt."

"Yeah?" I raise my eyebrow, grinning.

"I got a location." She says, handing me a piece of paper from the pile currently stacking up by the printer.

"How long ago was this?" I ask, glancing at the deleted messages.

"Last week, I did some searching and he was seen yesterday in the same town." Harley tells me.

"Great! Thank you, I owe you one!" I praise, shaking her shoulder before rushing back outside to Apollo.

As I head back to the mansion, I call Emily and let her know that plans have changed. Considering she's only trying to find out who her father is, she doesn't mind waiting another day.

I put Apollo away and head into the house.

"Can you guys take care of Apollo for me? I've just had a huge break in the James Thorpe job and I need to leave-"

"Go, we've got it covered here." Luther assures me.

"Ok, thanks!" I call as I rush to my room, slinging multiple random items into a bag before heading out to my car.