The Bullet Comments Called Me Stupid And Doomed Chapter 10

The Bullet Comments Called Me Stupid And Doomed Chapter 10

The second I stepped out of the station, I spotted Julian leaning against a tree, smoking. He’d followed me here. I stopped cold.

He pushed away from the tree and came toward me the second he saw me. I turned on my heel and headed for the parking lot. Julian kept pace with me.

I whipped around. “What do you want from me?!”

He stopped too, studying my face. “You know he’s dangerous?”

I smiled — all teeth, no warmth. “None of your business, ex-husband.”

That word landed exactly where I wanted it to. He flinched.

I was in the car and pulling out before he could say another word.

I was home within half an hour. I had a prenatal appointment in the morning, so I washed up and went straight to bed.

The checkup went well — the baby was healthy, growing right on schedule. The doctor told me to eat right and keep showing up for my appointments.

That afternoon, Trent texted about catching a movie. I made up an excuse and said no. That evening, he tried again — some tourist spot outside the city. I turned him down again.

Four days later, the police called. Trent was on their radar — suspected of international human trafficking, just like I’d said. They asked me to keep him close and not spook him. They’d have plainclothes officers watching me the whole time. I agreed.

The next time Trent asked me out, I said yes.

On our fifth date, he tried to get me to go back to a hotel with him. My skin crawled. I told him we weren’t there yet.

He didn’t take it well. The night ended badly. After that, he gave me the cold shoulder.

I couldn’t tell if he’d written me off or if this was part of his playbook — pull back, make me chase. Either way, I didn’t care. I was just playing my role for the police.

A week of silence, and then Trent resurfaced. He was heading to Isla del Sol for a concert — did I want to come? All expenses paid.

The police told me to accept. I played reluctant at first — told him work was crazy. He sweetened the deal — said he could hook me up with a cushy job at his friend’s company. Better pay, less work.

I let myself be “convinced.”

After that, Trent was back to his routine — dinners, movies, the whole charm offensive. I was still early enough that I wasn’t showing yet. Any later and I would’ve blown my cover.

The trip came fast. By the time we got to the airport, the police were already in position. They moved before we ever reached the gate — sweeping up Trent and his entire network in one bust. Six girls, all lured the same way I almost was, were rescued alive.

Once Trent was in custody, my protective detail was pulled.

…

About two weeks later, I was walking along the sidewalk when I heard an electric scooter coming up behind me. I stepped aside to let it pass.

Then the comments flashed across my vision: [Why does this guy look like he’s aiming straight for her? Is he about to hit the side character?]

My head snapped around. The scooter was barreling straight toward me. I bolted for the bushes on the side of the road, but I wasn’t fast enough.

The scooter clipped me from the side and sent me sprawling. It wobbled past me and slammed into a tree. The rider went down with it.

The guy hit the ground screaming — too loud, too dramatic. Faking it.

I tried to get up. A bolt of pain ripped through my lower belly and dropped me back to my knees. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold my phone. I dialed 911.

There was a clinic nearby. The ambulance was there in five minutes. The second they got me onto the stretcher, I let go. Everything went black.