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She was right; he should see a doctor, but I didn’t know where he was and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell anyone because he asked me not to. “I don’t.”
She paused then said, “Okay.”
I walked over and set a mug in front of her then went to the fridge and took out the milk and placed it on the table. Turning, I grabbed the carafe now filled with dark liquid and poured coffee into her mug then mine. “Sugar?”
She shook her head.
I put the carafe back then pulled out the chair across from her and sat. After pouring a dab of milk in my coffee, I lifted the mug and took a sip.
Seeing Connor again had reawakened everything.
God, I wanted him sitting here beside me right now. I wanted him to reach across and pick up my mug and take a sip. I wanted his fingers to brush against mine as he did it.
“You don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to, but why did Connor come see you at the bar? I don’t get it. Of all places… it just seems odd why he’d risk showing up there.”
I was quiet a long time before I said, “He wanted to talk. And I don’t know why. I don’t think he knows why,” I admitted.
“Do you think he’ll stay here? I know Deck would do anything to help him. Any of those guys would. And Georgie. His parents. You.”
Connor didn’t want help and it’s probably why he refused to see any of them.
Who I was uncertain about was Kai because he had never been a friend of Connor’s. “Kai was part of Vault.”
It was a statement but she replied anyway. “Yes.”
I’d never met Kai before they’d rescued me, but I’d heard Carlos mention his name on a few occasions while on the phone. I lifted my chin to meet her eyes. “He won’t hurt Connor, right? If he decides to come back?”
London shook her head. “No. But he knows what Vault is capable of doing to a person, Alina, and Connor is a risk.” She sighed. “Kai doesn’t think he can come back from what they did to him. It’s not so much the torture, but the memories returning. Connor did things that went against the type of man he was. That can break a man.” She met my eyes. “Kai didn’t do anything last night because of Deck and Georgie, but it doesn’t mean he thinks it was the right thing to do.”
I slowly turned my mug between my hands on the table as my heart pounded. “What do you mean?”
“Just that Connor isn’t safe to be around. I think you know that.”
I did know that, but Connor hadn’t been safe to be around in Colombia either.
Pushing back my chair, I rose. “Umm, I’ll go get changed.”
London half smiled. “Yeah, sure, take your time.” Her tone lightened as she smiled. “I’ll text Chess and tell her you’re coming with me and that we’re leaving soon.”
I went upstairs and changed with uneasiness laying like a chunk of cement in the pit of my stomach.
I was scared that the anger lingering in Connor’s eyes would consume him. That he’d disappear and the pain would stay with him forever.
And I was scared that Kai was right.“DAMN IT, BACON. Noooo,” Chess yelled as she landed on her ass, feet up in the air.
The little boy, Danny, whose nickname was Trick, held his belly laughing until the pig barreled into his calves and took him out too.
The pig raced for the gate at breakneck speed, which was fast considering the oversized potbellied pig had stubby legs and a definite potbelly. He tore across the dirt path then ducked under the horse pasture fence and he did it squealing the entire way.
London hooted with laughter until she saw an unamused Chess get up, who threw London a glare.
London sobered until Danny stood, dusted himself off then headed out the gate calling over his shoulder, “I’ll get him.”
Chess moaned and plopped down on her butt in the dirt.
London laughed again. I smiled.
Danny was determined to teach Bacon how to go through a tunnel. Bacon was determined to hang out with his pal, Rocket, the three-legged goat. According to the nine-year-old, after the tunnel was mastered, he would teach Bacon to go up and over an A frame, jump, and weave through bending poles.
Chess said Danny was addicted to the animal channel. He’d seen the agility competitions with the dogs and was determined for Bacon to be an agility pig.
It was cute and funny, but it also hurt because Connor should be here. He’d love to help Danny teach Bacon and he’d be good at it.
And that was heartbreaking to think that he may never do that again.
Chess called over to us, “No wonder he’s bonded with Tristan. They’re both stubborn as hell.” Her eyes were on the spindly boy running through the long grass after Bacon.
