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When I initially proposed that we fuck, I meant it. I wanted to get her out of my system, purge Derek too. She wanted fucking feelings. Did she feel anything when she used me to get to the Zs?
“Finnegan, I’ll stop working for you if there are casualties,” Derek’s loud voice brings me back to our conversation.
I don’t know what I will do with Piper, but for now, I’ll protect her for him. “Fine, I’ll fucking babysit them while we’re at it, happy?”
“No, but let’s do this. See you in Seattle.”
ChapterSixty-Eight
Derek
During the firstthree hours of the flight, I research Seth Bradley’s company. I want to ask Piper more about it and her cousin, but she’s on video calls with her family. I try to give her some privacy but eavesdrop when I hear they’re gathering at Seth’s estate.Where the fuck is it?
I send a message to Finn. Maybe he can surveil the place since he’ll arrive earlier than me.
“Are you okay?” I ask Piper once she puts her phone down.
“Fine,” she mumbles.
“You’re not, and as much as I want to let this go, I can’t. I feel like you should’ve stayed in New York.”
She crosses her arms, lifting her chin and challenging me. “Why?”
“Your cousin might be in danger.”
“He’ll be fine, I know.”
But she doesn’t, and she might be putting herself in the line of fire. I can’t do my job if I know she might get hurt. “Then, why are you so concerned?”
“I’ve had this weird feeling since Tuesday.” She shrugs. “The same anxiety I felt when Archer disappeared.”
And we’re back to the asshole. “Have you felt him?”
“Why do you ask if you don’t believe me?”
He might be a ghost, but I know someone who’s just like him and who’ll find him if I ask. “Have you?”
“As a matter of fact, I did. It happened before I left for the wedding while in the subway terminal.”
The footage might be available. If we don’t have much to do, I can ask Finn to check it out. “Do you remember the exact date and time?”
“No, why?”
“I want to check the surveillance cameras and see if I can find him.”
“Huh, I never thought about doing that,” she says, smiling. “After Seth gets out of this mess, I’ll ask his brother to help me with that, but thank you for your offer.”
How many cousins are involved in that company? I should ask more, but instead, I do what I should’ve done long ago. “Sorry.”
“For?”
“I didn’t handle your rejection…” I snort. “I didn’t handle us well. I just couldn’t continue torturing myself.”
She nods. “It’s okay.”
Is it? It’s like she doesn’t give two shits about me, and maybe it was best to just say fuck it to our friendship. “So you never cared, huh?”
She offers me a sad smile. “Oh, I did. So much.” Piper sucks on her lip. “I messaged you because, for a moment, I saw hope. I thought I was ready. And I loved you. Also, in a way, Archer had given me his blessing to… I don’t know. However, you reminded me that you’ll continue putting your life in danger, and I can’t be with a man like that.”
