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She looked straight ahead, not saying anything. She prayed that Miles had the answers Cyrus was looking for, that this would be the right step that led to the truth.
EIGHTEEN
CYRUS
The trip to his former assistant’s home wasn’t long, but Cyrus’s muscles tightened in his neck. His fingers twisted around the steering wheel.
He couldn’t unclench his jaw even with the many deep breaths he forced his lungs to take. Miles was a friend, not just a colleague. They were connected by shifting, intelligence, and a shared dream.
The hole left in Cyrus’s heart was big. He believed that Miles was the cause. Cyrus knew that losing his parents at a young age helped spur his abandonment issues, and it wasn’t often that Cyrus connected with someone. So the abandonment Cyrus had from Miles’s quick departure created a strong sting that hadn’t gone away yet.
It was one of the reasons Cyrus hadn’t tried harder to reach out to Miles since he’d left. The other reason was from a place of compassion. Cyrus had a strong sense that Miles was under stress, and he knew that if only Miles had been threatened, he would have come to Cyrus.
But that would have been a different story if his family had been under attack.
As much as he tried, Cyrus wanted to be happy to see Miles. But his feelings were mixed, conflicted, and unsettled. A thread of hope lined the unpleasant feelings of abandonment, and Cyrus thought that maybe if they saw each other again, that hope would wash the ashy taste of betrayal out of Cyrus’s mouth.
His heartbeat picked up as he turned the wheel onto Miles’s driveway. The long path was arched in a half circle to make getting back onto the road easier. The house was a ranch-style home crafted from stone.
The home was perfectly nestled in the woods, and while it was only a single story, other than the basement, it was a large and beautiful residence.
Mila took Cyrus’s hand after he put the car in park. Her eyes danced over his. “You can do this,” she said in a soft, compassionate voice and squeezed his hand.
His pulse slowed with her touch, and he smiled at her. Cyrus picked her hand up and kissed her fingers. “Thank you for being here.”
“You’re welcome.” Mila leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Ready?”
“No. But that’s never stopped me before.” Cyrus widened his eyes with humor, trying to lighten the situation for himself. It didn’t work, but it propelled him to leave the car.
He walked to Mila’s car door and opened it just as she was going to get out of the car on her own. He smiled and liked that she didn’t expect him to do those things but removed her ego from the equation and allowed him to do them anyway.
Cyrus’s hand tightened around Mila’s. She was his tether to the world now. Strength and emotion would see him through the trying time, but Mila was his beacon.
They stepped onto the stoop, and Cyrus pushed his fist forward to knock. After a few raps on the dark wooden door, Miles’s face appeared in the lookout hole. “Cyrus?” His voice shook a little.
“Hey, Miles. Can we come in? I have something to talk to you about.”
“Um … hold on.”
Miles closed the peephole. While Cyrus couldn’t hear the discussion behind the door, he did hear Miles walking down the hall and a muffled conversation, unsure if it was a phone call or a visitor. Mila’s smile didn’t waver, but Cyrus could smell the change in her scent.
It went from tense and nervous to worried. Even if he couldn’t sense it, her eyes had a tinge of worry around the edges.
Oddly, her worry helped settle his nerves. His polar bear had an innate need to protect all of Mila. So, when it sensed that she was unsettled, it emboldened itself, and, in turn, Cyrus’s emotions settled. He had to be strong for Mila.
Muted footsteps walked back to the door. Cyrus heard the lock turn, and the thick wood swung open. A cocktail of emotions swirled in Cyrus. Relief, sadness, happiness, and anger mixed together and burst through him.
Cyrus flung himself forward in a hug and tightly squeezed one of his oldest friends. Miles hugged him back and alleviated some of the anger pressing against his chest.
When Cyrus pulled back, he wiped the wetness from his eyes. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, man.” Miles stepped back and let them into his house. Although Cyrus could sense Miles’s heightened worry, Cyrus appreciated that Miles was still loyal enough to open his home to Mila and him.
Cyrus stepped back and let Mila go through first. He waved his hand toward her. “This is Mila. She’s my fated mate. Courtesy of Gerri Wilder.”
Miles laughed. “I’ve heard she’s done wonders for every match she makes.” Miles looked around the hallway. “Come in. We can go sit in the den if you’d like.” He turned and led Cyrus and Mila down the hallway and through a labyrinth of warm, woody rooms.
However, Cyrus didn’t need a guide. He’d been to Miles’s home so often he could find his way to most rooms with his eyes closed.
