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“He’s just been kind of… going off the rails. He was demanding to know how we knew him and when you first met him. Loony stuff. He thinks you ran away with him, Nel.”
Shit. I glance over at Killian. What am I supposed to say to that? It’s exactly what Killian wants everyone to think.
I lift my hand when Leo sits up and yawns.
“I told him you’d never do that,” Etta goes on. “Right, Nell?”
I sigh into the speaker but don’t answer her directly. “I’m so sorry, Etta. I never wanted you to have to be involved in any of this.”
“Don’t worry about it, seriously. I’m just really glad that you’re okay.”
I smile at the phone, wishing that I could see her face and hug her. I miss her so much it hurts my chest.
Leo crawls off of my lap, stretching between me and Killian. I smile a little when Killian reaches out a hand to him, gently coaxing him closer with the promise of more petting.
Leo slowly makes his way over without a care in the world, rubbing his body up against Killian’s hand like they’ve been best friends for a decade. I can’t believe my cat has warmed up to a stranger so easily— and to someone like Killian, of all people.
What the hell was in that tuna? Catnip? Coke?
“Have you seen him since, Nell?”
I focus back on my phone call. “Huh?”
“That guy from the club. With the sexy back. Have you seen him since then?”
I bite my lip. I don’t want to lie to her, but I can’t exactly tell her that that same man kidnapped me, and now I’m living in his home with my cat and having the best, mind-blowing sex I could imagine. I’d sound absolutely insane—even to someone as non-judgmental as her.
“It’s… complicated, Etta.” I clear my throat, cutting off the questions I know she wants to ask me. “I’ve got to go, but I’ll talk to you soon, okay? I love you and tell my brother that I love him too if you see him.”
“Nell, wait.”
“I’m sorry. I love you, Etta. Take care of yourself.”
There’s a pause on the other line before she says, “Okay. You too, Nell. I mean it. I better see you in one piece.”
I smile a little. I hope so too.
“Bye, Etta.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Ihold my hand out for the phone once Nella taps the screen to end the call, my other hand currently enmeshed in soft orange fur.
Even though she still looks a little stressed, the relief from being able to talk to her friend is visible. I’d been annoyed when Ava had brought it up to me the second I’d walked through the door, but seeing Nella smile while she petted her cat made it all feel worth it.
Well, it had certainly warmed me up to the idea of a phone call.
I toss the phone down next to my thigh and continue to pet Leo. I have to say, he is quite a nice cat, despite her warning of him being unfriendly. I can see why she missed him so much.
“Do you know what pictures she’s talking about?” Nella says after a few minutes of silence.
“Hm,” is all I say back.
“I know you have them, Killian. You have everything else in that damn file.”
I try and hold back a smile. Even though she’d been upset with the file, I’d ended up spanking her while she looked down at it, and then we’dstillended up fucking right on top of it. So, what did that say about her, exactly?
I shake my head and reluctantly grab my phone again. It isn’t that I want to show her the grainy images that her father had used as proof against her, but maybe it would be the final nail in the coffin—maybe she will finally realize that her father doesn’t give a damn about her, that he will believe whatever narrative I spun for him.
