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Kayla looks at me as if I have the answer. “Do you remember the day you brought gifts to the house?”
I nod, not knowing where she’s going with her question. “That was about a month ago.”
“Trinity found an air tag in one of the bags. We didn’t know what to make of it and forgot to ask you about it, but looking back, I don’t think you would have put it there.”
“But how did an air tag get in my bag?” Then I remember being jostled and freaking out while I shopped. “Something odd happened that day, but I thought I was being paranoid.” Aris’ questioning gaze prompts me to add, “Someone jostled me in the crowd. I wrote it off as being on a busy crosswalk, but now I wonder.”
Aris kisses my brow. “That doesn’t explain how they found you.”
“It was my fault,” I whisper, blindly grabbing his arm. “Remember, I got my hair done. I went to my regular hairdresser. That’s the only way they could’ve found me. I wasn’t careful enough.”
“Stop it,” Aris demands. “I was the one who encouraged you to go without checking out the place first. You trusted in my judgment and I failed you, so don’t blame yourself.”
“You’re only saying that to make me feel better about endangering my sisters.”
“I’m not.”
“How much of this back and forth do we have to sit through?” Kayla asks. “We get it. You don’t want the other person to feel guilty. As the abducted party, I absolve you of blame.”
“Trin? You haven’t said much.”
She shrugs. “What is there to say? You can’t plan for everything and sometimes shit happens.”
The deep pain in her voice causes me to peer more deeply at her. “Did he do anything to you?” I ask.
Kayla’s eyes darken. “Nothing you have to worry about.”
It’s a deflection. I look to Trinity, but she avoids eye contact.
“What’s important is that we’re safe now.” Trinity pats my leg.
“Not quite. Your father made himself a target of the Arroyos. They aren’t the kind of family to stop when their main quarry dies.”
My sisters and I share a glance before I voice our unasked question. “What does that mean for us?”
“We’ll relocate until I handle them.”
I glare at Aris.
“I intend to return to you. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“At least you can learn new tricks.”
He bows his head and whispers in my ear. “I’m always willing to learn what you have to teach me.”
My body flushes and I hide my face in his neck.
“I think it’s time for us to leave,” Kayla says. She calls Ferb to her side and Trinity picks Phin up.
I open my mouth with an objection on my lips.
“Yes, your sister needs rest,” Aris agrees.
When the door closes behind them, he pulls me down on the bed and covers my mouth in a needy kiss.
“I thought you said I needed rest.”
Aris smiles.
