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“Lead the way,” I say, following them out. “But this tour better include lunch.”
Teddy takes us around campus,pointing out the library, student lounge, and main hangout spots. Lily peppers him with curious questions about his classes and friends, but I’m content to hang back, watching them together. If it were any other man getting all of her attention, I’d be tempted to do something to stake my claim over her, but this is her brother.
The only family she has left.
Aside from me.
I feel a stab of guilt for my part in that, but I push it aside. The past is dead and buried now, what matters is our future.
Together.
Thank God it wasn’t the Kovaks behind Teddy going AWOL—or anything connected to my dirty dealings. Lily would never have forgiven me for dragging her brother into my mess, and I wouldn’t have either.
“… What about student theater?” Lily is asking. “You always loved helping out with the sets and lighting in high school.”
“No,” Teddy tells her, amused. “I loved hanging out with all the girls in drama club. Besides, I’m focused on film club. We’re shooting our own short films next semester…”
I let them talk while I keep an eye on our surroundings, looking for anything suspect. I’m not a fool, and I know that despite our tentative arrangement, things could go sideways with the Kovaks at any time. Hell, they could go sideways with my own men, if they get wind of what I’m planning before I’m ready. There’s still plenty of bad blood over Lily’s dad turning on us, and the only reason Lily is safe is because I demand it. Teddy is a wildcard, but Lily never breathed a word about his location until this morning, so I’m betting he’s safe here.
For now.
“This place has great sandwiches,” Teddy says, nodding to a lunch spot with a line out the door.
“I’ll go!” Lily says immediately.
“It’s fine. I’ll wait,” I tell her, but she just gives me a look.
“You two get to know each other,” she says, before taking off, leaving me with her brother.
“I didn’t even tell her what I wanted,” Teddy remarks.
I give a wry grin. “She’ll know. I don’t know how, but she can read minds sometimes.”
“Right.”
There’s a long pause, as Teddy eyes me suspiciously again. “So, you two are back together, huh?”
I nod.
“And I’m guessing that big rock on her finger isn’t an accident, either.”
I hiss out a breath. “Nope.”
Teddy’s eyes go to Lily, standing in line. “We never talked about it. Leaving New York. Everyone treated me like I was just a kid. Which I was, I guess. But I saw it. How scared my parents were, running. How Lily cried every night, trying not to let me hear. They never said his name, you know. Your father’s. It was like he was Voldemort or something.”
Fuck. So much for bonding.
“Listen—” I start, but he talks over me.
“My sister is the best person I know.” He levels me with a look. “She deserves the world.”
“We’re in agreement on that.”
“If she’s with you, there must be a pretty good reason,” he continues. “And I trust her on that. It’s her life. But you should know something…”
He takes a step closer, squaring up to me. “If you hurt my sister, you’ll pay.” Teddy vows fiercely. “I don’t know what your deal is, but she’s been through enough. I won’t stand by and watch her heart be broken as well.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or be impressed. I could kill him with one hand tied behind my back, but still, this wide-eyed teenager is showing more balls than half my crew back home.
