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“I do. I just can’t place them. I feel like I know you, but I don’t believe we’ve met. Do I know you?”
“No. If we had met, even in passing, I’d remember.”
“How do I know you, then?”
“I don’t know. TV, maybe? The news? Tabloids? I think I’m more relieved you can’t place me. Especially from any of that.”
The doors opened and I led her into the entrance area of my penthouse, reaching forward to punch in my code for the front door. Once I did, I placed my thumb down, letting it read my print. I laughed at Kody’s look.
“No one’s getting inside my place. You can bet on that. That’s why you’re safe here.”
The door beeped, and I opened it, gesturing for her to head inside. She didn’t jump to enter my private space like anyone else would have. Kody looked between me and the barrier, hugging both arms to her chest.
“If I go in there, I’m stuck. Is your door voice activated from the inside too? I’m not sure I can do this.”
Tears. They pooled so big in her eyes; I couldn’t take it. Anyone else could have cried me a river, and I would have let them drown in it. Kody was different. I would have killed a million times without a shred of emotion just to take her fear away.
I opened the door wider.
“Yes, but there’s an emergency number you can enter to override it at any time. Do you want the number?”
She paused but nodded.
“Zero-two-zero-seven-one-one-four-six-nine. Watch.” I manually turned the lock, typing in the code. It sprung back the moment I hit the green button. “See?”
“Okay. If this is a trick—”
“It’s not. Repeat the number back to me.”
“Zero-two-zero-seven-one…one-four-six-nine.”
“Again, Kody.”
Zero-two-zero-seven-one-one-four-six-nine.
“Perfect.”
Closer, she got towards me, a tear escaping as she forced herself the rest of the way through the barrier. The moment she entered, she jolted to a stop. I closed the door behind us, setting the alarm. The double beep had her spinning to me with round eyes.
“I’m sorry, who are you again?”
“Jase. How about that Chinese food? Are you still hungry?”
Kody stayed rooted by the door as I took in my opened living room and kitchen. It wasn’t filled with glass and fancy artwork like other men of my status would have had. No…mine was all dark colors and metal art. Pictures of war from all eras. Swords and weapons used for torture. I probably should have put those away, but she didn’t pay that any attention. Her mouth was gaping at the wall of monitors I had on my back wall. It looked more like a command center than a normal living room. Her own apartment’s view rested in the middle, on a television taller than she was. Two cops were walking around the space but didn’t seem interested in the now empty apartment.
“That’s my manager at the door.”
“He’s definitely not the one who was in there.”
Kody got closer, placing down her purse as she took in the movement of the two officers.
“Did he have blonde hair? Lighter than yours? Longer. Black clothes and gloves.”
My stare narrowed. “He did. How did you know that?”
“I saw him a few stores down.” She glanced to me. “As you pulled up. Our eyes met.”
“He found you? He saw you get in my car?”
