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“Now, who’s lying? You can let a bird out of its cage as much as you want, but as long as it’s still within the walls of your home, the bird is still captive. She may believe she has the option to leave, but we both know you’re those walls. No illusion can change that. You’re not letting her go. Not while there’s a risk. And brother, with what I’ve seen, that risk will never end. This is beyond us.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yeah, I do. Let’s be honest here, Jase. Even you can’t bring this underground network down. You have to let Kody go back home. Hire someone to keep her safe if that makes you feel better. Just…distance yourself before you’re the one who gets hurt. This won’t end well if you keep this up.”
“Are you finished? Where’s Rush?”
Rian shook his head. “Busy. Are you listening to me? The girl went through hell. That’s not over for her. Now she has to face herself. We’ve been there. You know what’s going to happen, and you can’t save her from that part. That’s all her. I know she’s beautiful, and you want to help however you can, but don’t trap her for the wrong reasons. She’s not—”
“You best stop while you’re ahead.”
“Jase, we’re too much alike. I see right through you. No one knows you better than me.”
“I’m starting to wish you didn’t.”
“Invite me to dinner.”
“It’s already four. It’s too late. We’re on a five o’clock schedule.”
He winked. “I better leave the office now. See you soon.”
“Rian. Rian.”
The video call ended, causing me to growl. Kody turned, glancing over her shoulder as I stood.
“It would seem we have an uninvited dinner guest.”
She turned to face me. “Your friend?”
“Yeah. For now. His name is Rian. He has a twin named Rush, but I doubt he comes. Rush is…” I stopped, nearly rolling my eyes. “He’s pretty popular. He stays busy.”
“Oh. Maybe I’ll get to meet him some other time. I’ll just go get ready. Are we ordering in?”
I paused, letting Rian’s words sink in.
“How about you choose. What do you feel like doing? Do you want to go out?”
Kody stepped around the chair, lowering her gaze to the floor. Her brow was drawn in as if she were weighing her options and not really liking them.
“Do you think it’s safe?”
“I emailed last night to check in. We should be okay.”
She got quiet, running her finger through the holes of the 3D cast she now wore. I didn’t like how she was reacting. Her fear was very much still alive and real. Caution was good. Overwhelming anxiety was not.
“Kody.” I closed the distance, reaching for her good hand to hold in mine. The squeeze on my fingers had my stomach swarming with nothing short of butterflies. Fuck, I wanted her. I wanted to pin her down and taste her again. To hear her cry out and call my name. “I know a place you might like. It’s private and very nice. It’s the best of the best. Not just anyone can get in. There’s a back room that’s secluded from the open dining. I can make a few calls.”
“That sounds.” She stopped. “I don’t think I have anything to wear to a place like that.”
“I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you go get ready.”
It wasn’t a question. Her head gave a hard shake and her hand left mine. “No more clothes. I think I’d rather stay. It’s safer anyway.”
“You’ll be safe.”
“I said no.”
There it was—stubbornness, and it was about to get worse. “Just yesterday you gave me a hard time about going to the bakery a street over. Before that, it was our trip to the doctor for your hand. Then the store downstairs.”
