The Revenge (The Insiders Trilogy #3)(10)

It was just like when his own mother died.

Matt was a brother to me. My meetings weren’t saving lives today. I had done as much as I could today in regard to my war against Calhoun.

I squared my shoulders up and addressed Josh. “Cancel the rest of my meetings for the day and take me to Naveah. ”

Matt stopped talking on his end. “You serious?”

I heard his happiness and my gut shifted.

I’d been neglecting someone I considered a brother.

“I’m coming to you.”

“What about Bailey?” His voice had grown hoarse.

“Bailey is doing what Bailey can do right now. She’d be happy that I’m coming to you.”

“Thank you.” Still hoarse. I heard something else there, a tone that had me blinking my eyes rapidly. “I’ll have a drink ready for you, man.”

I grinned into the phone. “Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t do something too stupid today.”

“You’re right. That was always your job.”

We hung up and I sent off an email to my assistant. She would reschedule the meetings that Josh didn’t know about. Two different worlds that I was walking between. The business world and the shadow world. I went over the line daily, and one of these days there’d be a time when I would only exist in one.

Moves. One at a time. I was making them.

I was finding my grandfather.

I was tracking my grandfather.

I was cornering my grandfather. He just didn’t know it, but when he did, when everything was lined up, then and only then I would cross that line for the last time.

I only hoped I’d be able to return to this world.

I also called Torie. “I want you to take Tamara and Melissa and go to the Chesapeake. I’m coming to Naveah to spend the day with Matt, so I’d like you to be at the house with Bailey.”

There was no hesitation on her end, just the background music playing. “You got it. We’re just hanging?”

“Spend time with her. Meet her where she’s at. Right now, she’s cutting carrots.”

“Carrots? ”

I grinned. “Carrots. Try and make her laugh. Be there, pull in Seraphina and Cyclone if you can.”

“Got it. Maybe I’ll wash the potatoes.”

A brief chuckle, but that’s all I had in me. “I’m sure Theresa has that under wraps, but you can force the issue if you’d like.”

“Take Theresa on? I don’t think so.” She snorted. “I’ll take care of your girl, boss. I care about her, too.”

“I know.”

We hung up, and then I texted Bailey.

Love you. With Matt today. Check in later, please.

But I knew she wouldn’t. She had started not carrying her phone with her, so I handed mine to Josh when we pulled up to Naveah. I wasn’t here to work, for once.





SIX

Bailey


A week later

Kash was holding me.

He was kissing me. I was kissing him back.

Then he was sliding inside, and I stopped wanting to cry.

Another week later

I was sitting on the couches by the bowling lanes.

Seraphina shrieked with laughter and fell to the floor just as she let loose the bowling ball. It went right into the gutter, but she turned her face toward Tony—Matt’s dickhead friend Tony. He had said something that made her laugh, and he was laughing, too. He held a hand down, helping her stand back up.

They were both chuckling as they returned to the couches.

I didn’t like that, for some reason. I didn’t know why.

I noted who else was there.

Friends. Guy. Chester. Torie. Tamara. Melissa was on the end, tucked next to Matt, who was whispering into her ear .

I frowned at that. I thought that was done with?

Then I felt the absence beside me and looked. Where was Kash?

There he was. He was coming back into the room, putting his phone away. He looked up, meeting my gaze, and he faltered in his step.

He smiled, then frowned, his head cocked to the side.

Three weeks later … or maybe four?

“She needs to go back to counseling! This is enough.”

I was awake and sitting in an office. That was Peter, yelling on the other side of the door.

“No, she doesn’t.” That was Kash.

It was dark, with no lights on in here. The glow of the light from their side shone under the door.

“Bailey?”

A whisper from the side and I turned. Seraphina was pushing open a different door, peering in, biting her lip.

“I’m here.” I waved her over, patting the couch beside me. I had a blanket. I didn’t know why it was there but it was, and I lifted up an end of it. “Come cuddle with your sister.”

She’d taken a step toward me, her eyes worried, still chewing on her lip. Her hands were twisted around each other, but at my last suggestion, her eyes lit up. She stopped biting her lip, and her hands came free from each other. “Yeah?” She grinned, almost literally brightening up the room.

“Yeah.” I could smile. I noticed it then. It didn’t hurt my cheeks, and when she slipped under my blanket, I drew her to me.

I liked this.

Kash had my back on the other side of the door. I wasn’t worried, and I had my little sister in my arms.