Greer paused mid-stroke to look at her. “I’m sorry.”
Remi shrugged. “It wasn’t a loss for me. I never knew anything different. My mom was pretty good at wearing both pairs of shoes.”
“I can tell.”
“How?”
“She raised a strong woman.”
“I’m not strong, Greer. I’m curious, determined maybe, but not terribly brave.”
He made the last stroke against his skin, then rinsed the remaining foam from his face. He patted his face dry, then stepped between her legs.
He took hold of her hands. “You should see yourself from my eyes.”
Her gaze met his. Her lips thinned. “What do you see?”
“A warrior.”
“A warrior?” she echoed with a disbelieving huff.
“Not all warriors wield knives and guns, Remi. Sometimes, simple resistance makes a person a fighter. Refusing to cave to wrongful domination or bullying is the bravest act of all.”
She frowned and tilted her head, wary suddenly. She blinked and pushed him back, then hopped off the counter and left the bathroom. He watched her go, wondering what it was he’d said that hit wrong.
He finished gearing up, then went to the living room. She was sitting on the sofa, leaning over her laptop on the coffee table. She didn’t look up when he joined her.
“Hungry?”
Her gaze took in his Beretta holstered at his waist, then slipped away as if she hadn’t noticed it. She nodded. “Where do you want to eat? There’s nothing here.”
“We’ll go to my friend’s house. He has plenty of food.”
She collected her purse and put her laptop in its bag. “You’re going to raid your friend’s fridge?”
“Why not? He keeps it stocked.” Greer grinned. “We’ll go in quietly. He won’t know we’ve been there.” He walked to the door and held it open for her.
“Until his eggs are gone…”
Greer lifted his brows as she walked past him. “Geez. How many eggs do you eat?”
She sent him a glare over her shoulder. “The phone book showed a diner in town. We could go there.”
Greer went to open the passenger door for her. “Maybe tomorrow.”
She stepped around the SUV, then paused, her attention snagged by the black ravine where Mandy’s riding center had been. She walked slowly to the edge. Greer knew it had been too dark to see last night, but the sunlight couldn’t hide the stark devastation below. The new construction crew had already started cleaning up the site, but the huge piles of rubble did little to improve the site’s curb appeal.
“This wasn’t an accident, was it?”
He shook his head.
“Who did it?”
“The people we’re after. The ones who have Sally. This is why we’re taking your safety pretty seriously.”
She looked up at him, her eyes weary, green, and friendless. She crossed her arms. “I was hoping the last few days weren’t real.”
He didn’t look away. Honesty was best served fast, cold, and straight up. “It happened. Your world’s sitting on its head. It’s possible, though, that we can put it back to rights.”
“Do you really believe that?”
Greer took two long breaths. His nostrils flared as he answered. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the bad guys don’t get to fuck with the good guys.”
The sigh she made relaxed her shoulders. She nodded at him. “Where’s my car?” she asked.
“It’s at my friend’s house.”
She got in the SUV. Greer shut her door, then went around to the driver’s side and got in.
She leaned back in her seat as she snapped the seatbelt. “I’m going on blind faith right now, you know.”
He put his shades on. “Yeah. I get the feeling it ain’t your first time on that ride.”
*
They rolled down the driveway and turned in a direction leading away from town. Before she could ask him where they were headed, he turned onto another driveway. She sent a questioning look his way, but his hard profile revealed nothing. There was no point asking him anything. She wouldn’t understand his cryptic answer anyhow.
She faced forward as they crested a hill. A huge, sprawling mansion came into view. A couple more SUVs were parked in front, along with her car. “This is your friend’s place?”
Greer pulled around to the garage. “We’ll take the back way in.”
“Are we allowed to be here?”
Greer grinned at her. “Try being anywhere else.” He parked off to the side. She got out, clutching her purse and laptop bag.
“I don’t have a good feeling about this.” She sent Greer a worried look, then caught his arm. “Let’s not do this.”
He pushed his shades to the top of his head. His cinnamon eyes reflected the light from the concrete drive, making them eerily bright. “I know there’s nothing I can say or do that will make you feel more comfortable.”
“For starters, we could not sneak into your friend’s house.”
A corner of his mouth lifted in a slight curl. “Maybe we’ll grow on you.”
And that made about as much sense as anything else he’d ever said. She followed him through the garage, where three more SUVs were parked. At the door to the house, he turned on the top step and put a finger to his lips, motioning her to silence. His eyes laughed, though, ruining his warning.
She followed him in, sticking closely behind him. As soon as the door opened, sound flooded them. Women and children and men and dishes clattering. And oh, the delicious scent of breakfast.
“Is this a restaurant?” she asked.
He looked back and smiled. “You’d think so.”
A middle-aged woman came into the kitchen with an empty serving dish. “Greer—you’re back.”
“Hi, Kathy,” he greeted her. “This is Dr. Remington Chase. She’s gonna be with us for a while.” He looked at Remi. “Kathy’s responsible for that wonderful smell you’re enjoying.”
Kathy smiled. “Dr. Chase. It’s nice to meet you.”