“Still?” she whispers, fear and hope twisting in her eyes.
“All the time,” I reiterate, my words softer, but still fierce. “But I’m still sorting this out, Kai. I just found out about all of this last night. You can’t just run every time we fight. If you hadn’t been on tour, I would have been at your door every day begging you to take me back, even knowing you didn’t want to see me. Knowing that you may have even hated me. It wouldn’t have mattered. I’d rather live with your anger and disappointment every hour of every day than be apart from you. All I’m asking is for you to show me you’d do the same.”
She’s off the stool and standing right in front of me as soon as my last word hits the air, her scent wrapping around me. Her eyes connected with mine, setting me on fire. Her hands cup my face, forcing me to look at her.
“Then you’ve got it.” The words are husky and breathless. “I want you to forgive me. I need it like air, Rhys, but I’ll be here living with your anger until you’re ready. I’ll take whatever you think I deserve, just don’t stop loving me.”
It’s a compulsion, my hands sliding down her waist to grip her hips, to pull her close. I press my forehead to hers, taking in her strawberry-scented breath.
“Pep, I—”
The door swings open, and Bristol walks in, dark hair scraped back, all suited up, stiletto heels clicking across the marble floor. Her steps falter for a second when she sees us standing so close. I reluctantly put space between Kai and me, returning to my breakfast.
“Morning, Bris.” I grab Kai’s orange juice and take a quick gulp to soothe the third degree coffee burn.
Marlon’s right behind her, his face more somber than I’ve seen it in a long time.
“Marlon, what’s up?” I take a bite of the toast smeared with preserves from Glory Falls. “Didn’t know you were coming. Did I forget a session or something?”
“I called him.” Bristol helps herself to a piece of toast and peers at the jar of preserves like it’s under a microscope.
“It’s strawberry preserves,” Kai says with a tiny smile. “I have pear, too, if you want that instead.”
Where Bristol hesitates, Marlon dives right in, grabbing two pieces of toast and loading them up with preserves. Grunting and nodding at how delicious it is.
“Grip’s here because I thought you might need some back up.” Bristol rolls her eyes. “Or at the very least a babysitter to make sure you don’t end up in jail, and I don’t trust Gep with that responsibility.”
“Jail?” I stop chewing. “What the fuck?”
“We found Drex.” My sister passes a glance between Kai and me. “Took Gep no time. Drex is in Topanga, just where San last spotted him.”
I spring to my feet and scrape the remains of my breakfast into the garbage disposal, the satisfying grind only making me wish it was Drex’s head I was shoving down that dark, greedy hole.
“Gimme the address.” I lean against the sink, arms folded across my chest. I can’t even look at Kai, who went completely still as soon as Bris shared her news.
“I hope it’s okay that I caught Grip up on some of what’s happening. Not all,” Bristol says. “You can tell him what you like, but I don’t want you going to see Drex alone.”
I shrug, avoiding the sympathy and the questions in my best friend’s eyes.
“Gep will be with me,” I remind her.
“Gep’s ex-CIA. Just as likely to water board Drex as you are, if it comes to that,” Bristol says. “Besides, you need someone who will keep you, not just safe, but out of trouble.”
“And you choose this pothead to keep me out of trouble?” A small smile quirks one corner of my mouth. A full on grin spreads across Marlon’s face as he chomps on a piece of bacon.
“I’m all you got, dude.” The grin slips a little, and he glances at Kai, whose head is bent over her plate. “You’ve wanted to kill him before, and I’m always the one who stops you.”
Maybe not this time.
“There’s something else you should know.” Bristol heaves a deep breath before looking at me. “The rental property Drex has been hiding out in, it belongs to John Malcolm.”
Kai’s head snaps up, and her wide eyes find mine.
“What?” I run my hands over my face and through my hair. “Are they working together? Is he protecting him for some reason?”
“I’m still figuring that out,” Bristol says, a grim, determined set to her lips. “But we’ll get to the bottom of it before the day is over. That you can be sure of.”
My wheels are spinning like a windmill in a tornado.
“Where are we with that other project we discussed a few days ago?”
“What other—” Bristol’s eyes light up as her brain makes the same connections mine do. “Far. We’re already far down the road with that project. I’m waiting to hear back from one last person. Should be done by the end of the day.”