There was a small-theater-sized screen in the living room, and a sectional couch that had a bed in the middle so it was one giant square.
I couldn’t imagine this life.
Mine had not been like this. There’d been wealth, yes, but everything was overshadowed by my parents, by my father. I’d slept in the hallway most nights, a blanket with me and nothing else. I’d had to sneak back to my room each morning.
I’d had a chef who cooked for me, but it wasn’t normally what I wanted. It was whatever my father ate and left behind. I was never allowed to eat with him. My mother usually took her meals in her room. If she didn’t, she still couldn’t eat with me, only with him. So while I’d also had a gilded cage growing up, a line of terror had run through my background.
I didn’t remember a time when I wasn’t scared my father would snap, find me, send for me.
I didn’t feel that with Kai.
Maybe I should’ve.
I should’ve feared for Blade’s life. The logical part of my brain told me to think about that, but my instincts told me he was safe, just as I was.
I let out a breath and reached for the remote control. I was changing the channel when I heard a soft knock on my door.
I looked over from the couch. “Yeah?”
I expected a guard to walk in with dinner. It was that time, and they always knocked. If I didn’t answer, they told me my food was outside the door. Of course they were there when I opened—if I opened—the door, but they never came in unless I granted them permission.
This time the door opened and Kai walked in.
I sat up straight, my heart slamming against my chest.
It’d been three days since I ran from him. I’d had no word from him since.
He looked good.
I tried not to notice, but I did.
My eyes ran over him, taking in the way his shirt fit his chest, showing the leanness of his stomach and falling in just the right place over his pants. He looked all business, his hair combed back. I had to pry my eyes away from the rest of him.
I didn’t want to see the knowing smugness in those dark eyes, or the smirk that curved his mouth.
“Where’s Blade?” I scowled.
He stopped. I heard a soft sigh before he took a seat on the couch parallel to me. He leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs, his hands folded together over his knees. He angled his head toward me, a shadow falling over half his face.
“I brought a chef in. The guys said you haven’t eaten dinner yet. Would you have dinner with me?”
I frowned. “You’re not telling me? You’re asking?”
“I’m asking.” He inclined his head. “Tanner and Jonah are coming later tonight as well, if you’d like to have drinks with them.”
I studied him, really studied him.
That wall was there, but there was more. A lightness? But that didn’t make sense, not for someone like Kai Bennett.
Still, I was curious.
I sat up, stiffly, and shrugged. “Sure. What time?”
“Dinner will be in thirty minutes. Will you have enough time to dress?”
I scanned over his clothes. He could’ve been on the cover of a fashion magazine.
I sighed. “I’m guessing you don’t do dinner in sweats?”
A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “For the right occasion, always.” He stood, nodding toward the closet in the bedroom. “There are dresses in there, or you can dress however you like. I know Tanner and Jonah will be coming from a night at the club. It’s your choice.”
And with that said, he strolled out.
I hated to admit it, but it was good to see him. It was good to see anyone, talk to anyone. The guards didn’t count. Though I’d considered trying to have a conversation with them.
Okay.
I had tried. They ignored me.
Hearing Tanner and Jonah were coming gave me a little kick of excitement too.
I missed Blade. I missed Carol.
I missed my routine of going to work, working out, and being a Hider operative.
I missed my normalcy, which wasn’t that normal, but it was to me.
As I dressed, I knew I needed to question Kai about Blade. I wanted to make sure he was safe, was okay, and if I could, talk Kai into letting him go.
I was nervous and grew even more so when I’d picked the outfit I was going to wear.