Watch Me (Phoenix #1) - Stacey Kennedy Page 0,42

I can ever ask of you, but if you’re offering, I could definitely use the help.”

“Then, it’s done,” Rhys said.

Archer rose, and as Hilary followed, Rhys called, “Does your family know you’re planning on coming forward now?”

“No,” Hilary said over her shoulder. A powerful hardness in her expression. “I don’t particularly care either. I’m done playing by my father’s rules.”

Rhys inclined his head at her bravery.

However, Archer gave Rhys a look he’d seen before. We must tread carefully. The last thing Phoenix needed was Hilary’s father finding out about Rhys’s and Archer’s involvement, which in turn, could expose the club. Rhys never took these risks. But if he could bring hellfire down on Jake, there was no cost he wouldn’t pay for what he had done to Zoey. Rhys acknowledged the unsaid between them with a nod. He rose from his desk and leaned against the large double window, staring out again into the sunny day. The sky had been the same on the day Katherine passed away. He remembered that day vividly, the lack of power he felt, and that’s what drove him to always be in control now. To help those he could. To bring happiness to those who deserved it. But the one thing he hadn’t expected was Zoey and the way she changed him. The way she made him want things he hadn’t thought about since Katherine. But the last thing he wanted was for Zoey to lose herself like Katherine did. Zoey didn’t want to stay in New York City, the reminder of all she’d been through there, haunting her. How could Rhys ask her to stay for him?

“You deserve her.”

Rhys glanced over his shoulder, discovering Archer back in the doorway. His longtime friend had a soft gaze, obviously reading Rhys’ thoughts as he added, “Stop punishing yourself for all the things you can’t change, Rhys. She’s good for you. And you’re good for her.”

“Let’s hope you’re right about that,” Rhys said.

Zoey had spent the morning packing up some of her clothes, but by noon, she couldn’t stand the familiar lump rising in her throat. She had four clients today, but they were all late-afternoon and evening appointments. Needing to get out, she headed to one of Brooklyn’s most beloved cat cafés, The Hungry Kitty. While a part of her was excited to move home to her family in a few weeks, she couldn’t stop a question from repeating in her mind: Why did I meet Rhys now?

Why couldn’t she have met him months ago? Everything felt like it had changed. She didn’t feel like the same woman who’d decided to confront Jake and Scott. The woman who wanted to run back to her hometown. She hadn’t expected any of this, including how Rhys made her feel. He was a dream come true, a fantasy she didn’t know she ever wanted. And the thought of leaving this new life she’d found made that small lump in her throat a whole lot bigger. Because this wasn’t just erotic sex anymore; her heart felt tangled into the mix. Which was precisely why she’d asked Rhys to meet her at the café for a coffee. She could run and hide from her feelings, but she decided to confront them. See if what she felt was real, or if the fantasy of Rhys created feelings that weren’t really there.

An older couple strode by, hand in hand, and Zoey smiled at them as her cell phone rang in her purse. One look at the screen had her feeling terrible. Zoey had already missed one call and barely answered two texts. To avoid her mother sending the police over for a wellness check, she picked up. “Hi, Mom.”

“She’s still alive, thank goodness,” her mom joked.

Her mom’s voice was sweet and tender and could make Zoey feel better whenever she heard it. “Yup, alive and doing well,” she replied, leaning back against the brick wall.

“I hear that. You sound happy. Getting excited to move home?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zoey instantly realized her mistake.

Her mom caught on immediately. “That’s never a good sound, coming from you. Have you changed your mind?”

Had she? Undecided, Zoey stared out at the cute pug walking its human down the street, across the road, and admitted, “There’s just a lot going on right now. I’m excited to move home, but I’ve also got this life here that’s hard to walk away from.”

“You can always change your mind about leaving Brooklyn,” her mother said gently, the warmth in her voice seeping into