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Daisy purses her lips begrudgingly. “Maybe.”
Callen waves at her sheepishly. “See you around, kid.”
We all file out to find Stephanie and Seb wrapping up their conversation.
“We’ll see you in a few days,” she says, wiggling her fingers in farewell. “We’ll be in touch.”
As the three of them pass, I can’t stop myself from reaching out and grabbing Daisy’s arm. She winces like I’ve burned her, causing me to drop my hold instantly.
“Can we talk?” I ask. “Please.”
“We have to go,” she says, then offers me the tiniest hint of a smile. “Maybe another time.”
I nod, stepping back while Bram’s hand rests on the small of my back. I can’t push her. She’s not ready yet, but the ghost of a smile gives me something I haven’t felt in a long time. Hope.
Maybe we could rebuild our relationship one day. I’d like to be part of their little family and get to know my niece. But, for now, we have to remove the major obstacle standing in our way.
Alaric.
CHAPTER 20
CALLEN
Ivy hasn’t spoken since Daisy left hours ago. Even her loyal servant, Bram, has been shunned and shut out of her room. He keeps going in every half an hour to check she’s alive. When he’s not sniffing around, Seb is dropping off food like her own personal snack bitch. Man, she has her claws sunk deep into their balls.
“How is she?” Freddie asks.
He, unlike the others, is sensible enough not to disturb her. Not that she’d welcome being around him, anyway.
“The same,” Seb replies glumly.
Since when did our life start revolving around a sexy redhead? Granted, I can’t get her out of my head, but we need to have some fucking dignity. What happened to playing hard to get?
“I have a suggestion.” I roll my eyes. “Maybe you should give her some space. It’s what she wants.”
“How would you feel if you found out your sister was alive and everything you thought you knew was a lie?” Freddie snaps.
I shrug. In my head, I answer: pretty fucking good. If I found out Tilly was alive, I’d be ecstatic. Although Daisy’s survival is good news for Ivy, I can’t trust her or any of the Killers Club scum. The others lapped up their story, but it’s not the first time we’ve trusted the wrong people. Either way, Seb’s made up his mind, so I have to go along for the ride and pick up the pieces if it all goes to shit.
“It’s like a fucking funeral in here,” I say, standing to stretch. “I need some air.”
If we are to believe her, Stephanie should be diverting the Killers Club’s attention away from our hiding spot, so it should be safe to go outside.
“It’d be best if you stayed.”
“I’m not your fucking prisoner, Seb,” I snarl.
He’s my new boss, but no one can cage me. I’m a free spirit. Being stuck inside these four walls is driving me insane, and I’ve eaten my way through the room service menu twice already.
“Don’t go far,” he relents, knowing he’s fighting a losing battle.
I hold up my hand in a Scout’s honour pose and chirp sarcastically, “I won’t, boss.”
I slam the door behind me, deciding to explore the vast hotel instead of going outside, but not because Seb told me to. I just need to catch my breath away from those three arseholes.
I try the emergency fire escape at the end of the corridor and slip into the stairwell unnoticed. Hotels always have a good space on the roof. I climb higher and higher until I reach the top of the staircase. I expect the door leading onto the roof to be alarmed, but it isn’t. I push it open, and a crisp gust of air hits me. I inhale deeply: pollution, homeless people, and rain. We’re far from the Highlands.
Across the roof, a dark figure stands, peering over the edge. Shit. I wanted a breather, not an opportunity to talk someone off a ledge and tell them about how great it is to be alive. I’m about to slink away and leave them to do whatever they came here for when they turn, and I see her red hair rippling in the breeze.
