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Mykie smiled for what felt like the first time in a week. "Maybe you're right. I may be able to just sweep it under the rug and continue working with him."
"Good." He paused as he stood up again. "I want this company, Mykie. Do whatever it takes to make sure we can have it."
Mykie nodded again. "I'll do my best."
When she got home, it was early in the morning. When she came through the door, she couldn't resist searching the apartment for Jezebeth before Mykie finally settled down in bed and went to sleep. When she woke up, she went back to her routine lately of trying to keep herself busy by cleaning their apartment. For only two girls living there, it was surprising how dirty the place could get if someone didn't make the point to clean. It was after she was done with the kitchen and put the coffee maker on that she had a sudden revelation.
She hoped Jezebeth wasn't purposely avoiding her. Mykie hadn't noticed anything that changed in Jezebeth's room, but what if she snuck in when Mykie went to Pearl's to grab the things she needed? She was the closest thing Mykie had to a sister, and she couldn't help but be afraid that that night changed that.
She sighed and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. No, she was being irrational. Jezebeth just needed time away. Time to come to terms, and if Dexter helped her do that, who was Mykie to get in the way of that?
Mykie had the urge to call Dexter to see if Renly had said anything to him after Les Beautés and whether Dexter told him anything. It had been a week of radio silence on her part toward all the boys out of fear of what Renly might have told them.
She resisted calling him, however. She couldn't make it about her boy problems when her best friend was hurting.
She opened her eyes and balled her fist. None of that would have happened if she just pushed Renly away like she told herself to. She would have never accepted that dinner date, and she would have never figured out the Vultures' plan. Adam would have lived to see another day and Jezebeth wouldn't have lost her father.
It was her fault that Jezebeth was hurting, and she couldn't do a thing about it. If she wasn't so selfish, she could have avoided the entire night.
She wiped at the angry tears that started to fall and poured herself a cup of coffee. It was always her stupid fault. Being around her led to nothing but trouble and misery for everyone involved. It was the main reason she threw herself so hard into her work and the Cantil before. If she never came up for air from the paperwork and missions, she wouldn't have to feel responsible for anyone else. But in a matter of two weeks, she's gone and thrown all that effort of the last few years out the proverbial window. She had more responsibility than ever with the Cantil and Caspar.
Caspar was the only one she contacted beyond the text that she sent that she was going to be busy with work, just to tell him that she was safe. He had, of course, tried to get her to say more but she couldn't. Not until she was in a better state to be what he wanted.
To be who he thought he was in love with.
She pushed away from the kitchen counter and went down the hall to the bathroom. She needed to wash away all the misery and grime she was feeling, and nothing was better than a relaxing shower. When she got out, she needed to stop thinking about herself and start thinking about what she needed to do to fix the problems around her on her own.
Stripping off the clothes from the night before, she turned the shower on until it was so hot that she could barely stand it. She needed to burn away the negativity that was going on in her head.
She stood under the hot water and rested her forehead against the wall as she let the water run down her back, avoiding her injured shoulder. She had to come up with a plan on how to handle Renly. It was funny, now that she thought about it, that she was so worried that Blaine would tell everyone about her. No, she ended up exposing herself before he had a chance. Maybe luck was on her side and Renly mentioned it to him? Then she wouldn't have to be the one to explain it to Renly or be there when he realized that she wasn't who he thought she was.
She washed her hair slowly as she thought about the boys. How could she be stupid enough to think she could lie for that long? They were bound to find out, whether it was Blaine who blabbed or Caspar who slipped up. She knew the risks of being around someone for too long. It put them in danger, but she tried to ignore that until the targeted attack on Chance in public. It was obvious that she wasn't cut out to be impulsive and selfish. Everything was fine when she just kept to herself and left the happy moments for everyone else.
She wanted to bang her head on the bathroom wall. This was getting her nowhere, so she needed to distract herself outside of her shower. Just as she turned the water off, she heard her cellphone ringing outside the bathroom door. She quickly jumped out of the shower, towel-drying herself before she threw on her robe. She hoped it was Jezebeth. Maybe she finally caught her sneaking in.
Running down the small hall, she slid on her feet as she skirted around the kitchen doorway.
Her heart went to her throat as she slipped onto her butt. At her table sat Ryker, dressed exactly as he was the night before. In front of him laid her abandoned jacket from the night before and her abandoned coffee, which he lifted to his lips and took a sip.
"You need better taste in coffee," he murmured. He took another sip. "I had to put in more sugar."
Her phone stopped ringing on the table.
"What…" She choked, unable to form a proper sentence. "Why?"
He looked at her like she had two heads. "Because it tastes bitter without any sugar."
"No," she said, shaking her head rapidly. "Why are you here? In my house?"
His expression hardened. "I saw that your friend went home with your other friend. Every time I've seen you since, you've been alone. I didn't think you should be home alone."
"So, you what? Broke into my house?"
"Of course not." He grinned, lifting the mug to his mouth again. After he took a drink, he set it down again. "You aren't good with hiding your spare key. Almost everyone puts it under the mat or in the plant next to the door."
"Huh," she said, but she was suddenly worried about who else might have figured that out. She had a feeling that someone had been watching her apartment lately, and she should have picked up on someone else being in her apartment before almost running into them. What if it wasn't Ryker and someone who intended her harm?
"Don't be so worried," he said, before taking another sip. "It's my job to be unseen when I'm trying to gather information, so I notice things many people may not."
