She nods and looks out the window, avoiding my gaze. I drive down the street, turn off Main Street, and stop at Savage Ink. Bree is out of the van before I even get fully stopped. I jump out and am one step behind her as she gets to the door.
“What are you doing?” she asks, staring at me.
I open the door and gesture for her to go in. “I’m going with you.”
She doesn’t budge. “Why?”
I shrug. Hell, I don’t know why. I should stay in the van and mind my own business, but there’s something inside me that wants to see where she is living.
When I don’t answer, she stomps past me, walks up the stairs, and unlocks the apartment door. I go in behind her, leaving the door open as I walk into the open concept living room kitchen area.
She mumbles, “I’ll be right back” and leaves me standing there.
I look around the bare room, disappointed that it’s so empty. This is nothing like the place Bree lived in in New York. It was decorated with personal items and pictures everywhere. It screamed Bree. This doesn’t.
I’m looking around, trying to sort things out in my head when someone calls from the doorway, “Who the hell are you?”
I pull my shoulders back and stare at the man covered in tattoos. “Who the hell are you?”
He walks into the apartment, holding some kind of Tupperware dish. “I asked you first. Where’s Bree?”
As soon as he says her name, I practically ignite. I step toward him, toe to toe. “What business is it of yours?”
We’re glaring at one another when Bree comes into the room, hopping on one foot, trying to put her shoe on as she balances on her other leg. “Logan, stop. Logan, this is Aiden. He owns Savage Ink. He’s my landlord.”
She gestures to me. “Aiden, this is Logan… my boss.”
Aiden’s face breaks out into a smile. “Oh, shit. I should have recognized you as one of the Brody brothers. Nice to meet you.”
He holds his hand out to me, and I shake it grudgingly. “You always just walk into Bree’s apartment when you want to?”
He smirks, not the least bit offended. Instead of answering me, he turns to Bree. “Sorry, but the door was open, and when I saw Logan standing here, I was worried it was one of the guys from the city.”
“What guys from the city?” I blurt out.
Aiden looks at me round-eyed and then turns back to Bree. They both stand there mutely, not answering my question, so I repeat it. “What guys from the city?”
Bree finishes tying her shoe and stands up. She’s wearing black leggings and a long green shirt with the Stronghold Security logo on the chest, and her hair is in a ponytail on the top of her head. “No one.” She looks at Aiden and points at the Tupperware. “Is that for me? Gracie said you were going to drop off something.”
He nods proudly. “Yep, she made some cookies to help you sleep.”
Bree avoids looking at me. “Your wife is the sweetest. I’ll call her later to thank her. And thank you for dropping them off.”
He nods and looks between Bree and me again. “Gracie told me to tell you that if it will help, you can stay with us.”
I grunt, and there’s no hiding my obvious disagreement with that. “Bree, we should go.”
She nods. “Right. Thank you, Aiden, truly. But the apartment is perfect, and I appreciate you and Gracie so much. Please tell her I’ll call her later.”
He nods, and after a few more niceties, he leaves. I’m openly staring at Bree as she walks to the still open door. “You ready?”
I follow her out, and it’s not until we’re in the van and halfway across town that I break the silence. “What was that about?”
She’s looking out the window. “What?”
I groan, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “The cookies, the offer to stay at his house, the guys from the city. All of it, Bree. What was that?”
CHAPTER 8
