I nodded.I know, and I do not care.
“Come in, and I’ll give you the first month free,” he offered.
Not happening.
“That’s very generous of you.”
He seemed to brighten up at that, and I waved, then turned my back to him and picked up my phone.I was going to ignore this, but my willpower was shot.I wanted to see who had been texting and calling me.
I clicked the text message alerts from the number and scrolled up to the first one.
Unknown: Cressida, it’s Kash.Please answer your phone.
Unknown: I just want to hear your voice.Please.
Unknown: Songbird, you’re killing me.
Unknown: I am begging you.
Unknown: I need to talk to you.
Unknown: Don’t punish me.I didn’t know Bane had taken you.No one will tell me where you are.Oz gave me this number, and it’s all I have.Please talk to me.
He didn’t know?But … the lavender phone.Bane wouldn’t have cared about my favorite color, much less known what it was.
I chewed up my bottom lip, rereading the text several times before I decided to respond.
Me: I’m at work.
I hit Send, and dots immediately appeared.Had he been sitting there, staring at his phone?
Kash: I need to talk to you.
Shit!Why did he have so much power over me?My heart was already racing in my chest, and the first smallest hint of anything close to happiness was starting up.
Me: I can’t talk while I am at work.
I let my finger hover over the Send key and debated saying more, likeI will call you this evening.But I didn’t need to say that.I shouldn’t call him.Hearing his voice would only hurt more.
Kash: What time do you get off?
Dammit.
Me: Five.
Kash: I’ll call you then.Are you okay?Safe?
I was safe, but I hadn’t been okay in years.What did that mean?Okay.If it meant breathing, then sure.I was okay.
Me: I’m safe.I have a good job.I like it.I’ve made a friend.
I hit Send and left out the fact that my friend was a canine.
Kash: At five, answer your phone.
Bossy.I set the phone down, not bothering to respond to his command.But I’d answer.Just like I hadn’t made it thirty minutes before reading his text.I had no control over my actions when it came to Kash.
Dr.Carmichael had received a call on his cell phone just after three and had to leave immediately for a personal house visit.He had a few clients, I’d learned, that he went to them.They didn’t come here.He never took any files with him when he went either.I didn’t ask since it wasn’t my business, but I admit the way he responded so promptly was intriguing.
