“I don’t know. I know nothing.” He shakes his head rapidly. How he ever thought he was capable of kidnapping is beyond me. I’ll thank my lucky stars every day that I was the one he captured.
“You’ll learn, butterfly. Come on. Let me show you another really cool weapon.” I lead him down the hall toward a few katanas I’ve collected from actual samurai. By the time I’m done prattling on about them, Ansel yawns.
I stop abruptly. “Oh shit, I’ve bored you. Come on, let’s take a break from the tour. Let’s just rest for a bit.”
He nods, and I pick him up, carrying him down to the living room and situating him on the couch.
“Just so you know, I wasn’t bored. I’m just tired from everything.”
“I know,” I say, stroking his face gently.
“Can I have my phone?” he asks when I place a blanket over him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I speak slowly, knowing he’s not going to like my answer.
He worries his lip with his teeth. “I have to let my best friend know I’m okay. If I don’t, then he’ll come looking for me.”
“Is this the N from the wall?”
“The same one.” I hesitate, and he adds, “We have a rule. If we don’t hear from one another for three days, then we panic.”
I tuck the blanket in closer around him. “Well, we wouldn’t want that, now would we? I’ll have to speak to my brothers about this.”
“Good. Thank you. I just wouldn’t want you to be subjected to his panic mode. He gets really mean when he’s upset.”
“Have you disappeared before?”
He gives me a sheepish look. “Yeah, kinda. Was stupid and went on a bender once. He found me in an abandoned house outside of town. I was pretty out of it.”
I don’t like that. Not one bit. “You still go on benders?”
“No, I don’t do drugs anymore. I learned my lesson. That was not a fun recovery.”
I clasp the back of his neck and pull him closer. “I’d find you faster than three days.”
“I don’t know if that’s possible. If I wanted to disappear and never be found, I could.”
My eyes narrow at that. Is he threatening me? Or maybe he just wants to play. I do love a good game.
I kiss his forehead. “There’s no need for you to disappear. Stay here and relax while I go talk to my brothers about your phone.”
“Thank you, Titan,” he says drowsily, and my heart flutters at the nickname.
It must mean he’s serious about me.
I watch him intently until his eyes drift shut and his breathing slows.
Then I set out to track down my brothers.
13
CADE
I don’t have to go far, just to Wylder’s office. I know he’ll be there. He’s always working. He takes his job as the oldest brother very seriously. It’s sad when I think about it sometimes. His life is The Firm and nothing else. I have my obsessions, but what does Wylder have besides this?
Well, he has Candace, I guess, but she doesn’t count. Not when his life would be far better without her in it.
I don’t knock, just waltz in, seeing not only Wylder here but Samson, Matthias, and Dalton as well. Who knows where Harley’s slipped off to? Probably went to Matthias’s house to flirt with his chef some more.
