“No, but they are safer. It’s too soon to send you back out there. We have no idea what Ali Koskos’s plan was, or why he took you in the first place. I won’t risk him taking you again. Or anyone else, for that matter.”
I can’t tell her that I believe he took her because he’s working with my father, and my father arranged it because he wanted to provoke me. That would also require I explain to her why or how they’d believe that taking her would affect me so badly.
I still don’t like the fact that my father worked out what she meant to me.
Georgie stabs her fork into the noodles on her plate and sticks out her bottom lip as she sulks over my refusal.
“Did you get some new clothes?” I ask, redirecting her thoughts.
“Do you like my dress?” she sasses back at me.
“I meant other clothes, day-to-day clothes.”
“This isn’t day-to-day?” she asks, sounding shocked.
I chuckle, shaking my head. I dish up some food for myself.
“If you wore that every day, you’d have to deal with men falling at your feet, offering their lives, their belongings, everything they own just to be around you,” I muse, but when I see the look on her face, I realize just how honest I’ve been.
Dammit.
She smiles, but this time it’s a radiant, genuine smile. No sass. No attitude.
We eat in silence for a little while before she starts pushing the issue again.
“But seriously, Kris. If I don’t get back to my real classes, I’m facing the genuine risk of flunking. I’m struggling with the online classes. They are only meant to be a short-term backup for emergencies.” Her voice is strained with worry. She’s being honest. I can hear that this isn’t some ploy.
“Georgie, the risk…”
“The risk of me flunking after I’ve spent years working so damn hard for this…you have to understand what this means to me. This is my life. My future. Mydream,” she adds.
I clench my jaw, closing my eyes and mulling over the fact that I can’t say no to her when she asks like that.
“Fine,” I huff. “You can go to class. But I want a copy of your schedule. I want to know where you are planning to be at all times.”
She doesn’t need to know I already have that information.
She squeals and jumps from her seat, almost knocking her glass of wine over. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she says happily, and a wide smile spreads over my face.
Early the next morning, Georgie comes hurrying down the stairs with a heavy book bag over her shoulder. I’m already waiting for her at the door.
“Let me take that,” I say, pulling the bag from her shoulder.
“Oh, that’s not necessary. I’m used to carrying it,” she argues, trying to tug it away from me.
“I’ll carry it for you, Georgie,” I say sternly.
She laughs and shakes her head. “What’s the point? It’s not like you’re going to be following me around all day carrying my book bag.” She rolls her eyes, walking out towards the car I’ve given her.
“We’re taking my car,” I comment, placing my hand on her waist and steering her in a different direction.
“What?” she snaps, coming to a stop. “Are you driving me to campus?”
“Yes. I’ll be following you around, making sure you’re safe,” I remark casually.
“What? No. You’re not coming with me,” she says in horror. “You can’t come with me.”
“I can, and I will. Otherwise, you aren’t going.” My voice is calm as I tug the passenger door open for her.
