We didn’t talk much about Bastian’s plan, but me and Kai both thought it involved him giving us the Land Rover to make our escape. Alone.
“We have a few hours until the storm clears. Plenty of time to pack. We’ll be ready to leave as soon as the roads are clear.”
“Leave and go where, exactly?” Kai asks.
Bastian pauses mid-stir, staring at the scrambled eggs for a long moment.
“Haven, could you make us some coffee?”
“Yeah. Sure.” I hop off my stool and go over to the coffee machine. Bastian recites how to make us each a coffee, and I do my best to follow along. I nearly scream and drop the container when the milk steamer’s jets turn on, but I manage to hold it together.
When I set his cup beside the range where he’s cooking, he gives me an unreadable look, then murmurs, “Thank you, sweet girl.”
The endearment makes my heart flutter inside my chest. I don’t know if I like the feeling. It’sa lot…and I already have so much going on inside me right now.
“I have properties where my name isn’t on the deed,” Bastian says, his cup pausing by his lips. “Remote locations. Places where no one will think to look.” He takes a slow sip of coffee and then turns to look at us.
Kai and I exchange glances.
“Properties,” I repeat slowly. “Plural.”
“I told you I had money,” he says.
Fuck, that feels like it happened years ago. But, yeah, I do remember him lecturing me about money. How important it was that I learn how to invest and stuff like that.
“Okay, but…” I trail off, not sure how to articulate what I’m feeling. It’s one thing to know your—Partner?Otherboyfriend?—is wealthy. It’s another to realize he has multiple off-grid hideouts like some kind of Bond villain.
“How many?” Kai asks. His voice has gone flat and suspicious.
“Plural,” Bastian parrots, like a joke will make either of us stop the interrogation.
“Why do you havemultiplesecret hideouts?”
Bastian is quiet for a long moment. He turns back to the stove, pulling the skillet back onto the heat and stirring the eggs with more force than necessary. The smell of bacon sizzling in the nearby grill oven fills the kitchen.
“Because…sometimes I have to disappear.” He points to the bread. “Put some bread in the toaster please, Haven.”
My legs feel wobbly, but I obey.
What fucking choice do I have?
“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Kai’s voice is careful, like he doesn’t want to spook a wild animal.
“It’s none of your concern,” Bastian replies, just as cautiously.
“Bullshit.” Kai slams his palm on the counter, making me jump. “We just killed people!”
Bastian lets out a bitter laugh. “You think I care about your body count?”
“Why the hell wouldn’t you?” Kai demands.
“Boy, the fact that you two’ve killed a couple of people means diddly fucking squat to me.” Yet, Bastian’s spatula scrapes harder and harder against the skillet.
The two of them dancing around each other like this is making me feel sick and even more on edge than I already am. The last thing I can handle right now is them fighting.
I stare at the glowing threads inside the toaster, wishing I could go back in time and?—
What?
