Delilah, Kid, our baby.
We’ll be together. This is temporary. I’m not fucked up for experiencing this normalcy while they’re locked away. No, it’sforthem.
When I blink and look at my hair, I smile. It’s the same length as Kid’s. We’ll match now.
I must have zoned out because the barber removes the towel to shape up my stubble, so there’s no evidence of being trapped away from civilization for months. When he’s done, he quietly packs his things away, accepting the tip Lennox gives him with feigned shock.
“We have a meeting soon,” Lennox says. “Shower. Get dressed.”
I do as I’m told with the same reminder of Delilah, Kid, and our baby repeating in my mind. This time though, I avoid my reflection as he leads me to a room within the suite where a suit bag lays on the large bed. There’s a white Steinway in the corner of the room with gold inlays, which I avoid too.
Every movement is mechanical with the same mental reminder of why I’m here. I’ll need Niko’s help to give my family a life they deserve since he works with therapists at his club for people with sexual trauma. Hopefully, he won’t ask me questions about it. The therapists must follow some codes of discretion, considering his criminal affiliations.
Once I’m ready, I go back out to Lennox, who sits on the curved cream sofa, uncaring about all the luxury around him as he sips a coffee. The smell perfumes the air as he gestures to thesofa opposite him. “Sit down, little shadow. You don’t have to be afraid of me.”
Am I scared of him?
I didn’t think I was, but seeing how easy it is for him to accept everything around him is disconcerting. A monster’s actions can only be rationalized by someone who’s like them. He shows he does have a streak of humanity as he offers, “Would you like to shop for the boy or have the items delivered before we leave?”
“I’ll do it myself.”
He’s my kid. No one’s going to get him shit other than me. He doesn’t have a favorite color, so I’ll be able to pick things for him to choose from. They wouldn’t know he likes butterflies or playing with hoodie strings. Only I know because he’s mine.
The elevator pings, raising my heartrate.
Lennox stares at me as he slips through a pocket door in the open kitchen while two sets of footsteps make their way through the extravagant suite. The concierge leads a wide-eyed Niko through. The tattoos crawling over his arms, the cocky grin, and his blue-steel eyes examining the space don’t belong in front of the new me.
“Mr. Kadare has arrived for your meeting, sir,” the concierge announces.
Niko raises a brow at the snobby English accent. I nod, standing because I don’t know how to react, then quickly emulate my dad. “Thank you. Please can you make sure we’re not disturbed?”
“Of course,” the concierge says then leaves.
“Fuck me, kid.” Niko whistles. “This place is $50k a night.”
“Which you can afford.” I slip back into myself. “How do you know the price?”
“Doesn’t mean I’d pay it. I’m rich, not stupid, and I called to check, obviously. What the fuck else was I supposed to do when you made me fly in to see you? I was curious.” He stops in frontof me, grabbing the back of my head to check my eyes. “You good?”
“I’m good,” I lie, pulling away from him. “Why were you asking about my family?”
“Your last message said you were dealing with family shit but when I checked, they’re all dead, so I never knew where you were.”
“My dad had a distant cousin. We weren’t really close before,” I lie again, distracting myself by pouring a cup of coffee.
“Yeah, well, don’t pull shit like that again. You’ll make me insecure.”
“Insecure?”
“You know, make me question if I could have made you stay. If I did something wrong.” He bats his lashes as he pouts. “Or wonder why you ghosted me. Was I too clingy?”
“Yes,” I deadpan.
He stops acting like a jackass as he drops onto the sofa Lennox vacated. Stretching his arms across the back, he stares at me. “I know you weren’t on good terms with your parents, but you never mentioned they’d died.” He taps his temple. “How’s your mental?”
Fucked.
I lie to him like I always have when he’s tried to check in on me. “Yeah, I reunited with relatives at their funeral. It’s all very…”Sinister. Revolting.“It’s just taking a lot of my time.”
