"Nope."
"Not right at this second, but later. When you're ready. And if we run, it's going to make things worse."
She groans. "When you did it, you wanted to go and not come back."
"Well, you wanted to go back to Enzo. And then look what happened."
"So?"
I don't point out who rescued her, who was beside himself over her being taken. She won't listen to that.
But I still try to reason with her. "You owe it to yourself to talk things out with Enzo."
"What if I don't want to and want to leave with you?"
"The thing is, if we go, we'll be on the run, hiding. And I'm pregnant, remember? Much better for us to just walk when we've talked to Enzo. Whenyouhave. You've got a career you want, a school that, if you get into it, will shoot your career into the stratosphere. I think a little talk with Enzo is worth you having that."
I don't point out the fact that no court will let her go off with me, let alone Mario or Enzo.
She bites her lip. "But I'm not ready for it. I don't want to talk to him."
"Then don't. But it's time to go back. And I'll make sure you'll have your space. I promise."
Lyndall rolls her eyes. "You know as well as I do...Enzo doesn't know the meaning of the word."
"But he can learn."
"OMFG!" Lyndall just says the letters, and she points an accusatory finger at me. "You've forgiven him."
"No, I haven't," I say, lacking conviction. "I just..."
Thing is, he's controlling, obsessive, everything I ever said and flung at him. But he loves Lyndall. And nothing, no one, or any fact will stop him from loving her or seeing her as his sister.
Like nothing will stop him from loving Squish.
"I just think he's trying."
"You're in love with him. I knew it."
The words nestle inside me. "It's not... I just... Listen, I know he's trying."
"Explain why Jack's here."
"He was sent by Cade."
She gives me a disbelieving look. "By way of my broth—by way of stupid Enzo."
But something isn't right here, I know that.
Just like my stomach twists at how long we've been here. Because when you are in danger, how long is too long?
I take a sip of my cooling tea. "You know, Lyndall, if it was your brother behind this, and you could be right, but would he send Jack?"
She folds her arms and pouts.
Her shoulders lift. "He might."
I glance at Jack.
