Page 87 of What Remains

“What was I saying?” I rub my arms, trying to chase away the chills.

“Nothing that I’ll say yes to,” Dad grunts.

My hands drop to my lap. “Oh, right. You’re moving out. You and Natasha should have some privacy, and you need to sleep in a bed. I see you holding your back when you think we’re not looking. Getting old.” I wink. “The couch won’t cut it.” I lift my chin as a directive. “I’m sure Jesse and Ella won’t mind switching to another suite so you can take the one next door.” When Dad continues to stare at me like I’ve lost my mind, I go ahead and embarrass him. “Come on, don’t act like you can go another night being so close to Natasha, and yet not being able to⁠—”

“Don’t go there.” Dad raises his hand to stop me from continuing. “Please don’t talk about⁠—”

“Sex around you?” I laugh, grateful the mood’s no longer as heavy. Not for me. Dad’s probably gonna lose it.

“I should”—Easton hikes a thumb over his shoulder, because he’s for sure embarrassed—“go.”

When the door shuts behind him, Dad swivels back around as Natasha quietly picks up her tablet from the couch, leaving me to face off with her growly husband.

“Any chance the reason you want to be alone is because you actually don’t want to be alone?” Dad leans in, jutting his chin forward, eyeing me like there’s caution tape flapping in the breeze between us and a dead body on the other side. Just might be if I’m understanding what he’s trying to say without saying it.

“Oh sure, I have every intention of sneaking a guy into my room. Maybe I’ll accidentally invite the traitor in, too.” I roll my eyes. “You do remember I’m turning twenty-eight in March, right?”

“You’ll be my little girl until the day I die.”

“And that means?”

“That means your father is going to be a pain in your ass forever.” Natasha smiles. “I’ll go tell Ella we’re taking over their suite.” Dad opens his mouth to protest, but she steps forward and covers it with her hand. “This is one of those times you’ll be doing what I say. Your daughter doesn’t want to be suffocated.” She narrows her eyes, and when he hesitantly nods, she lowers her hand. “Understood?”

Best stepmum ever.

“And if the traitor does happen to be someone on the staff? Someone who’s armed?” Fair point from Dad.

But . . . “No one on the security team is crooked.” Hopefully, I’m right. “I trust Malachi, and he’s in charge of the security team here. He won’t let anything happen to me. If someone tries to come to our floor who shouldn’t, he’ll sound the alarms, trust me.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I should talk to him myself. Have him look into his unit one more time and see if he can find anything on them.” Dad turns to Natasha and draws her close, whispering something in her ear.

“And this is why you two need to be alone.” I make a mock gagging sound, but then crack a smile that neither sees, because they’re too busy lost in each other’s eyes.

“Don’t open the door for anyone you don’t trust,” Dad tosses out a few seconds later.

I resist a childish, Duh, and wait for them to leave before snatching my mobile.

Are you okay? Not sulking about that heavy conversation, are you?

Easton: Because someone knows us well enough to realize you’d be even more miserable than you already were because I was off playing pretend with another woman? Is that why you think I’m sulking?

Easton: No clue what you’re referring to. Why would I be sulking?

You know I already read the message you unsent two seconds too late.

Easton: Plead the fifth.

Of course you do.

As I wait for Easton’s response, I hide the open tab on Bodhi’s friend, unable to stomach looking at anything tied to that man.

Easton: If I apologize for making you miserable, you’ll tell me it’s not my fault. Why waste a perfectly good apology on someone who doesn’t want it?

Fast learner. But I’m also texting because I need something from you later. Just say yes.

Easton: Details before I respond. Also, I’m still waiting on a new profile pic of you.