Page 220 of Red Marked

It takes a few minutes for it to sink in. That’s what I’m doing. Lying here like a complete idiot, waiting for her to come and fetch her things.

I should be at the beach.

I should be anywhere but here, and yet I’m not leaving.

The remote is on the nightstand. I pick it up and put it down again. If the television is on, I might miss them.

So I lie here, and I listen to the air conditioner tick and the traffic below and someone’s shower running through the wall.

My eyes get heavy, so I get up and pace until I’m wide awake.

I’m about to lie back down again when I hear voices. It’s a pair of females laughing on their way to the elevator.

The sun has dropped behind the buildings across the street, and the sky has gone orange. The room is dim, but I don’t bother with the lights.

Then the elevator dings, and the doors slide open. Slow footsteps come down the hallway and stop across from mine. A card reader beeps.

One set of footsteps.

I open my door.

Jett looks up. He’s standing at Star’s door with a key card sleeve in one hand. He’s still in the same fitted shirt from this morning but with shoes on this time.

“Flint. Hey.” He comes over with his hand already out. “Did you have a good afternoon?” He’s chipper.

His handshake goes on for a while, same as this morning.

“Fine. Where’s Star?”

“She’s at home,” he says, smiling. “With her folks and Koda. Flint, you should have seen it. Her mom screamed and cried for ten minutes straight. Her dad couldn’t even speak. Then Koda walked in and dropped his bag in the doorway.” He shakes his head, grinning. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It was so incredibly heartwarming.”

“I’m so glad.”

I wish I could have seen it. It wasn’t my place.

“It was perfect. I told her to stay with her family while I fetched her bag. She was having such a good time with them. There was no way I was dragging her out of there.”

He lifts the key card sleeve like it explains everything.

“Her mother’s making her famous chicken lasagna,” he says. “It’s one of Star’s favorites. So we’re eating there, and then we’re heading home.”

Home.

I shove my hands deeper into my pockets.

“Okay…great. Is she coming back with me to the clinic tomorrow?”

“No.” He gives me an apologetic smile. “She’s happy, Flint. She’s home and exactly where she belongs.”

The back of my neck goes tight.

Why hasn’t she told me? A message will probably come in soon.

I’m a little shocked.

“She loves those females,” I say. “She’s kept them alive for five years. She’d want to be there when we go in for them. Are you sure she said she was staying?”

“I said the same thing to her.” He steps closer and drops his voice. “She rates you highly, you know. She couldn’t say enough good things about you on the drive over to her folks. She’s confident you’ll handle it.” He gives a small laugh. “I was starting to get jealous, which is so silly.” Then the smile goes soft and serious. “She’s only just gotten her family back. Please don’t pressure her into leaving them so soon. She needs this. She also needs to rest.”