“Not even your brothers?”

He nodded. “No one.”

“What agenda do you have? What’s your endgame here?”

“No endgame. I’m being selfish; that’s all.” He tipped my head up, raising my gaze to his. His finger caressed under my chin. “I want you to come with me. That’s it.”

Oh. Well. When he put it like that, I knew my answer.

“No.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

I held still after giving Kai my response.

My heart pushed against my chest, beating hard, and he dipped his head in an abrupt nod.

“Fine.” He stood. His hand fell away from my face. His heat left my side. There was no comforting weight on the bed with me.

I shivered, feeling coldness in the room and knowing it was him pulling away from me.

“I’ll tell Tanner and Jonah to accompany you home.”

My mouth fell open. He left the room with quick and decisive strides.

He was actually doing it. He was letting me go, after what we’d just done.

The shock lodged firmly in my throat and remained there long after he’d left, long after I heard the door click shut behind him, and even when a staff person came in and began packing a bag for me.

I stood, shaking. “Those aren’t mine.”

“Mr. Bennett said to pack you clothes since your scrubs are gone.”

Right. Because they put them on a look-alike to trick Blade.

Everything hit me with a thud.

Fuck’s sake. I’d been kidnapped and now I was aching because I got to leave?

My head began pounding.

“You can go with him, you know.”

Tanner stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, one foot over the other.

“What?” I croaked.

He flicked his eyes to the ceiling. “I know what you smell like, darling.”

The back of my neck heated. I snuck a look at the staff woman, but she didn’t pause. She folded a shirt I’d worn every other day here. She knew it was one of my favored ones, then reached for another I liked.

“That’s none of your business, Tanner.” I stiffened.

“I know that. I just don’t care. Listen.” He gripped the sides of the doorframe and let himself fall forward, his elbows pointed out. He began pushing back and forth, his biceps bulging from the motion. “Yeah, how we brought you here was shitty. But you know our name. You wouldn’t have come if we’d asked, and you wouldn’t have helped find Brooke either. You know it. We know it. Kai’s the one who has to make those shitty decisions—but make no mistake, if it wasn’t him, it’d be me. We have a whole family full of sharks who want to come in and take what we have. We will not let that happen, any of us. We’re Bennetts. That means something, even with Brooke.”

He tipped his head forward, his eyes knowing. “And you know it too. What Kai should’ve done, and I’m assuming he didn’t, was emotionally blackmail you. He should’ve said there’s a damn good chance Brooke’s going to do something stupid when she sees him on that doorstep. She’ll get someone killed because she doesn’t act rational sometimes. She jumps before looking where she’s going. Kai could’ve said that, but he didn’t, did he? Chew on that a second, huh?”

I swallowed over a hard knot. “What are you talking about? Who’d get killed?”

He shrugged. “Take your pick. Brooke. Kai. Brooke’s man—and Brooke will then blame herself or Kai.” He pushed off the doorframe, turned, and slid his hands into his pockets. “You should go, my two cents, but what do I know?” He strolled away, whistling once he got to the hallway.

The woman was done. My bag was packed and in her hand. She waited beside the bed.

I was going to regret this. I knew I would. “Put that in the vehicle Kai is leaving in. I’m going with him.”

She nodded. “Of course. I’ll notify him now since they’re leaving the driveway already.”

“What?”

But she was gone, hurrying out.

I blanked a second, then went into overdrive. I couldn’t travel in my pajamas…or maybe I should? No. That was ludicrous.

I grabbed a pair of black leggings, an oversized black hoodie, a black tank top, a pair of underwear, and a bra. I went to the bathroom, changed, and washed.

What am I doing?

I slipped on a pair of black flats.

I have no idea.

Oh God.

My throat constricted. Panic clawed at my chest.

Grabbing a hair tie, I piled my hair into a messy bun and left my wing.

It took a second to figure out what was wrong.

I blinked, and it hit me. There were no guards.

I was completely alone.

Shit.

I didn’t have a phone. I wanted a phone. I needed music when I flew. I hated not having music. Or a book? Maybe I should’ve grabbed a few from their library, but I was already off and weaving toward the front entryway.

Was I making a mistake?

After what we did—my body instantly warmed, and I bit back a groan.

It was going to happen again. More. More would happen.

But Brooke. Kai. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Brooke would listen to me. She would. Tanner was right about that. She’d talk first, before doing something rash. Right?