Crave (Talon Security #1)(14)

“Oh, Sam, you can’t decide any of that right now,” she chided gently. “It’s all so raw. Give it some time.”

I looked at her with tears in my eyes. “Piper, Sid and I, it will never be the same. Not after what happened.”

“Maybe you’ll find a new normal,” she pressed. “I don’t know. All I’m saying is don’t make any major life decisions right now. How long are you planning to stay here?”

I looked around the expansive condo.

“In the construction zone? Not that much longer if I can help it.” I shook my head wryly.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before her green eyes reclaimed that fire I both loved and feared. I knew she wasn’t letting the topic drop, not yet. “Sam.” Her voice was firm as she waited for me to look at her. “I don’t know what the hell is going on with him, but I have zero doubt that he wants you.”

“Need I remind you that I was naked and waiting and he fucking ran away!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms up in exasperation, and in a move that was so very me, spilling the dredges of my cocktail. “Shit!”

She jumped up to grab a paper towel. “I’m not saying he’s not an idiot,” she clarified as she soaked up my mess.

I rolled my eyes, cracking a small smile. I could certainly agree with that.

“Why do you think he cared when you’d get hit on?” She grinned suggestively.

“He was always somewhat overprotective,” I replied, shrugging her statement off.

She laughed. “Not with me, honey. When I lived with you guys, he never once stopped anyone from hitting on me. No, that was all for you. And the man has no need for roommates; one guess why he lived with you and Cade for so long.” She cocked a brow pointedly.

I thought about that. Was she right?

“You could come stay with us,” she offered, and I took a deep breath, knowing my interrogation was over.

“Thanks. But I should face things here.” My eyes widened with realization. “And shit, I’ll need a new job.” I groaned.

She squeezed my hand in sympathy. “Just remember, you’re not alone. You have me and Caden. Your brother is out scouring the earth for revenge, and Sam—whether you choose to admit it or not, you have Sid too.”

After a few more cocktails, we made our way upstairs to share the guest bed.

“Thanks for coming, Pipe,” I said through the darkness before I shut my eyes.

“You’re welcome. Things are gonna be okay. You’ll see.”

In my tired, slightly drunk state, I could almost pretend that was true.

****

It’d only been a day since Piper had left and boredom was setting in full force.

Being trapped in the house all day without a car had me feeling suffocated. Plus, I’d been largely sequestered to the guestroom, based on the state of Travis’s downstairs living and kitchen space.

I’d only seen him briefly in the last forty-eight hours. He’d come in to check on me the previous evening and had told me they’d recovered the gift from my trunk, which did turn out to be the flawless canary diamond the Russians were looking for. It had been in a lock box, so even if I’d wanted to open it, I wouldn’t have been able to. Not that I would have peeked. That was back when I didn’t know Zitto was a scoundrel.

I had dinner ready when Travis walked in the door that evening. It had been a feat to make anything at all, since the fridge was in the garage and everything had to be made on his George Foreman grill. But I had persevered, damn it.

He took off his leather jacket, slinging it on a chair. “You cooked?” he commented in a surprised tone.

“Hey, I cook sometimes,” I replied, sounding mildly offended as I handed him a beer.

He eyed me knowingly. “You’re bored.”

“Maybe I just want to do something nice to say thank you for putting me up,” I replied defensively.

He stared at me with raised brows.

“Okay, fine, I’m bored,” I mumbled.

He looked around his condo. “I can see why this wouldn’t be the best place to be stuck,” he muttered dryly.

I didn’t really have a response to that, since it was true.

We sat in the kitchen nook and ate in companionable silence for a little while.

“Did you discover anything new?” I asked hesitantly. I knew they’d all been killing themselves to dig up as much information as they could.

“Zitto’s in the wind,” he grumbled. “Would love to get my hands on that motherfucker. We did talk with Camille. I’ve interviewed a lot of fucking people and I genuinely believe she didn’t know a thing about this,” he shared.

I was relieved to hear that. It was enough to know Zitto was an asshole; I didn’t want to think that his sweet wife had taken any part of this.