Page 37 of Resolve
“Or board members,” Kellan adds with his mouth full.
Dane shakes his head. “Let someone else go, then. Kellan. Or, hell, Fabian could do it with his next food delivery.”
“No. It has to be me. And... Portia wants to help.” I'd told her about Alice yesterday, and Portia jumped at the chance. She’s already planning on being here for it later this afternoon.
“She attacked you last time,” he argues.
“At first, but—”
“Who knows what she’s thinking now? What if she’s changed her mind and wants to try hurting you again?” Dane clenches his hands.
“I don’t think she will. Besides, Portia and I can handle it.”
Aiden finally speaks up. “Okay.”
Dane’s eyes widen as he whips his head over to him. “Okay? Aiden—”
“But you’ll take Jack and Dane with you,” Aiden finishes.
I frown. “She’s not going to open up to us then.”
“I can’t tell if I’m relieved or annoyed I don’t get the invite,” Kellan drawls.
“If she uses her gift, then Jackson can find her, and Dane can mute it. I don’t know enough about how Portia’s gift works and if she has to see the person to use it on them. And I’m sure you don’t intend on destroying the apartment or hurting her with your gift, so the other two are the safest option,” Aiden explains. “I can’t help it if that makes her uncomfortable. Your safety—and those of the Guild if you’re offering her a trip to the Hall—are non-negotiable. Considering she tried to kidnap Dane, then attack you, she shouldn’t be surprised we’re taking extra precautions.”
Dane looks as thrilled as I am with the decision. Kellan chuckles and drops his fork to lean back, spreading his legs and arms wide behind him. “What’s the matter, Rapunzel? Afraid of a feral teenage girl?”
“Of course not,” he heatedly counters. “I’m more worried I’ll strangle her if she spouts crap at Rae again.”
“No one is strangling anyone,” I cut in, then swing my gaze to Jack. “Or threatening, stabbing, cutting, or otherwise maiming her.”
The person I’m most concerned about being in the same apartment with her again is him. He’d almost stabbed Ethan—my friend and the bar manager at Hype—for trying to take my hand. He’s already threatened to cut her tongue out for what she’d said to me.
Jackson balances the tip of one of his throwing knives on the table with a finger. I don’t know when or how he’d pulled one of those out so quickly during this conversation, but now he’s smirking and toying with it.
“Jack.” I know he heard me, but he doesn’t say anything. “Jack.”
“As you wish, little one.” I almost breathe a sigh of relief, but stop short when he continues, “Unless she threatens you again.” The knife twirls between his fingertip and the table.
I give Aiden a look that clearly shows how much Idon’tthink their presence is going to help her warm up to me and Portia. He stares at me head-on when he says, “I agree with Jackson. We’re not taking any more chances.” With that, he stands and excuses himself as I stare after him in disbelief.
It’s dinnertime when we arrive outside the apartment where Alice has been staying. Aiden had moved her from Harvey’s apartment to one on a different floor. To separate her from the bad memories and because he’d had all the flowers and gifts from his funeral moved there. The apartment remains open now for Guild members to visit Harvey whenever they want.
I knock three times. “It’s Raegan and a couple others. Can we come in?”
“Go away!”
Dane scoffs behind me.
Portia cups her hands around her mouth and then holds them against the door. “Knock, knock! It’s just a couple gal pals and some delicious food to eat! And two guys we can ignore who’re going to sit in the corner because you attacked Rae and they’re worrywarts!”
The plastic bags rustle as Dane drags a hand down his face. Portia had instantly handed him the Chinese food when she’d arrived, declaring that he could hold them for us. Shockingly, he hadn’t argued and took them.
Jack’s been silent as usual, his hood up to hide his face, and his hands tucked into his kangaroo pocket while following our little group as our shadow.
“I already unlocked it when we came out of the elevator,” Dane reminds me as if we hadn’t all seen him do it. I’d hoped to get her consent to enter, but maybe that was being overly optimistic.
I open the door and peek inside. She’s nowhere to be seen in thehallway or from what I can see of the living room. “We’re coming in, okay?”
