Page 69 of Awakening the Beast
He searches my eyes before spitting in the sink, then wipes his mouth with a towel.
“If she wanted to fucking help, Wren, she would have by now.”
I look down, knowing he is right, and the thought hurts me that they’re still not willing to give the information that they know.
“Maybe or I hope it’s just a case of it being a very delicate situation or they don’t even know, Arlo. I hoping they still have our backs regardless.” I murmur.
“Would you meet us there?” I ask, standing straight and he pauses again. “They did ask for you to come, but I know we’re both working today on different jobs.”
He inhales deeply, his big chest expanding, but his gaze doesn’t meet mine. “Just send me the fucking address with a time and I’ll see what I can do.”
I smile gently, then tiptoe, kissing his cheek softly. “Thank you.” I whisper against his skin.
As I exit my car in the heart of New York City, I open my umbrella, shielding myself from the downpour of rain.
Well, the sun lasted long.
Once Joe closes the door behind me, I glance around briefly, taking in the bustling street until my sunglasses covered eyes land on the place I am meeting my parents.
I take the short walk with Joe behind me and as he pulls on the door for me, I cross the threshold, closing my umbrella.
“I won’t be long,” I say before entering fully.
I look around the luxurious, dark, yet quiet restaurant, which appears to be closed to everyone, but us and while stepping forward, someone offers to take my long, black trench coat before leading me to my parents.
When I reach the far back of the building, I notice them sitting at a table in the corner, a chandelier casting a warm glow upon them. As soon as I am close enough, they both stand, each giving me a hug and kiss before I take a seat opposite them.
My dad looks like his usual self, but I notice my mom today is in a very formal, black suit, and her eyes are also shielded by sunglasses, like mine.
“No Arlo?” my mom asks as she settles in her seat.
“I’m not sure. I gave him the address and time, but he was busy today.”
She nods in return and my dad lifts his hand to a waiter, singling for drinks.
“That’s a shame, we wanted to face him personally to clear the air.” she adds, and I sigh as I sink back in my seat.
“I’m going to be real with you both.” I glance between them, their eyes fixed and focused, listening intently. “I need your help.”
They glance at one another. “Honey,” my mom says.
“I mean it, Mom. We can’t move forward if this isn’t finished. You must know something, anything, even if it’s a crumb.”
“And what if we don’t have a crumb?” my dad says, capturing my attention and my mom looks away.
I look at him confused, “Nothing?”
“It’s complicated still. Everything is all over the place. I don’t want to bring any more trouble to you and Arlo without being one hundred percent sure in all this.” My mom asserts and it annoys me, so I glance aside with a clenched jaw.
She reaches out from across the table, taking my hands and I slowly slide them away avoiding eye contact.
“Wren, you must understand, what we do and what you and Arlo do are two completely different strategies. If we give you a name, you and Arlo will go straight into this, killing everyone in your wake, because that is what lower Elite’s do.” My dad says firmly and my eyes flash to his.
“Anything we tell you; you must keep it between us,” my mom adds, and my dad clears his throat beside her, trying to stop herfrom going any further, but she ignores him. “That means you keep it from Arlo as well.”
My brows pinch, ready to say no until she interrupts, “It’s in his best interest that he doesn’t know yet. Not until we can really get concrete evidence that this person is the one who ordered your hit. It’s vital he doesn’t know.”
My lips part, a small breath escaping me, but I don’t know what to say. I’ve been hounding on the poor man to be truthful with me and now I am being asked to lie to him about something so big?
