48. Remy
Chapter forty-eight
Remy
Not for the first time, I find myself marveling at my sister’s best friend as Kent and Rich lead her on a tour of the place, explaining the setup they’ve worked to establish in such an impressive amount of time.
The entire ground floor serves as common area—the therapists have their sessions in the former meeting rooms, and group sessions in the larger business spaces. A library has been set up behind the check-in desk, and the lobby seating serves as a space for people to curl up with their books. Little tables from the breakfast area offer a neutral gathering space between meals.
Despite their insistence that people have been asking about me, we don’t get swarmed as we walk through the hotel. In fact, most people just give us side-long glances, their eyes following our movements with unveiled curiosity. It’s Michael who breaks first, leaving us to go chase after a woman who shyly looked away from him before running up the stairs. I have half the mind to yell for him to leave the girl alone, but he’s been here when I haven’t. Besides, this isn’t my circus, and Michael isn’t my monkey. Not anymore.
“You’ve done well.” I tell Kent honestly as he leads us to the back of the building. He ignores me, opening up one of the doors to gesture to the enclosed swimming pool, where two guys are in the shallow end, sharing a close conversation. When they notice they’re not alone anymore, the smaller of the two pushes away from his companion, his face red as if he’s been caught doing something wrong .
Claire waves delicately at them, and then she notices the view beyond the pool and her mouth falls open in shock.
“Who’s the new girl?” The larger man in the pool asks, tipping his head toward her.
I assess him plainly, deciding he’s not a threat. His voice holds more curiosity than anything else, and the way he squints at her is predictably intrigued. I’m preparing to tell him to mind his own business when Claire introduces herself, kneeling on the concrete so she can extend a hand to them.
Her offer is met with hesitance on behalf of the smaller man, but the larger of the two only hesitates a second before standing to walk toward us. He’s younger than either of us, if I had to guess, though his dark eyes somehow make him look older.
“Luca,” he offers, slipping his wet hand into hers and shaking it.
“Claire.” She grins, glancing behind him to his friend. “And you?”
It’s Luca who speaks, jerking his head over his own shoulder. “Pollo.”
“Pollo.” Claire repeats, testing the name out for herself.
“Chicken.” Luca laughs. “Pollo means chicken. His real name is Pietro, I just call him that when he acts like this.”
Behind him, Pietro slaps the surface of the water, sending a ripple toward Luca that does nothing to stop him from laughing at his friends’ expense. Pietro dips beneath the water and swims further away from us, to the other side of the pool that looks out on the stacked mountains.
“Sorry about him.” Luca explains, dropping his voice. “He was locked up too long. It’s made him scared of people.”
“But not you?” Claire surmises, studying him.
“No.” Luca shrugs. “I’m just happy to be alive… to see the sky and not have to smell rot and shit.” He takes a deep breath as if to illustrate the point, then grimaces. “Sorry, I’m not great around girls…” His cheeks turn red as he reconsiders that. “I mean… women. ”
“I’m not great around people in general right now,” Claire says, so quietly I wonder if it was just meant for herself. Kent and Rich have fallen away a little, and I’m out of her line of sight, just enough that she’s in arm’s reach of me.
Luca smiles sympathetically. “Where’d they find you? You weren’t with us,”
“No,” Claire agrees with a laugh. “Remy found me in his room, actually.”
Something about the way she says it almost makes me want to laugh with her. It’s not much, but it’s the sweetest sound, and I’ve just now realized how much I missed it.
“Did someone put you there?” Luca asks, glancing from her to me.
“I’ll tell you the story sometime,” Claire promises, standing up and letting his hand slip from hers finally.
“I’ll hold you to it, new girl.” He grins, turning with a flourish to swim toward Pietro. She watches them together a minute, something more than a friendship hanging between them, and yet something untested, new.
When she turns to face Kent, I see something in her that I haven’t seen in months. Excitement isn’t the right word, though it’s something akin to it. Maybe eager, as she asks, “What else is there to see?”
Rich and Claire lead the way, and I should have realized that was a mistake. It gives Kent the perfect opportunity to fall back at my side.
“I’m surprised you haven’t gone yet.” I tell him, before he can say anything to me. “You know the jet is at your disposal.”
“Yeah,” Kent agrees. There’s less vitriol in his voice now than there’s been since I betrayed his expectations of me. Bringing up his wife has disarmed him, and now rather than him coming for me the way he’s been all day, he’s on the defensive. “I wanted to. Really, I did.” He laughs a little bitterly. “Rich told me it was a bad idea, and he was right. Every cell in my body wants to go to her, but she’s been in the same place for months. I saw her… photos.”
I watch him chew his lip, wondering how Wes’ friend helped him find photos of her. We’ve scoured the internet for even a trace of her, and we’ve got nothing every single time. “She looks good. Not broken or scared. She doesn’t have bruises or scars, and I don’t want her to—” He hurries to add that, lest he think I’m judging him. “But it’s got me worried about what they did to her mind. Just because she looks like she’s in one piece, doesn’t mean she is.”
I nod, knowing that all too well.
“You’re scared?” I surmise.
“Fucking terrified.” He snorts. “Wouldn’t you be?”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I absolutely would.”
For a moment, we share the silence. And then I ask, “So, when do we leave?”
“I don’t need your pity, Boudreaux.” Kent snips, turning away from me. “You said you’re done. Don’t break your principles on my account.”
“It’s not breaking my principles.” I tell him. “It’s unfinished business. I can do this one last thing for you, because you’ve had my back these last few months. Let me have yours.”
Kent considers me a moment, and then nods. “Dimitri is already working on a game plan. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”