Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
ARLO
Confidential — Personal Use Only
OBSERVATIONS:
Emerging personal feelings towards her are growing.
“What?” I grumble at Boston as he eyes me.
“You really like her,” he says, sounding surprised. “She called the police on you, got you arrested, and now here we are, waiting for her to arrive so we can check on her friend. This is not like you.”
He has a point, but I don’t bother answering him. I’ve only just admitted to myself that I want Cora more than I’m letting on to everyone else. I’m against breaking the rules, but for her, I’m willing to break every single fucking one in the rule book. And that is a significant issue.
“You can’t even say it out loud.” He laughs just as Cora’s car pulls up. I immediately walk over and open the door, only to have her friend Sebastian be the first person I see.
“Why, aren’t you a gentleman,” he coos, batting his lashes as he climbs out.
That’s when I see her, still dressed in her skirt from work but no longer in heels. As she slides across the seat, I can’t help but let my gaze fall to her legs.
“Arlo,” Cora says as I offer her my hand. She takes it, and I’m genuinely surprised by the action.
“I like it when you say my name, but I like it more when you use your manners,” I tell her, and she blushes. “You remember Detective Boston?”
“Yes, thank you again for coming out. I let myself in yesterday and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I know you probably can’t go in without her permission, but I do have a key.”
“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t,” Boston replies. We already decided that he will do whatever is necessary to assist. She unlocks and opens the door, then calls out to Delaney. When there’s no answer, she turns back to us.
“Come in. I’ll turn the lights on.”
Boston enters first, careful not to touch anything as he slides on a pair of gloves. Sebastian and I stay outside while Boston looks around, with Cora following him.
“Cora likes you, you know,” Sebastian says, and I turn my head toward him to find him watching me. “And I know you like her too. So, why are you keeping secrets from her?”
“She’s told you I’m keeping secrets?”
“Yes, among other things.”
“It’s for her safety, not because I wish to hold something back from her.”
“Have you told her that?”
“Not in so many words,” I tell him just as she appears in the doorway. Cora rubs her hands up and down her arms as she stands there, staring out at the street. Then Boston calls out to her, and she disappears again.
“She’s closed off to many people, but I’m gathering you already know that?” Sebastian asks as he pulls out a cigarette. “Since, you know… that’s what you do for a job,” he adds as he puts it to his mouth and lights it. “Want one?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “And, yes, I’m well aware of how closed off she is.”
“You seem the same.” He smirks as he blows out a puff of smoke. “So, one of you will have to come to the party for the other. Otherwise, it will just be another fling.”
“It won’t be a fling,” I state.
“If you say so.” He looks toward the door. “She told me someone has been sending her mother flowers. Have any idea who that could be?”
“Seems you already know.”
Sebastian nods slowly. “It wasn’t hard to track down the florist and ask. I haven’t told her yet though. In case you were wondering. So, why do you send her mother flowers?”
Why do I send her mother flowers? Because I’m thankful to her for producing a wonderful fucking woman.
I know Cora is doing everything on her own.
It’s also why I paid for her care. And while I understand she won’t accept help from anyone, it’s nice to give it in small increments, even if she doesn’t currently know it’s me.
“Because I know she would never accept them.”
Sebastian chuckles. “You are very correct there.” He blows out another puff of smoke as he continues staring at the house. “Do you think something bad has happened?” he asks.
I decide not to give my usual blunt response, even as my gut instinct is telling me something feels off about all of this. “When did Delaney contact you?” I ask.
“Her last message was several days ago. She just said she wanted time by herself.”
“Well, let’s hope it’s just that.”
I think about how pissed off Rylas was when I took off one of his fingers during the hunt. But he should know better than to threaten what’s mine. If it happens again, it’ll be his fucking head, not a finger.
“If it’s worse…” Sebastian trails off, then continues after a moment. “It’s just… Delaney tells Cora everything. There is nothing they don’t share with each other. And she isn’t even answering her calls.”
“Boston is the best,” I reassure Sebastian as I pull out my phone and text Soren, asking him about Rylas’s current location.
He sends back a question mark, and I reply that I’ll tell him more later.
He then proceeds to send me a screenshot of his text message to Rylas.
While I know, for a fact, Rylas would ignore me, he would never ignore our Lord.