“Hey, sis.”
Relieved that she was finally setting eyes on her sister beyond just a quick glimpse, and happy she was talking to her, she smiled in return. “Hey!”
Fiona took a seat in a rocking chair by the porch swing. “I didn’t want to interrupt you reading, because I know how much you hate that, but I wanted to say I’m sorry things didn’t go well with Cody.”
Brow furrowing, she shook her head with bewilderment. “What makes you think I didn’t have a good time?”
Smile fading, Fiona searched her eyes. “You came back really quiet. Almost scared. I just assumed he wasn’t the man you thought he was or something.”
“No, he was really great. I guess I just got scared of trusting, ya know?”
Lord, why was she defending him? She had been scared of him—of what he’d turned into. Of all the women in the house, her sister was the one she should be able to tell everything to, right?
Although, her words weren’t necessarily lies, either. Cody had been great. Amazing, really. It was only the whole, turning into a gorilla that wasn’t really a gorilla, part that scared her.
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I can understand that.”
Suspicion rose up inside her as she studied Fiona—suspicion that she hated with a passion. Things had been so different between them since the kidnapping. That was the one good thing that had come of that.
But she couldn’t help wondering if their issues were as resolved as she’d assumed they were. The way her sister had acted since she met Cody seemed to suggest they weren’t.
“Fi… me seeing him doesn’t bother you, does it?”
“Are you kidding?” her sister replied, giving her a strained smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I think it’s great. I really do. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Are you sure? Because I don’t want to do anything that might hurt our relationship.”
“You’re not, Liv. Everything’s fine between us.”
She wasn’t sure that was the truth, but before she could press the subject, the sound of gravel crunching under tires met her ears. Turning her head, she saw Cody’s truck coming up the drive, and a mixture of fear and anticipation rose up inside her.
He was early. But as much as she was eager
to get this conversation behind them and know the truth once and for all, she hated not being able to question her sister further. Because if a miracle happened, and she was okay with what he was…
Well, she’d want to pick up where they left off. And how could she do that when it could hurt Fiona?
Fiona stood quickly, drawing her attention back to her. “Oh, I didn’t realize you were seeing him tonight. I can’t… I’m not ready… I have to go inside. I hope you have a good time.”
Before she could protest, her sister was gone. Exhaling heavily, she stood, knowing there was nothing she could do about it right now. Belly churning with a nauseating mix of fear, worry, and anticipation, she put her phone in her pocket and lightly ran down the porch steps, walking down the sidewalk to meet Cody at his truck.
Moving quickly, she went to the passenger side and slipped in before he could get out to help her.
She didn’t think she could touch him right now. She just wasn’t sure if it was because of fear or because she was worried that if she did, she’d forget she had any fear to begin with.
His touch had a habit of doing that to her.
“Thanks for seeing me and giving me the chance to explain,” he said, his smooth voice a bit rougher than usual, and more subdued.
“We needed to talk. Let’s go.”
Ignoring the women peeking through the window, she sat still, her hands in her lap, as he turned the truck around without comment. It didn’t take them long to reach their destination, but she felt every single moment down to her core. It seemed to take forever and no time at all, all at once, before they were pulling up to the other side of the lake.
Unclipping his seatbelt, he turned to face her, and she did the same. He didn’t say anything at first, just studied her closely, the half smile she loved so much nowhere in sight.
Her nerves were stretched thin, and she didn’t think she could handle a moment more of not knowing what he was. “Okay. Talk to me. What the hell are you?”
Exhaling roughly, he scrubbed a hand over his already mussed dark brown hair. “It’s a bit complicated.”