Maybe if I prayed that he did, I’d stop feeling all these weird things about him.
Because thinking about his cock wasn’t helpful, I cleared my throat. "I mean, I was toying with keeping it as a fail safe. What if I ever needed to get to you in an emergency, you know? But these attacks have been going on for too long. Your security’s been strong enough so far, but I noticed a pattern. They’re trying to get to you specifically."
"I’ll work on shoring up the defenses."
I almost choked on the words. "I’ll help you."
He almost choked on the words. "I’d appreciate that."
We both gusted out a big breath at the same time.
Silence fell, then he muttered, "I finished up with Savannah’s phone. I can’t believe you let her keep her old model."
He didn’t sound triumphant, more disapproving, and I squirmed again. That shouldn’t be hot. It really shouldn’t be hot.
"I dropped the ball," I admitted to him when I’d admit that to no one else. This was the second time I’d done so, each instance had been about Savannah and her security.
She was family, and I’d sent her out into this shit show with a target on her back.
I really hoped these mistakes with her safety weren’t a Freudian slip. My brain, which functioned at a high level, purposely choosing to let her down like thenoxxiousfamily had let me down…
I really hoped I wasn’t that much of a bitch.
"We’ve both been dropping a lot of those, haven’t we?"
"That’s what happens when you’ve got to keep juggling so many things at the same time." I shrugged. "It’s a fact of life, but these situations... they’re life and death.
"We’re both tired, we’ve both been barely sleeping, and we’re working constantly. We’re at the end of the marathon, but that doesn’t mean someone couldn’t still beat us to the finish line."
I heard his breathing on the other end, so I knew he hadn’t hung up, but he was quiet for a long while before he murmured, "Do you trust me, Star?"
I paused at that. "I trust you as much as I’m capable of," I explained slowly.
Which was not only true, but concerning.
"I trust you as much as I’m capable of too," he replied. "We’ve teamed up against the Sparrows but we’re both acting as individuals, aren’t we? Instead, I think we need to act as a collective."
"I’m listening."
"I think we need to have each other’s backs more. We both have other things we need to concentrate on. For me, Acuig and Five Points, for you, well, I’m not sure but I’m certain it’s terrifying—" I grinned at that.He knew me too well."—but with the Sparrows, we can join forces more. When you’re working on it, I can sleep. When I’m working on it, you can rest."
Slumber was such a simple concept for most people. I wished it were that easy for me.
Maybe, if we slept more though, we’d both be able to react faster, hit back harder, and be more responsive in general to the constant flow of information that was streaming our way.
Even if I’d seen proof that his defenses were lowered, he was the only person I’d trust my vendetta with. He was also the only person who’d ever understand how hard it was for me to rasp, "I think that’s a good idea."
"Right. We’ll figure the next steps out but I need to give Savannah her new phone. She just came back."
I blinked. "I need to speak with her. Put her on the line?"
He hummed. "Two secs."
The call disconnected, then a number flashed up on my screen that was different than Savannah’s usual one even though it still used Savannah’s name on the Caller ID, and I answered.
Before I could say anything though, I listened in to Savannah’s outrage at having her phone cloned and rolled my eyes.
Seriously.