“That’s just the thing,” he admits. “I don’t know what you can do to help. All I know is that she’s not interested in anything I have to offer and I’m just hoping that you might be able to come at it from a different angle.”
“I—” I slump back into the couch, racking my brain to come up with something I might be able to do to drag her out of the darkness. But only one thing comes to mind.
“Whatever you’re thinking, I need you to do it,” D says, obviously able to see the cogs turning behind my eyes.
“You’re not going to like it,” I confess.
“Right now, I don’t care, Styx. I need to know she’s not drowning and I figure her being with you, having you keeping an eye on her is a hell of a lot better than her locking herself away. So whatever you need to do, do it.”
* * *
Two hours later, I pull up outside Evelyn’s house. The lights are on downstairs. Cassie is expecting me, but the woman who’s hiding upstairs behind her closed curtain, drowning in her own misery has no idea.
Ryder was pissed when I told him that I was going to do this alone.
He was desperate to follow, but we had no idea if D was going to watch my attempted abduction of his sister so we figured it was probably wise not to make it so blatant that Ryder is just as big a part of Kat’s life now as much as I am.
Sucking in some confidence, I push the door open and head for the house.
Cassie must have been watching me because the front door opens as I walk toward it.
“Didn’t think you were ever going to show your face.”
“There isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. I just needed to sort a few things out.”
“You mean we,” she says with a cocked brow.
My chin drops in shock but then I remember what Ryder told me about the morning in the hospital.
“She needs you. Both of you.”
“Thank you, Cassie. For being here for her.”
She shakes her head, a sad smile playing on her lips.
“I just wish I could do more.”
“We’ve got her,” I state, heading toward where I know she’s hiding.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I’m soon standing at her door, listening to the silence within.
Rapping my knuckles on the door, I wait for something, anything. But there’s nothing.
“Kitty Kat,” I call. “It’s me. Can you open the door, baby girl?”
Silence.
“Come on, baby. I need to see you. I need to know that you’re okay. Everyone is worried about you. Diesel is worried about you. Your aunt Cassie. Ryder.”
I swear I hear movement when I say that final name, and although it makes my chest ache, I’m mostly glad it has some effect on her.
“Please, baby. Just open the door for me.”
“Go away, Styx. I’m not interested.”
Fuck.
The pain in her voice wrecks me. All I want to do is pull her into my arms and never let go.