We said our good-byes and watched from the front steps as Heath drove outthegate.
“So we’re onlockdown...”
Rhett winked.“I’ll make sure itdoesn’tsuck.”
I raised both eyebrows.“What if Iwantto?”
45
Rhett
“Doyou think this is the right decision?”Ari asked when we walked back in the house, all jokingaside.
I thought of how Heath had hugged her, shooting me a look while hedidit.
The look said,Don’t let anything happen to my baby sister, motherfucker.It was because of my respect for Heath and my need to keep Ari safe at all costs that I didn’t demand to be out there running downleads.
I wasn’t used to letting someone else take charge.I was always the guy in the field, chasing the bad guys, finding the answers, and making shit happen.But with one decision, I found myself locked down.It should piss me off.Make me itchy.Make me want to get out of this house.Because not only did it limit my ability to help Ari, it pushed my own case to the backburner.
But none of that mattered in comparison to hersafety.
I wouldn’t do it for anyone else, but it was becoming clear that I’d do anything for Ari.I thought about what I’d said to Mount in a moment of pissed-off frustration.I’d dieforher.
It was the truth.No second-guessing.No take-backs.
Ari wasgood.She was smart and funny and sweet, and deserved the best life could offer her.She made me want to be a better manforher.
“Rhett?”
I pulled myself back into the conversation.“This isn’t how I normally work, but I can hang back and let you takepoint.”
Ari’s bottom lip went sideways, and I knew from watching her that she was biting the inside of it.“You’re only saying that because you know if you were out there, I wouldbetoo.”
I couldn’t lie to her.She was too smart, and it wouldn’t get me anywhere.Only barefaced honestywould.
“If staying locked in this house with an army of security around us keeps you safe, then we’re staying here and not leaving until thisisover.”
Her lips settled into a flat line.“But what about your dad?Are you going to be able to figure out what happened to him without being out there and investigating inperson?”
I rounded the table to pull her intomyarms.
“We’ll attack it all from your domain and dig for the information no one wants us to find.One way or another, we’re gonna take thesemotherfuckersdown.”
46
Ariel
The curtains were drawnand empty take-out containers littered the table.The scent of mint and cilantro hung in the air from the Thai food we’d just devoured.Part of me had expected Rhett to be the meat-and-potatoes guy I’d always thought he was, but he surprised me by suggesting Thai and then ordering likeapro.
The surprises were refreshing.For years, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Rhett Hennessy, but it turned out there were so many more layers than I ever realized.The pedestal I’d put him on for all those years was firmly crushed when we started talking football and I realized he didn’t root for theSaints.
“How can you be from New Orleans and not be a Saints fan?”My tone was aghast as Who Dat Nation ran in myblood.
Rhett shrugged.“I grew up watching the Cowboys with my dad.His dad raised him onthemtoo.”
I shot up from the table.“I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.”I grabbed the take-out containers and whirled around to take them to the trash, playing up themoment.
He followed me into the kitchen and trapped me against the island.“You need me to reintroduce myself?Because I’d behappyto.”