“I don’t have an answer for that—I just know she is mine. I haven’t felt that with anyone before, so it is what it is for now.”
Area nods, and I know he is trying to work things out in his head. He likes to think he doesn’t have feelings, yet at the first sign of trouble with Kayla, he is offering to help. He can say it serves his purpose all he likes, buthe’s full of shit.
As I pull up at Kayla’s place, Mabel is on the front porch with a watering can. She looks over at us as we get out of the truck.
“You again,” she says.
“Hi, Mabel.” I stop at the bottom step. “This is Ares.”
“Hello,” Ares says, stepping forward and smiling at her. He uses a tone that makes me want to laugh. “I’m sorry to come by unannounced. We work with Kayla, and she asked us to check something in the loft this morning. She mentioned there might be a maintenance issue with her window lock.”
“Oh no, she saw me last night. The poor dear thought someone was in her loft. I feel terrible.”
“Don’t feel bad. We are going up to fix it and make sure she’s safe.”
Mabel looks at me again, but I say nothing. Ares is doing fine without me.
“She works too hard and comes in so late. I worry about her.”
“She does work hard,” Ares agrees. “She mentioned you keep an eye on her, and she’s very grateful. It’s so nice that Kayla has people she can trust.”
Mabel sets down the watering can. “I’ll get the spare key.”
I look at Ares while she goes inside.
“She loves you,” I say, and he smiles at me.
Mabel comes back and hands the key to Ares. She tells us to leave it under the mat when we are done and tomake sure we lock up properly. She looks at me directly when she says the last part.
“Of course,” Ares says. “Thank you.”
She goes back to her plants as we take the stairs two at a time. Once Ares opens the door, I see the loft is exactly how we left it last night. I set the equipment bag on the table, then start at the front of the room and systematically work my way back, while Ares takes the bathroom. We check over every surface. Inside the smoke detectors, inside lamps, every place there could possibly be a listening device, but nothing. I return to the bed, where I found the chalk, and run my hand along the underside of the frame, still coming up empty.
Ares is standing near the window when I come out of the bathroom after double-checking it, even though he already swept it. He is staring at the street below, his hands in his pockets.
“Clean,” I say, and he nods.
I pack the equipment away and stand in the middle of the room. Whoever was here was careful. “Let’s keep this between us for now. I don’t want to worry Vero, not until we know for sure what is going on.”
Ares grunts in agreement, mirroring my mood.
The drive home is quiet, and I know Ares likes to think everything through. By the time we get back to the house, everyone is gone. We leave our bags and set out to see where they are.
As we walk toward the visitors’ side of the island, Vesper passes us, muttering to herself.
“Hey have you seen Vero and Brawley?” I ask.
“They are beating up their new little pet.” She doesn’t elaborate and continues her frantic pace.
Both Ares and I pick up speed. Why would Kayla get in the ring with Brawley? He’s not the kind of man who’d go easy on anyone, not even a woman.
When we get inside the shed, we find Kayla in the ring. She is still in my shirt, with it now tied up at the waist in a knot, and she’s wearing a pair of Brawley’s shorts that look two sizes too big, sitting low on her hips. Vero is perched on the side of the cage, so I lean against the side and watch as Ares stands beside me.
Kayla moves first and jabs at Brawley, but he slides away too fast for it to connect. He adjusts his stance, and she throws another combination. He blocks the first hit and catches the second on his forearm, grinning at her.
“Stop smiling, it’s unsettling,” she snaps, circling him.
“I smile when I’m having fun.”