Aiden shakes his head. “I don’t think she’ll be opening up to any of us anytime soon.”
I lean back. He’s right; after today I doubt she’ll be useful to anyone.
“Is there no one who can get through to her? Someone she trusts. She’s feeling sidelined right now with my being here. Would it be better for me to go back to the loft?” I ask.
“No. This is the safest place for you,” Dax grumbles. “I want you here. I also had a chat with Ben today. He shares your sentiment that Sylvie needs a safe place with people she trusts. I’m thinking of taking her out to the country house. We’ll bring Mrs Grainger as a familiar face and get Sylvie set up in therapy again. She recovered there after everything with Celeste. It might be in everyone’s best interest to get her out of Harrison for a few weeks. Hopefully, figure out what happened in that hotel, and how much of a part she played in it all.”
Aiden sits up, piling the empty dishes on top of one another as though satisfied the conversation is almost done. “Do you trust the housekeeper to take her? Should I send a team?”
“No. The house is private. No one has been out there in years. She’ll be safe with me and Mrs Grainger for a while.”
“You’re going too?” I ask, strangely hurt that he’s planning on leaving me behind. Stung by his prioritising Sylvie yet again.
“Normality. People she trusts. She needs to know I’ve not abandoned her for my new girl.” Dax reaches out and strokes my hair. His expression is one of apology. He’s asking me to understand.
Aiden interrupts. “Well, as much as I agree with your thinking, the timing sucks ass.”
“What? Why?”
“I got a call today. Head office wants me to check in and report. It’s long overdue, and some number crunchers are calling for dates and deadlines. Not to mention, we need to hand in that envelope.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.”
Both of them? They’re both leaving me here? “How long will you be gone?”
“A week?” Aiden admits and then shrugs. “At most, ten days? God only knows. I could be there and back in four days if they keep it to one meeting,” Aiden estimates, hedging his bets.
“They never do,” Dax warns.
“Nope.”
“So, you’ll both be gone for over a week?” I squeak, anxious about what that means.
Dax realises too and shakes his head. He stands and moves the dishes to the washer, loading the machine as a means of avoiding eye-contact. “No. I’ll change my plans. Take Sylvie next week or when Aiden gets back. I can’t leave you alone.” But he still hasn’t met my eyes. He doesn’t think waiting is a good idea.
I do my best to ease his mind, despite my own concerns about being in this place without them. “I’m hardly alone. Ben is always nearby, and there’s a team stationed right downstairs. Plus, I have work to do now. I’ll be busy getting my courses started up and finding my feet with HU.” With each excuse I give, I realise I’m not lying. I have plenty to keep me distracted.
“She’s right. The compound is the safest place to be,” Aiden agrees.
“Frank will be around too,” Dax adds.
Aiden huffs. “Yeah, like that’ll help.”
“He’s a raging asshole, but he’s loyal,” Dax argues.
I interrupt them. “I’ll trust you then.”
Aiden starts making plans too. “I’ll put Cas on shadow duty. You’ll be able to call him any time, and he’ll be with you in minutes.”
Their worrying puts me a little more at ease. Which has me questioning whether I’m concerned about being unprotected or am I just worried about missing them?
“That all sounds like overkill but thank you.”
“So that’s arranged?” Dax asks.
“Yeah…” Aiden drawls, looking at me.
