The Revenge by Tijan

“Shut up.”

He started to say something but stopped. “What?”

“Shut up.” I moved in, spreading my hands over his chest and then around him, and I tipped my head back even farther. We were flush against each other. “I don’t know why you came back…”

He groaned, his thumb moving to my bottom lip. “I had to.”

“But I’m so thankful you did. I need you. I think I need you more than ever right now.”

“Bailey.” A sigh from him.

Not good. I recognized that sound, and only bad news was coming on the end of it.

I stood up, going to my tiptoes, and I looped my arms around his neck. I was ready to go full spider monkey on him if I needed to. I’d climb up his body, my legs and arms would wrap around him and become like glue. I didn’t have real glue, so I’d have to meditate that I was glue. Power of the mind. I’d be embracing it real quick if he tried to disentangle me.

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m going to have to do another ‘shut up’ moment here, because Kash, shut it. Seriously. You came back and I’m not letting this chance get by me. You have a brother.” I gently shook him, smiling up. “A brother. That’s huge news. And a twin. What’s he like? Are we talking identical, and if we are, how identical? Why aren’t you excited about finding out about this guy? I’d be doing cartwheels. I’m pretty sure I did when I found out about my family.”

He’d been staring at me, a lightness starting in his eyes, until I brought up the brother.

The light went out then, and he stiffened. He reached up, taking my hands in his, and gently unclasped them from around my neck. “It’s not the same situation.”

He took another step back.

I tried not to be upset about the distance, but I was aching for him.

He needed me. He just wasn’t letting himself need me right then and there.

He shook his head, his whole face sobering. “The problem with my sibling versus yours is that I know yours are safe. They weren’t sent to break into your home and don’t have the ability to kill your loved ones.”

I stopped short. “Your twin can do that?”

His eyes flicked up at that, before a short laugh slipped out. “The thought of him hurting you…”

“Hey, hey.” I went over to him, catching his hand. “Stop, okay?” First things first here. “Do you accept my apology for telling you to go away?”

“Of course, I do. But you can say that…”

Another squeeze to his hand. “You know that I love you, and I don’t want you to leave my side again, even though I know you have to.”

He opened his mouth to say something.

A third hand squeeze from me. “Just nod. We’re getting in a cycle here.”

A rueful grin from him, but he nodded.

We were moving forward. Blastoff.

“You know that I know you have to go and do scary things, and I’m okay with it, but I’m going to worry about you.”

He groaned. “I don’t want to leave your side.”

I waved that off. “But I’m guessing you don’t want to take me with you, either?”

“Want to? Yes. Hell yes. Can I? No. If something happened to you … I can’t risk that. Not after everything that you’ve already gone through and suffered. I would be selfish if I did.”

I nodded. “I get that. I do. But…” Team Batt. I didn’t want Kash upset with me because of things I would be doing. “You have to understand that I can’t sit and do nothing here. Right?”

His eyes narrowed. “Are you talking about your drunk night with Matt?”

I laughed, a lightness shifting in my chest. “No. I mean there might be a situation where we could do something to help you, here, on our end, you know…”

He gave me a dark look. “What are you planning?”

I shrugged. “Nothing. Just if a situation happens to show itself and we can do something to help out, I want you not to worry about me. Or Matt.”

“Matt?”

“Or whoever might be around who can help me. You know.”

There was a long beat of silence between us.

Kash was studying me. I was more trying to look at him, but also not looking at him, because he could see through me and I didn’t want him to derail us from going after Quinn.

“Bailey.”

“Hmm?”

“What are you planning?”

Oh, screw it. A whole rush of air left me and I capitulated. “I have to do something. Something! I’m going crazy not doing anything. You’re off being all dark and dangerous, and well … let me help, too. Quinn is here. Her court case is happening, and we haven’t gone after Camille Story at all. You handle big and scary Calhoun and we’ll handle Quinn here. Deal?”

I held out my hand.

He stared at it, then at me, back to my hand, then to my face. His head tilted to the side and he raised an eyebrow. “I am not shaking on that.” A whole whoosh of disappointment flooded me. “But do what you have to do. Just don’t get in trouble, and my God, please listen to your guards. I have them on you for a reason.”

Did he …

Holy crap, he just did!

“You’re okay with it then? Matt and me going after Quinn?”