Code Name: Aries by Janie Crouch

26

Ian

I’d known Wavy’s whereabouts every single moment since we’d gotten her back. I had round-the-clock security on her. I’d run it past Finn, although I hadn’t been asking his permission.

Wavy Bollinger would have a full-time Zodiac Tactical security team watching her for the rest of her life.

She would never again be taken against her will. It didn’t matter what happened between her and me, this would be a service provided for her for as long as she would allow it. Hell, even if she wouldn’t allow it, I would probably still keep a covert surveillance team on her.

At some point, I was going to have to leave her alone—that became more evident every time I visited her and she stayed so distant—but I would ensure her safety until the day I died.

Since I couldn’t be at Wavy’s side twenty-four seven like I wanted, I’d thrown myself back into running Zodiac Tactical and tracking down any leads having to do with Mosaic. Especially Bronwyn.

Erick Huen had gone to ground. The bastard would show back up eventually, and when he did, I would take him down post fucking haste, whichever way I had to.

If that meant hiding his body where no one would ever find it, I’d have a sandwich and a beer afterward.

I was back to working twenty-hour days. It helped drag my mind off Wavy instead of obsessing over her. She needed time.

I had to believe that someday she would find herself again. That time would give her that. I didn’t allow myself to hope that I would be a part of her future. Right now, it was enough that she had a future at all.

When I got the text from Wavy’s detail that she’d gone to her studio, I didn’t know whether to be happy or concerned.

There was nothing I wanted more than to know she’d taken up painting again. I think I could be content not being in her life as long as I knew she’d found her way back to that passion. Even if it wasn’t her rainbow paintings.

With the next message that both Baby and Finn Bollinger had rushed to the premises, I got more concerned. They were both overprotective—understandably—but maybe she wasn’t handling the trip to her studio well.

But then again, maybe they needed to just let her be. Let her work her way out of this.

When I received a phone call from Finn a few minutes later, my heart stopped. I answered it after only half a ring.

“Finn.”

“Something’s happened,” he said without any sort of preamble.

Fear roiled in my gut. “What? Is she okay?”

The long-term effects of what had been done to Wavy were something we all worried about. The thought of her being in such pain again was unbearable to any of us.

“Her voice works. Baby and I walked in on her having some sort of a breakdown in her studio.”

I rubbed my eyes, wishing I were there, wishing I could help. At least Finn was telling me this, but why was he telling me this? “Crying might be good. It’s at least an outlet. It’s at least something.”

“I agree. Baby and I are both hoping this is a step forward for her. And she looked different too, DeRose. Like she was panicked, overwhelmed.”

I rubbed my eyes, my heart hurting for her. “Again, I’m not sure that that’s a bad thing. At least she’s coming out of that fucking shell she’s had around her. Recovery is painful.”

I knew that firsthand. I hated to think of it for Wavy, but the only way to move forward was to take those painful steps.

“I think Wavy wants to get out of Oak Creek,” Finn said, voice tight. “I think maybe being around all of us all the time is not what she needs right now.”

“Tell me what she needs,” I said. “You know I’ll provide it. Wherever she wants to go, I can set her up with full-time security anywhere in the world. Whoever she wants with her. Family. Friends. Whoever.”

Finn was silent for a long minute. Was he considering my offer or offended by it? Why had he called at all?

“I’m going to trust you, DeRose,” he finally said. “Trust you like I trust only a handful of people in the world.”

“I won’t hurt her, Finn.” It was a solemn vow. “I will make sure she has whatever she needs.”

“Well, evidently what she needs is you.”

“What?” That was not what I had been expecting. “Why would you say that?”

“I didn’t say it. She did. Wavy finally spoke, and her first words were that she needed you.”

“I’m on my way.”

* * *

I was on my way to Oak Creek not an hour after I finished talking to Finn. Whatever Wavy needed, I would give it to her. Hell, if she’d asked for me because she wanted me to move a couch from one side of the room to the other, I would do it without complaint.

She’d asked for me.

I jumped in my car as soon as we landed. My security team let me know that Wavy was still in her studio, so I went straight there. Finn and Baby were outside the building talking to each other. Both men shook my hand as I walked up.

“She’s different,” Baby said, “like something, I don’t know, has switched back on inside of her.”

Finn nodded. “She’s still inside. I had no idea how much she had in that place. I knew she liked to paint here, but I didn’t know that she had done such extensive work.”

Baby glanced up at the window of her studio. “Although there’s less now after what she destroyed. She was mad.”

Mad was good. Mad would push her forward. The thought of her destroying her beautiful artwork pained me, but if it was what she needed, then we’d have to let her do it.

“Does she still want me here?” I asked.

God, it would break something in me if she’d changed her mind. But I’d never let her know that. She was allowed to change her mind as many times as she wanted to.

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Baby said. “But if it helps, I’m not sure she knows what she wants.”

I nodded and turned to walk up the stairs. I knocked on the door, not expecting her to answer, and she didn’t. Finally, I opened the door myself.

She was standing in front of one of her rainbow paintings on a large easel. She had a screwdriver in her hand. This one was about to suffer the same fate as all the ones lying ripped all over the floor.

The sight of it broke my heart. But the sight of her, awake and alive—pissed as hell—put some of the pieces together again.

I got daily reports about her, but nothing was quite the same as seeing her with my own eyes.

“Hi,” I said, my voice foreign to my own ears—hoarse, weak, nervous. I wasn’t someone who was used to feeling or sounding nervous.

Her arm dropped to her side, and she turned to look at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I’ll come back in a little while. Do you want that?”

Like everyone else, I’d gotten used to talking to her with the yes or no questions, so she’d be able to communicate. I needed to stop doing that.

She shook her head, no. At least she didn’t want me to leave. I walked a few steps closer, watching her for any indication that it was troubling her to be alone with me.

But those big green eyes were steady, clear, studying me as I approached.

I gestured to the canvases scattered all across the floor. “Doing a little redecorating in here?”

Her face remained stoic, but she didn’t shy away as I came closer.

“Being angry is good. Healthy even. But save me a couple of those, okay? They’re some of my very favorite things in the world.”

She nodded, then handed me the screwdriver, her fingers brushing mine. I waited to see if she would say anything, wanting to give her plenty of opportunity to use her voice if she wanted to, but she didn’t.

“Finn told me you said you needed something from me. Tell me what it is, Rainbow, and I’ll give it to you. Whatever it is, no matter how big or small.”

“Go,” she said.

I forced myself to show no reaction as the word sliced through me. She was responsive. She had spoken. That was enough for today. If she wanted me to go, I would. “Okay. Maybe I can come back tomorrow?”

She shook her head, and that jagged rip in my heart opened further.

Then she touched her fingers to her chest.

“Me go,” she whispered.

Her voice was raspy not only from disuse, but from screaming for so long when she’d been in captivity, or so the doctor had warned us.

“Where do you want to go, Rainbow? Tell me. I’ll get you there, with or without me. Wherever you want to go.”

Her gaze dropped, and she stared down at the destroyed paintings around her for so long I thought she was done talking. But finally, she responded.

“Penthouse.”