Page 63 of Relentless
Kara didn’t need to consider her answer before responding. “Whatever the security specialists decide is fine with me. My instinct is to leave. If someone is coming after me, leaving is a way to protect the people I care about. It would take them—you—out of harm’s ways. But I’ve never been in this kind of situation before. Give me a hostage situation in the ER, or a car bomb, then I’d know what to do. But this?” She waved her hand behind her. Toward the people inside who were deciding what the next few days of her life would be like. “It isn’t my specialty, and I have no issue turning the decision over to those for whom it is.”
“That’s very mature,” Sabina said.
“I can, on occasion, fulfill that role.” She held her hand out to take the bottle back. Sabina chugged a sip then handed it over. “Although right now, I’m thinking I just want to drink.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Ethan walkedinto the kitchen to find Cody and Tia standing at the counter. They faced the big picture windows that looked out onto the bay, their backs to him. Curious at what had caught their attention, he came to a stop beside his cousin and saw his answer.
“Have they been out there since they left the room?” he asked as Kara passed a bottle of wine to her sister. He, Tia, Chad, and Cody had debated the next steps for twenty more minutes after the twins had left. Then he’d gone upstairs to change and look for Kara. Only he hadn’t found her. Now he knew why.
“Judging by what’s left of the wine bottle, I’d say yes,” Tia answered. “I can’t even hear what they’re saying and it’s entertaining.”
Sabina’s hands were waving in front of her, presumably as she told Kara some story. Then she threw them up in the air in a very dramatic “what-the-hell” gesture. Kara doubled over laughing, and Sabina tossed her head back, joining in.
“Do we need to worry about them?” Chad asked, coming to stand beside him.
“It’s only a bottle of wine,” Tia said.
“Two and a half glasses each,” Cody added. “They’re going through it fast, but if we get water in them later, they’ll be fine.”
“At least it’s not whiskey,” Chad muttered.
Kara now had her hand on Sabina’s arm as she said something. Or tried to. Both women seemed incapable ofnotlaughing. He smiled. He couldn’t help it. He liked seeing Kara so carefree. And god knows she hadn’t had much opportunity to feel that way lately.
“We should ask them what they want for dinner,” Chad said. When he started toward the door, Ethan held him back, though.
“Don’t,” Ethan said. “You know what Sabina likes. I know what Kara likes. We’re perfectly capable of ordering dinner without consulting them. Let’s give them this time together. They haven’t had much of it thanks to me and my leg. And I think they both need it.”
“What he said,” Tia interjected, drawing the attention of the three men. Ethan liked the woman. She wasn’t afraid to go head-to-head with any of the Warwick men she’d met so far—or all three of them at the same time. But this was a family matter.
She was unfazed by their scrutiny. “I know how important time is with girlfriends. Or, in this case, sisters. It’s good for their soul. It’s good for their spirit. And it will make them happier for more than just the hour or so that they have together.”
She was right. His mother had a close group of friends who saw one another often. And she’d always made a point of telling her kids how important those relationships were to her.
“I suspect you’ll both reap the benefits of their good moods later, too,” Tia added with a grin and a wink. Chad shifted. As did Ethan. Cody chuckled.
“How about pizza?” Cody suggested.
“And salad,” Tia added. “And before you make a face at me about salad, Cody Warwick, I know you eat the stuff all the time.” The look she gave him all but dared him to argue.
“Not when I’m on tour, I don’t,” he shot back.
Tia cocked a brow and let her eyes drop to his stomach. “And it shows, big guy. I’m going to check on my team. Holler if you need anything.” She walked away, leaving Cody sputtering in response and Ethan and Chad laughing. Cody watched her leave and when she disappeared up the stairs, he kept his attention fixed on the empty hall.
“He’s avoiding looking at us,” Ethan said, fighting another laugh.
“He never did have a good poker face,” Chad said.
“Fuck you. I have an amazing poker face,” Cody said, finally shifting his attention to them and away from where Tia had gone.
“You really don’t,” Chad said.
“Better than yours,” Cody shot back. Which was true. Of the eight of them, Chad was the worst. Followed by Cody. Whereas Ryan and Mitch did excellent imitations of stone.
“So,” Ethan said, drawing out the word. “You and Tia?”
“There is no me and Tia,” Cody said, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.
