Page 44 of Tristano

“Okay,” I tell him, taking the phone and sliding it into the sweater pocket.

He hesitates a moment like he wants to say more, but instead he presses a kiss to my forehead before leaving.

“He cares about you a lot. You’re lucky. Not everyone finds their person,” Miya says softly.

Turning to her, I nod. “He’s been the blessing I never knew I needed since I met him. Are you still looking for your person?”

“No. I found mine too. Kenji is a great man. Don’t tell him I admitted it out loud though. I like to keep him on his toes. Act like a brat now and then, you know.”

I chuckle a little. “I’ve never been a brat a day in my life. I’ve always given in to what everyone else wanted.”

She gives me a sad smile. “Then maybe it’s time you learn to say no. Do things for yourself instead of living your life for another. I promise once you start doing that, you will find the happiness you’ve been craving.”

“Maybe I will,” I tell her, reaching out to squeeze her arm. “Thanks for that. I think I needed to hear it.”

“Of course. Ready to get started?”

“Yeah. Where’s Olivia and that other girl?”

“Olivia is a local girl. Since she had only been missing a day or two, we took her back home to her family. We have her set up with a therapist and some group support in the area. I’ll keep an eye on her. As for Kat, she’s back on the streets. Her choice, not mine. I offered to help her start a new life or even come work here for us, but she said she didn’t want all that. She wants to make it on her own. I gave her my card. She knows where to find me if she changes her mind. Since she hadn’t even been gone a whole day, she said she didn’t want any services and went back to her life.”

“That’s sad. She can’t even trust the help that you want to give.”

“I know. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. She knows I’m here. That’s all I can do.”

“The rest of them?” I look over at Mandy talking quietly with another girl.

“Now we help them get back to their lives or start a new one. Are you up for it?”

I take them all in.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else right now.”

* * *

I hate leaving her behind,but I need to do this. If I don’t do something to let some of this rage out, I might do something stupid, and I can’t do that right now. Not when I have her to protect.

Kenji is waiting at the end of the hall like he told me he would.

“You ready?” he asks.

“You assigned a guard to her, right? Someone specifically for her?” I ask for the tenth time.

“Kado is the best assassin I have. He has a keen eye and never misses a target. He is quiet, but deadly. When Miya was being stalked, I trusted him with her life. He protected her at all costs. I wouldn’t trust anyone more with her other than myself or Kai. She’s in good hands.”

I let out the breath I was holding. “Thank you. I just needed to hear it again.”

He nods in understanding. “We go a little crazy for the women we love.”

The elevator dings open. We step inside.

“How long will it take us to get there?” I ask once inside.

“Ten minutes. Declan is already waiting for us. We will make it as quick as we can so you can get back to your girl. I don’t like leaving Miya for long anyway.”

I don’t acknowledge his statement, but I don’t need to. He gets it.

The ride to the docks is a quiet one. Kenji doesn’t even put music on. He must feel the vibe I’m putting off because the farther away from Serena I get, the more my rage grows.

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