"Is everything okay?" It was Connor's voice, pulling me out of my shaken faze as we drove through the night in his car back to my place.
I nodded my head and muttered that I was doing fine. It was his third time asking me this question since I went mute after we were joined by a third party at the dining and also my third time answering unconvincingly that I was fine.
But this time, Connor seemed to have had enough and slowed down his car, parking just by the
side of the road. He faced me and I turned away from him to look outside the window, letting the wind slash through my face. At this moment, I did not think I could feel anything else than fear. Fear. The events since the past week replayed through my head again and I wondered where I had gone wrong in making atonements for my past deeds. Was it because I agreed to play dress-up in Connor's family life? There was no denying that if I had not accepted this deal in the first place, I would not have had anything to do with the Meyers or ended up meeting him again.
"Your palms are sweaty and you can't keep your feet put." Connor pointed out blankly and I shut my eyes briefly, wishing he would just let me be and stop bothering me with questions. He was the one who should be afraid for his safety. Ryan was Jessica's older brother for chrissake. And the obsessive trait that had led to Steph's death was evident in Jessica's feelings for Connor. He should be scared. Worried.
But again, my brows furrowed as another thought occurred to me.
Connor had seen the video I had shown him of Ryan murdering his lover and I was so sure he had seen his face so clearly. And with the way Ryan was freely interacting with everyone else at the table, I was sure it was not his first time visiting them. Or second. Or third. I could remember Zed telling me Jessica's parents were super close with Connor's. It was certain they had occasional visits with each other. Enough for Connor or anyone else to know that Ryan was the Ryan from the video.
I turned to look at Connor now, new suspicion building in me. If he had known the real identity of Ryan, why didn't he tell me? Did he hire me just so he could deliver me easily into the paws of my enemy?
"Why didn't you tell me you were close with that murderer?" I asked, a tone of betrayal evident in my voice. At that instance, I felt dumb for trusting Connor and showing him a video that could put my life at risk.
He was just a stranger for fuck's sake! How could I have been so dumb and trusting?
Connor's jaw set and he did not say a word. This only caused me to panic more and I finally snapped, unable to take the pressure anymore.
"Why didn't you tell me Ryan Brooks was your family friend?" I was yelling this time and he only ran a hand through his hair, causing me more fear. I did not wait to be told what to do next and I immediately reached to open the car door but it was locked and would not budge. My eyes grew teary now and I whimpered in fear, pushing and pulling the door in an attempt to open it to no avail.
"You don't think I have plans to hurt you too, do you?" I stopped at the tone of his voice, quiet and low. I tried to see through the curtain of my hair that had loosened from its bun as I fought with the door and now all over my face.
"You think I am going to do something terrible to you?" He repeated his question after I remained silent, no longer struggling or answering his question.
He sighed and slumped his back to the car seat. I mimicked his actions, surprised at myself for still being around a man that had secrets he was hiding from me.
We stayed this way for a minute and he looked at me again, reaching for the hairs sprawled over my face. I did not fight him off as he pulled the hair away from my face, tucking them neatly behind my ears. His strong warm hands brushed past my face delicately and I was tempted to shut my eyes and enjoy the feel but I snapped myself out of the thought.
What kind of girl thinks about things like this in a situation where her life was most certainly at risk?
A girl like you, Kenz.
He rested his back on his seat again as he finished fixing my hair and sighed.
"I am not going to deny knowing Ryan as a family friend." He began and I paid rapt attention. "I knew he was the man from the video. I wouldn't lie about that."
"Then why didn't you say anything about it to me?" My tone still sounded accusing and unjust.
"So you would freak out and say I am his accomplice or worse, find someone else and show that tape to them? Hell no."
I clenched my fists together, trying to get ahold of my emotions.
"Listen, Kenzie." He stared dead in the eyes at me. "You cannot start up a war against the Ryan unless you are prepared to lose. This is a first-class murder case, Kenzie. A first-class murder case between two rich folks. It shouldn't be any of your business..."
"Well, it wouldn't if he had not seen the hidden camera and threatened to find me and end me." I protested.
He went silent for a minute and did not say another word for a while.
"You still haven't answered my question," I added, between cracks and weak lines.
He raised a brow inquisitively and I added again.
"Why didn't you tell me about him?"
He bit his lips and exhaled. "Because I couldn't bring myself to cause harm to a girl who was too naïve to know the repercussion of what she had just witnessed."
I gulped subconsciously, too scared to say another word. He reached out for my hand and took them into his, sending warmth and a weird kind of calmness into my body.
"I saw the way he looked at you back there."
"He remembers me," I whispered, another whimper escaping my throat. This time, I could not stop myself from crying in front of him. "He remembers me from the hotel."
"We are not sure about that yet."
My whimper did not cease but I still hope he was right even though I know that the probability was a one out of ten. The way Ryan had locked eyes with me as he joined the table, was something I couldn't miss. From a curious stare to a hard long gaze, it was a traumatic transition I wouldn't want to experience again. And when Mrs Meyers had introduced me to him and Connor had chipped in to say I was his girlfriend, the way he had repeated my name, caressing my name on his lips like he had taken interest in it, was scary.
"He is going to hurt me, Connor. He is going to find me and kill me. And my sister..."
"Hey, hey, hey." Connor brought his hands to my face again and wiped the tears that were beginning to bathe my face. "Jojo will be safe. He has no business with her. It is you who is in danger."
I felt a tiny bit of relief to hear that Jojo would remain safe and unharmed but that did not stop my whimper from ceasing. I did not want to die. I could not imagine leaving Jojo all alone in this world. And Zed...
"Come stay with me, Kenzie."
His words gave a pause to my tears this time and I raised my teary eyes to meet his determined ones.
"Ryan will not stop until he finds you and gets rid of whatever would implicate him in the future. Jojo will not escape the danger if you are both seen together all the time. Let me protect both of you, Kenzie. Come and stay with me for a while. Then after the deal is done, I will help find you a place very far away where he can never reach you."
I watched him speak and I was taken back to the first day we had met and how he had wanted to help without a second thought. His humanity and empathy melted my heart.
"Let me protect you, Kenzie."
