Unshackled by Cara Dee

Author:Cara Dee [Dee, Cara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“You heading out?” Shan asked.

I nodded and adjusted my cuff links. “You know how it is, I gotta show my face every now and then.” Ironically, I was going to do the opposite in a couple hours. “What about you?”

He returned to his magazine and looked quite comfortable on the couch. “I might head out to Finn and Emilia’s for dinner.”

More rookie lies? Tsk, Shannon.

He’d been acting anxious all day. Or maybe anxious was the wrong word. Restless. He’d paced a lot, and he’d showered twice.

I still had a few minutes before I had to get going, so I poured myself a gin and tonic and sat down on the couch.

I took a sip and watched him pretend to read his magazine on French wines. “You seem like you’re feeling a little better these days.”

He’d gotten dressed in proper clothes every morning the past two weeks, for instance. And by morning, I meant when he woke up around noon.

I hadn’t heard him getting upset on the couch in several weeks either.

“I’m trying to learn how to live with my grief,” he murmured and flipped a page. “It helps that I have a new hobby.”

Really? I hadn’t seen him do anything—well, except for the working out. “You mean going to the gym?”

“No, trying to understand you better,” he responded. I lifted my brows. “It hit me when I met your friend last month—Alfie. Your behavior toward certain things started adding up—”

“Hey, hey, I’m not your patient,” I interrupted. I didn’t know where this was going, but I wasn’t a fan. He could pick up a better hobby, like coming with me to the shooting range or, fuck, golf. “I don’t need to be psychoanalyzed.”

He gave up on the magazine and shifted on the couch to face me better. “It’s difficult not to when you’re displaying several stereotypical traits of a middle child—but of course, it’s more complex than that. First and foremost, you’re an older brother and a provider.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake. “Dude, spare me.”

Shan’s amusement softened into something more troubling. Concern and parental affection. Which I needed like America needed another lawyer.

“You rebel when someone tries to get closer, yet it’s what you’ve needed since—”

“All right, good talk.” I stood up abruptly and drained my drink. Phew, nobody could accuse me of mixing weak drinks. “I’m off to work.”

I couldn’t leave the apartment quickly enough. I grabbed my things in the bedroom and made sure I had the credit card I used for discreet hotel reservations, then hoped for a painless escape through the living room.

I had no such luck.

“Kellan,” he said as I reached the entryway. Nope, nope, nope, nope. “I have a picture of you in my wallet too—just so you know.”

Embarrassment flooded from within, and my throat closed up at the same time as I had to laugh. So it came out all strangled, which pissed me the hell off. “I don’t know why you’re saying that—I don’t fucking care. Now piss off.” With that said, I hurried out and slammed the door shut after me.

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