Page 71 of Crossed By the Stars

“What?” I demanded.

“This note… It was attached to a seashell.”

My heart fell to my stomach. “They know we’re here? There are eight of you and Reinard who know. That’s all. You haven’t told Rana or her team, right?”

“Rana has gone off the grid. We can’t find her.”

“What the fuck?”

His face was grim. “Jada only has one more day, according to them, so we need to stay alert. No more games in the kitchen. Everyone needs to keep their heads on. That means…” His eyes went to the bed and the tangled sheets. “You too.”

I knew what he was saying. Don’t lose myself in her skin. Stay focused.

I gave him a curt nod. “You’re going to look into the tea ceremony thing, right? I don’t understand why the Matsudas would want anything to do with her…not after Ken’Ichi’s death.”

“I agree. Just them giving her an invitation is suspicious, and yet this last note seems angry that she’d even consider going. It’s confusing. I’ll convey it to folks in the city, and we’ll see what we can come up with.”

He turned and went back down the hall toward the stairs.

I trusted Cillian. I thought I trusted Reinard, but someone was giving them information. It had to be someone here. My skin prickled.

The shower was on in the bathroom, and I tried not to think about all the ways we’d used the shower since we’d been here. Instead, I lay on the bed, waiting for her to emerge.

When she did, she was fully dressed—dark skinny jeans and a vibrant purple top that showed her belly button ring. I swallowed hard, fighting off the desire to tug it into my mouth as I slowly removed every article of clothing she’d just put on.

Her face was dark still. The time alone had only increased her anger instead of lowering it.

“This is exactly why I don’t do relationships. Why I don’t want to be married.” Her hands were on her hips.

“This wasn’t me trying to control you or your life,” I insisted, heart hammering at her words and the wall she was trying to rebuild.

“But you did.”

“This was me protecting you from something that would do nothing but bring you pain.” I begged her to understand my desire to keep even a moment of heartache from her when she’d known so much of it.

“I get to be the one to accept or reject the pain directed at me. Not you. Not my father. Not anyone. It’smylife!”

I nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

My remorse was heartfelt. Would I do things differently? Maybe, maybe not. I liked the fact that she’d been able to unwind, to become the Jada of her childhood for a few hours…a handful of days. If I could give her that every now and again, what was wrong with that? But I did hate that it had caused her walls to come up after I’d finally broken them down.

She crossed her arms over her chest and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I just need some time on my own, without your dopey eyes and sexy smile interfering with my thoughts.”

I couldn’t help the soft chuckle that escaped.

“I repeat, where are you going?” Because she couldn’t leave the house alone. I’d prefer her to not leave the house at all for the next day or so.

“I’ll be in the library. But I’d prefer it if you left me alone until I’m ready to see you.”

I could do that as long as it meant she was in the house?safe.

I nodded, and she left.

My heart clenched, thinking of ways to make it right, to show her that if we were together, I wouldn’t need to control her. That I wasn’t her father or Ken’Ichi or any of the men who’d tried to bend her will to theirs.