Page 59 of Trust My Bodyguard

“Good news, thankfully. We have the man in custody,” Crams says. “The sisters are free to return to Denver. Detective Callum asked me to accompany them back.”

“Did you know about this?” I ask.

“Yes.” He swaggers over to Crams. “Badge.”

Crams gives up his badge for Brody to inspect. Satisfied, he hands it back to him.

“I guess it’s time for you ladies to get ready,” Brody says.

My heart sinks as he still wouldn’t look at me.

“Oh, we are ready!” Iris hops to her feet and wraps her arms around my neck. “It’s over, Ivy. It’s truly over.”

I muster a smile as I hug my sister but as my eyes meet Brody’s my lips can’t retain their smile. I don’t expect joy from him but why does he have to look at me like this is somehow my fault? Isn’t this what we wanted in the first place?

Iris leaves my arms and beelines for Brody. She squeezes his torso in a hug. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”

She spins around in a circle. “Finally! It’s time to go home.” She runs up the stairs. “I’m sorry, Brody. Pine Peaks is awesome, but I’m finally going to be back in the city. Yes!” Her feet stomp the wooden floors. “What are you waiting for, Ivy? We’re going back to Denver.”

Her voice snaps me out of the many thoughts rolling through my head. I turn to Brody who stares back at me, his icy gray eyes giving nothing away.

He’d been so sweet last night, holding me in his arms, and talking to me more than he’d ever done. Every word he said is stuck in my brain. But I just need to hear something from him right now to make our departure feel alright.

“So,” I keep my tone light. “We are leaving.”

Sergeant Crams turns around and busies himself with studying the walls of the cabin. He must feel the strain in the air and wants no part of it.

I wish I could escape too. But I know it’ll follow me wherever I go. These last few moments I have with Brody feel inconclusive without hearing from him.

“You are,” he says.

“You don’t have anything to say?” I try to be bold about it but my voice breaks on the last word. It sounds like I’m pleading. I hate it because it’s true.

Give me a farewell I’ll remember fondly, Brody. Not this distance.

“Better not keep Sergeant Crams waiting.”

“Sergeant? Are you in a hurry?”

The man turns. “Nope. Take your time.” Whatever he sees on Brody’s face makes him shake his head. “Or don’t. Hurry up.”

I scoff. “It’s like you to intimidate to get the reaction you want, isn’t it?”

His lips are pressed into a flat line. I’m not getting anything more out of him.

So I turn to Crams. “Thank you for coming. I’ll go get ready.”

In thirty minutes, Iris and I have our suitcases packed. We head downstairs together. Crams breaks away from his conversation with Brody and collects Ivy’s bag. She follows after him, asking a boatload of questions.

Brody eyes me and then strides over. My breath stalls as I’m unsure what to expect. His hand closes around the box handle, brushing mine in the process. He sucks his teeth and pulls away like it hurt. Or rather, like it felt good. I know because I felt it too.

“You know what?” I close a hand around his bicep, pulling him to a halt. “I’m not going to leave with my tail stuck between my legs like I did something wrong because I didn’t.”

I expect Brody to yell at me but he only looks down to where I’m touching him. “I know.”

I withdraw my hand, my heart thudding. I didn’t have a plan beyond getting his attention. I didn’t know it would work.

“Um, I… I am leaving.” This isn’t an elegant goodbye speech. It’s barely anything. I’m just stating the obvious, which I’m sure Brody would love to highlight.

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