Chapter 375:
Even with the cigarette finished and the smoke fading in the air, he couldn’t wrap his head around it.
In fact, Rylie had planned ahead. She knew Deandre would double-check everything, so she timed her vacation down to the hour. She video-called Kendrick, uploaded just enough proof, and made sure it looked real.
Nothing connected her to Marinth. Surveillance records? Gone. The bank card? Linked to a ghost account. As soon as the money cleared, it disappeared. No trail. No names.
She had executed everything with surgical precision.
After a full day of rest in Kretol, she felt ready to head back.
Once the plane touched down at Crolens International, her phone buzzed. A coded message popped up. “Deandre is safe. Situation’s stable.”
She tapped the delete key. A small smile played on her lips as she walked forward.
The sun greeted her as she stepped outside. Rylie took off her sunglasses and stared up at the sky, blinking against the light. A plain black car pulled into view.
The window dropped halfway to reveal Brad’s sharp features.
“Get in.” His eyes stayed on her a second longer than necessary.
“What’s the look for?” Rylie checked her shirt and pants. “Do I have something on me?”
“I heard from your grandfather,” said Brad. “He told me there’s a party in the works. Finally decided to make it official?”
He turned away and dropped a warm paper bag onto her lap. The smell of chocolate filled the space between them.
“I just don’t want Grandpa losing sleep,” she said, taking a bite of the warm muffin. “Letting more people know about my identity as an Owen can save a lot of trouble.”
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Brad grinned. “Smart move. With that name, anyone planning trouble will think twice.”
She gave a small nod. “Maybe.”
He paused. “About that call the other night — what were you really going to say?”
Her brow furrowed. “What call?”
Brad looked over and saw what he expected. She had forgotten. “It’s nothing.”
Rylie turned her face toward the window. “Thanks.”
The wind softened her voice. Brad drummed his fingers on the wheel, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “For what?”
“You didn’t have to go through all this,” she said. That one line wiped the smile off his face.
“Why shouldn’t I?” His tone sharpened.
“I’d end up owing you again. That means more work for me.” She leaned back and yawned. “I’m not a fan of stacking up favors.”
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