"I'd stay for a drink, but I can't."

“I’d stay for a drink, but I can’t.”

Miranda rolls her eyes. “So I finally find someone that isn’t a BOT, and he runs off,” she says absent-mindedly. “Then get out of here. You’re letting the warm air out.”

Instead of lingering, you take her advance and rush back to the house before you’re found out. When you enter, you’re relieved that Kenji is in the kitchen. You shouldn’t have been gone longer than an hour, but you were still nervous about an untimely visitor in the kitchen discovering your lack of presence.

You filter in behind Kenji and see what he’s doing. He’s cutting potatoes and carrots. You try to stifle your breathing as you idle beside him, which annoys him. “Stop breathing so hard.”

“I have to,” you take a deep breath in and then out.

“Sure,” he applies. “So, give me the rundown. You find you out?”

It annoys you with how casually he’s talking. You figured the walls had ears, and there’s no telling if Amara has this place laced with microphones and recorders. You press your palm against your eye, still feeling the effects of Amara’s ****. You hadn’t been able to think straight since she had her way with you.

“I don’t know,” you say, unsure how far your trust goes with Kenji.

Unimpressed with your reply, he lets out a long sigh. “I told you not to cross paths with anyone you worked with, Visser.”

“You also told me it was likely we’d get caught out here, and it seems that’s likely to happen if that caravan group does any kind of searching in there, don’t you think?”

Kenji smirks this time. “I also told you there are girls out there who use men to get what they need.” He’s lowered his voice to a whisper that can hardly be heard as he adds oil to a pan. He looks over at you and raises his eyebrows.

Your mind twirls, and you close your eyes. “How much do you know, Kenji?”

“You haven’t noticed, but I’ve been keeping close tabs on you. Ever since Scarlet came back with you under her wing, I knew you were the wrong person to hire as her partner. But, of course, I have myself to blame partly,” he sighs, eyeing the pan. “If I weren’t injured, she would have never been encouraged to find someone to take my spot.”

“Get to the point.”

Kenji laughs, but there’s life behind it. “You’ve been looking at Flora like I was looking at Scarlet. I know you want to help her get out of this situation she’s found herself in, but to be honest, I don’t think you deserve that chance. You **** Scarlet and hoped to **** Alexandra to escape.”

“I don’t care much about Amara,” he admits when he continues. “But, I saw Scarlet and Alexandra as my friends. Especially Scarlet, and what you did to her was unforgivable.”

You should have tensed, but your reaction was still rebooting. “But you understand, don’t you? You’re telling me you wouldn’t have tried to do the same thing if you were in my position? So there’s got to be some kind of understanding between us.”

Kenji took the knife he used to cook with and scraped the contents on a cutting board into the pan. Everything sizzles, and it produces an enticing aroma. Kenji takes a wooden spoon and stirs the content before replying to you. “I understand you. But I tried to warn you even before we got here. You should have made peace with the people you were with. You should have learned more about Flora doing so much stuff for her.”

He turns to face you. “Now you’ve allowed my friends to turn against each other. Scarlet is gone, and Alexandra has been **** to sit out tasks. How damaging…”

You shift your weight, expecting the worse now. But instead, Kenji looks back at the pan and preps the next ingredient. “If I weren’t planning to terminate my contract, I would have killed you days ago. If I were any closer to Alexandra, I would have killed you, too. But, here we are.”

“So, what now?”

He shrugs. “I’m simply letting you know that you can suspect no help from me. You are on your own. Therefore, I will not offer anything. I’m as neutral to your situation as you want. You are on thin ice, however, so if you try to drag any third parties into your plan, you are free to add me to your small list of enemies.”

“Thanks, Kenji,” the tension leaves your body, and your chest feels less tight suddenly. “So, you’re not going to cut my throat in the middle of the night or sell me off completely to Amara, right?”

He doesn’t smile. He grunts instead. “No.”

“I’ll do my best not to involve you more than you are. I’ll stay away from you and let you be.”

“That’s good,” Kenji looks at you again. “Because if you involve me, I will ensure you are dispatched from this world. Much like Stephanie and her good boy toys were. No one, not even Flora, will find any evidence of your existence. And for the love of Christ, get to know Flora better. You’re a fool to be putting your neck on the line for a girl you don’t know more about.”

“I’ve been trying to,” you counter. “But, Amara–”

“Don’t worry about Amara. She’s more arrogant than she lets on. Alexandra too. You’re not a business proposition. You’re human, and they can hardly comprehend caring about other people outside of the professional relationship.”

“Do I dare ask what you considered Scarlet then?”

Kenji doesn’t answer. So you aren’t standing awkwardly beside him. You leave the kitchen and sit on the couch. You’re suddenly presented with free time.