A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 209

Janice shot him a sideways glance. “Why do you care? Are you staying home tomorrow, or going to see that new girlfriend of yours?”

Rowan looked pleased. “I just spent time with her today.”

“So you’re not going out tomorrow?”

Janice didn’t bother hiding her intentions. “I invited that young doctor over for dinner tomorrow. Thought it’d be good for you two to get acquainted…”

“Nope.”

Rowan cut her off without missing a beat, putting on a dead-serious face. “Just remembered—I’ve got something to do tomorrow.”

Janice rolled her eyes, seeing straight through him. “What, is your girlfriend the jealous type? She’d get upset just because you met someone new?”

“Well—”

A shadow flickered across Rowan’s deep eyes as he fished a cigarette from his pocket and rolled it between his fingers. “If she had dinner with a man who almost became her blind date, I’d be jealous too.”

Every time he saw Frank sitting beside her, he couldn’t help thinking—why did her husband have to be someone else?

Why not him?

—

The next morning, Elissa woke up early, got ready, and set out to pay Janice a New Year’s visit.

This time, she entered the neighborhood on her own, not wanting to trouble Janice to come out and meet her.

“Elissa, Happy New Year!”

Janice spotted the bags of health supplements in Elissa’s hands and quickly waved her off. “Oh, you really didn’t have to bring all this! I just wanted you over for a meal.”

“It’s nothing, really.”

Elissa smiled and slipped off her shoes in the entryway. As she opened the shoe cabinet, she glanced at a pair of men’s dress shoes that looked oddly familiar.

A high-end, handmade brand.

Very expensive.

Rowan owned a pair just like these—and if she remembered right, he’d been wearing this exact style yesterday.

But there was no way Rowan would be here. His grandmother was Paige Jensen, the matriarch of the Murphy family.

Elissa pulled on a pair of wool slippers and followed Janice into the living room, still smiling. “These supplements are just what you need for your health. They’re perfectly safe for you.”

“Wonderful, wonderful.”

Janice was all smiles. “You really shouldn’t have spent so much.”

Even with the heater on, Ian felt a chill run down his back.

Rowan’s voice came from the backseat, cold as steel. “You afraid I’ll mistake you for a mute?”

“….”

Evan grumbled inwardly.

Guess the truth really does sting.

—

After lunch at Janice’s, Elissa sat and chatted a while before taking her leave.

Aaron and Jacqueline’s flight was scheduled to land at Vistapeak International Airport at four, and Cliff Riley had arranged to meet her so they could pick up their mentors together.

As she pulled up outside Cliff’s building, she glanced at the clock.

Perfect timing.

With the post-holiday traffic, the roads to the airport were bound to be packed. Factoring in the delays, she’d arrive just in time.

Cliff climbed in and buckled up, giving her a once-over and a teasing smile. “You look even skinnier after the holidays—how’s that possible?”