Page 26 of Twisted Redemption

When my phone rings, I pick it up without thinking.

“Why the hell is there a cat in my house.”

Blaze lets out a relieved breath. “No one’s in your house, Brooke. I dropped off the cat and turned your alarm on because you turned it off.”

For a moment, I just stand in stunned silence. He did... what?

Embarrassment fills me as it clicks in my head. Of course there’s no intruder here—why would someone who broke into my house turn my alarm on?

“Did you not get my text?” Blaze says.

I glance at my phone, my eyes skimming over the notification from Blaze saying he dropped off a cat named Angel and turned on the security system.

“Daisy. Are you okay?”

I blink. Glance down at the cat at my feet. Take a deep breath. “Stop calling me that.” Before my voice breaks, I hang up, tossing my phone onto the counter.

That’s when I notice the cage on the floor, along with a few bowls, cat food, and a litter box. There’s a short note on top of the cage.

So you don’t have to be alone.

CHAPTER SIX

BLAZE

I THROW MY phone across my office.

This whole morning has been one big fucking mistake.

After trying to get Brooke out of my head all week, I found myself at the animal shelter last night, picking out a black cat with white markings on her face.

I just couldn’t stop thinking of how she asked me to stay that night.

I don’t like being here alone.

My promise to stay away from her is still firm in my mind, but the thought of her in that damned house, all by herself, lonely, kept grating at my nerves.

So I got her a cat. This way, she’ll at least have something to keep her company.

My hope was that she’d wake up, come downstairs, and find Angel waiting for her in her cage. Little did I know that Brooke would be here, with Felix of all people.

Speaking of that little shit, him and I need to have a talk.

Stalking to his office, I roll my shoulders. I was already tense before getting here. But then seeing Brooke, and her calling me in a panic just for her to regret it? That was enough to make me want to punch a wall.

And then, to top it off, her last words to me won’t stop bouncing around in my mind. Stop calling me that.

If I want to call her Daisy, I fucking will. I’m the one who gave her the nickname in the first place.

When I get to Felix’s office, he’s pacing, tablet in hand. Probably still sifting through the contents of David’s hard drive.

I grit my teeth at the reminder that she went to him instead of me. It doesn’t matter one bit that he’s our tech guy. She should’ve come to me. I’m her best friend. I’m the one who made sure she got home safe the other night—not this asshole.

I slam Felix against the wall. Part of me knows the only reason I was able to is because he let me, but I don’t care. “Keep your fucking hands off her.”

He just laughs. “I find it interesting that you’d care, considering how you’ve been treating her lately. Oh, and speaking of the women in your life, how’s Charlie?”

“Shut up,” I grit out, pressing him further into the wall.