“I do.”
Decker nodded. “How are you feeling?”
“Back to normal, for the most part.”
“What does that mean?”
“My memory is back.” I flexed my hand. “No issues with movement.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I asked you a question, Decker, and you’ve yet to answer it.”
“It depends on what you’re going to do.”
I sat back in my chair. “I don’t know.”
“Are you going back to IMI?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
He shrugged. “I thought maybe you were ready to branch out on your own.”
“And what, join up with you?”
“Maybe.”
“I’m not sure Smoke would like that.”
Decker stretched his arms above his head and then leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What makes you say that?”
“Don’t think you can play with me, Decker. I heard your conversation with Smoke.”
“Which one was that?”
I stood and walked over to the front window, surprised to see Hughes and Casper sitting in his car, having what looked like an animated conversation. Casper had a smile on her face, not something I’d seen very often. Rory was smiling too.
“Siren?”
“It doesn’t matter, Deck. My memory is back. I know that Smoke and I were never together.” What I hadn’t figured out was why my brain had gone there in the first place. We’d had one night of drunken sex, yet for some inexplicable reason, my mind believed we were in love. Jaysus. Nothing could’ve been further from the truth.
“He loves you,” said Decker, as though he was reading my mind.
I burst out laughing. “No. He doesn’t.” I tapped my temple with my fingertip. “I told you, I remember everything.”
He shook his head. “You must not.”
“Stop this, Ashford,” I snapped. “There is nothing between Smoke and me. Nothing. And there never will be.” Deck turned his head, and I followed his gaze. Smoke stood on the stairs, gripping the railing and staring at me. He looked hurt, but that was ridiculous. I’d heard him. As soon as my memory came back, he said he’d make sure we never saw each other again.
“Hey, Deck,” Smoke said, his eyes finally leaving mine. “Glad you’re here.”
Decker got up and met Smoke at the bottom step. “How are you doing?”
Smoke turned his head back to me. “Ready to go home.”
29
Smoke