He dropped into the seat across from me, the chair scraping noisily against the floor. Dennis had grown since I'd last seen him—no longer the scrawny, wide-eyed kid I'd picked up years ago. His shoulders were broader, his features sharper, but there was still a youthful eagerness in the way he grinned.
"Nice bike," I said, nodding toward the machine parked outside. "Isn't that the new model this year?"
He laughed, his pride impossible to hide. "You've still got an eye for these things. Yeah, it's the latest."
I smiled faintly, the memory of my own love for motorcycles flickering to life. Back then, Cayden had always ensured I had the best—one of the few indulgences he allowed me.
Dennis hesitated, the smile slipping from his face for a fraction of a second. "Aubrey," he said carefully, "have you eaten enough? Let me take you home. Mr. Cooper's arranged everything for you. You'll love the house, I promise."
I paused, the weight of his words settling heavily in my chest. "Where is he?"
Dennis hesitated, his eyes flicking away for a brief moment. "You know how it is—busy with work."
I stared at him, the weight of his words settling heavily in my chest. Of course, Cayden was busy. Business always came first—before me, before anything. That was something I had learned a long time ago.
***
The villa he brought me to was stunning, a vision of modern luxury. Steel gates opened to reveal a sprawling property surrounded by manicured gardens. The house itself gleamed in the afternoon sun, its glass walls and sharp angles standing in stark contrast to the warmth I had longed for.
Inside, the air was cool and sterile, every surface immaculate. Dennis watched me carefully as I wandered through the space, his hands shoved into his pockets.
"This is his token of gratitude," he said finally. "For everything you've done for him."
A token of gratitude. The words struck like a cold wind.
I walked into the bedroom, where a pair of teddy bears sat on the bed—one in a suit, the other in a wedding dress. I picked up the bear in the suit, its soft nose squishing under my finger.
It looked like him. Cayden.
Suddenly, the need to see him clawed at my chest. Six years had passed, but his shadow still lingered in my mind. How had he been?