A Caged Songbird's Escape: Into the Arms of a Predator novel Chapter 551

Tanya Foster felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of awkwardness after seeing Elissa Drummond off.

The man beside her seemed to have undergone a mood shift, walking silently toward the parking lot.

Tanya paused her steps. "I can just grab a cab home."

"I'll take you." Rex Wilkinson was unusually quiet, gesturing to the black G-Wagon nearby. "Get in."

He didn't seem reluctant.

Tanya moistened her red lips and pulled open the passenger door. "Thanks for the trouble."

She rarely acted so formal with him, but his distant demeanor made her instinctively polite.

Rex barely seemed to notice, giving a brief nod before focusing on the road.

Tanya couldn't hold back. "When did you adopt Rowan Murphy's brooding style?"

Steering with one hand, Rex let out a cold scoff. "Then what style should I go for? Asher Fielding's?"

"..."

Seeing him revert to his usual abrasive self, Tanya chuckled. "Stick to your current style."

A sharp-tongued, arrogant jerk—that fit Mr. Rex perfectly.

Rex slammed the brakes at a crosswalk, shooting her a sideways glance. He took in her curved lips and vibrant expression.

Something stirred within him. He licked the corner of his lip. "Would you ever give up being a lawyer for someone, or something?"

Tanya blinked in surprise. "Why the sudden question?"

Still, she instinctively considered it.

Rex rolled down the window, lowering his head to light a cigarette. His voice came out raspy. "You probably wouldn't give up your career for anyone."

It was her dream. He had always known that.

Even back in college, she had been fiercely clear-eyed about her goals and worked tirelessly toward them.

Deep down, they were cut from the same cloth.

But she had to put in a hundred times more effort to get where she was.

Even with his family's opposition, Rex's status as a Wilkinson was enough to make others clear away unnecessary obstacles for him.

Tanya, however, had to fight tooth and nail for every inch.

The scent of tobacco drifted through the car. Tanya rolled down her window, letting the cold air rush in.

Her smile deepened, her amber eyes locking onto him. "Who said that?"

At the thought, he crushed his cigarette, about to demand a straight answer, when his phone rang.

He was going to reject it, but seeing it was Jesse Wilkinson, he answered.

The call connected to the car's Bluetooth. Jesse's voice echoed through the cabin. "Is this a good time?"

Tanya tensed, knowing that question usually meant a private, important conversation.

She was about to offer to get out, but Rex merely shot her a cool glance and replied, "It's fine."

Jesse must have heard about the incident at the mall. "Maya didn't give Elissa a hard time just now, did she? Did Elissa get hurt or upset?"

Tanya was surprised.

She had assumed Jesse was calling to demand answers from Rex.

But it seemed he was interrogating his own sisters.

Rex maintained a calm expression. "When do those two ever not give people a hard time? But Elissa is fine."

Tanya listened in utter confusion.

If one didn't know better, they'd think Elissa was the Wilkinson sibling.

Jesse breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Once we find Vera, Maya and the others will be the ones getting a hard time."