I have her running around the shop, grabbing tools for me. It is less painful to stay in one position. There were a few moments I had to help her reach to grab something that’s way too high for her, but other than that, she gets me anything and everything I need. I’m almost done patching up the bike. I hate is not completely black, but that’s something I can fix when I get back to Cross Hollow.
Once I’m done, Rosalie sits beside me and smiles at my bike. “You’re really an expert. Why didn’t you fix my van as soon as we reached Saddleback?” Rosalie asks.
“My brothers and I’ve been preoccupied by other affairs regarding the town we live in, the surrounding areas we own, and the Crows. Getting you guys to Saddleback is not a huge detour for us and Caleb thought I should stay behind and make sure you guys were taken care of before I leave.”
“Why you were the one staying with us?”
“I know most people in Saddleback. I don’t know everyone in Heartstone, but I know enough to get by. They know I’m familiar and friendly with Saddleback residents. I’m the right person to stay behind and make sure you guys were as okay aswe could let you. I’m gonna be honest Rosalie; I was annoyed. I didn’t have time to babysit four grown women, but I also know that Caleb’s intuition is never wrong. I’m glad I stayed.” I look at her and cradle her face. “I’m glad in more ways that I could spell out.”
“So what I hear is that I need to thank Caleb and not you?” She grins. “You could have ignored your brother, though, so I’m glad you didn’t. I don’t even want to imagine how many of those things they would have forced me to do.”
“You and your friends should learn some self-defense.”
“I did. Well, my parents enrolled me in classes and when my manager tried to pull me out, they threaten to sue for endangering my life. My sweet parents couldn’t do much for me, but they paid for self-defense classes. If needed be, I can defense myself.”
“Show me.”
“Show you? You are injured, Cooper.”
“Are you going to hit me that hard?”
“I will do nothing to you. Your torso is cover in bruises, and you have an open wound on your side. Trust I can defend myself.”
“Was that why you thought you could leave alone?”
“Yeah. I knew little about Los Cuervos de Plata; that’s the cartel name, right?”
“Yes, that’s the group’s name,” I confirm.
“Okay. Well, I didn’t think they would be that bad. Never in a million years I would think people are out here selling women and children. I guess I’ve been shelter to some horrible crimes.”
I frown again. There is that phrasing of things, as if she has witnessed of other equally devious crimes and maybe even forced to take part. What VERA’s Rosie could hide that while being scared at what the Crows can do, she also reminds herself that she shouldn’t be that surprised?
“Since you don’t want to show me your self-defense move so I can breathe better and maybe sleep better, let’s head out of here before Wyatt’s sister sees me through the cameras.”
I stand up from where I’ve been sitting and I grab one handle when she holds the sleeve of my shirt.
“Wait.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“What does Cooper Callahan is doing in my Bed and Breakfast?” a beautiful black woman with the warmest smile I’ve seen in my life, says.
“Dawn, I’m glad you are the one behind the desk,” Cooper says.
I watch her frown as we get closer and see the bruises growing darker, and that he is leaning some of his body into me.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” She looks at me and I can tell by her face she is looking at the few visible cuts. “Are you okay, darling?” She asks me.
I’m nowhere near as hurt as Cooper, but neither of us left that chase unscathed.
“We are okay. We need a room to crash for the night. Nighty Night is one place no one dares to mess up with,” Cooper says.
“Because everyone knows what happens when they try something funny here. I’m always nice until I’m not and, well, you know Jeremy.”
“Yeah, I know. It is always the quiet ones.”
“That’s my husband,” she says it with so much pride we both smile.
