Page 30 of Broken Warrior
I blink away my tears and hand over the electronic I still don’t know how to use. Spider swipes and taps, does everything so fast I don’t have time to pay attention before he locks the screen and removes it from the case, cleans it, then replaces it and gives it back.
“You’re really not mad about this?” I ask as I look at my screen: the picture of James I snapped as soon as Zak took it out of the box. “I’m... I just want to prove to myself that I can do this on my own...”
Spider leans a hip into the counter as he puts the taser and pepper spray into my purse. “Not a fan of your hours, but I understand why you’re doing this. I feel a little better knowing you’re protected on some level and eventually I’d like to run a check on your employer.”
My eyes snap to his and he chuckles.
“I won’t. Not without your permission, just promise me you’ll be safe,m’eudail, and if for some reason you’re not, you won’t hesitate to call me.”
I nod and lose the battle to keep my tears at bay.
Why does this feel like goodbye?
Spider reaches out and catches a tear with his thumb. “So you’re taking over Blondie’s lease?”
“Yeah. As soon as I get my first paycheck the landlord agreed to let them sublet to me. Nothing will be in my name and I can pay Dori and Zak directly, rent and utilities, anything else we’ll need.”
“That’s smart.” He sighs. “Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out then.”
“I won’t be moving for a couple of weeks still. I don’t want to rush Dori out or anything, especially since she’s so emotional. And I’d...” Jesus, I’m really going to start crying over this. “I’d like to help with Nadine if that’s ok? Even after—“
“I’d appreciate it.”
Which means he’s not even going to bring up the appointment or overhearing me tell Dori about putting his mom in a facility.
Fine. There’s still time for me to convince him it’s a good idea.
Spider starts patting his jeans, looking for his smokes. “I know you said Theo was gonna take James while you were at work but I promised him we’d watch The Mandalorian tonight. If it’s ok with you, I’d like to have him stay here with me so we can do that. Keep the guys day going and shit.”
“Absolutely.” Damnit, I might as well be bawling. “You can have him whenever you want, Spider. James adores you.”And so do I.
He clears his throat. “Great. Thanks. Don’t want to let him down.” He pulls a cigarette from his pack, looks at me for a long moment before he sticks it between his teeth. “I’m proud of you,m’eudail.” Then he gives me a faint smile, a wink that could bring me to my knees, and stalks off out the back door.
More tears slip down my cheeks as something comparable to heartbreak fills my chest. I don’t know why it feels like Spider was letting me go, we aren’t anything more than... whatever we are, but it feels like I was his and he just said goodbye.
A message from Dori pops up on my screen, more yelling over leaving her hanging earlier, and when I get into my texts to respond, my heart kicks into overdrive when I see a new thread from me to a new contact.
From ME to FIN:Thank you for everything, Tate. You are a truly extraordinary creature. I can’t wait to see you spread your angel wings and fly high.
Oh,my poor little heart.
He put himself in my phone underFinand I can only assume that’s his real name.
Yeah, I could fall in love with him so easily, so effortlessly I’d bet I was already halfway there.
CHAPTERSIX
TATE
I getout of the Jeep and lock it, clutching my purse to my side as I pull my duffel bag from the backseat. It doesn’t matter that I’ve been working at The Dollhouse for almost three weeks now, the walk across the parking lot after the sun goes down is always unsettling.
“Hey girlie,” Elias, Ember’s twin brother, greets me with a smile as he holds open the door. “Looking ravishing as usual.”
I grin and pat my makeup-less cheeks. “Just wait until you see me with my face on.”
He laughs as he follows me down the hall, the man towering over me at a solid six-foot-three and damn near two hundred and twenty pounds.
“I like you better without all the crap on your face.”
