I gesture toward the empty chair opposite me, trying to keep my tone calm.“Please, sit.”
She shakes her head violently, the movement desperate as if even being near me might break her.“Y-you’re one ofthem.”The words fall from her lips like acid, burning in the air between us.
Exhaling slowly, my gaze drops to the floor for a moment.When I speak again, it’s quieter, softer.“Tessa, you know me.You know Vex.None of us would hurt you.”
Her face twists and her lips tremble as tears spill down her cheeks.She stops talking, but her silence speaks louder than any words could.
I let the weight of her grief hang in the air before I push forward, my voice low and firm.“That thing that dragged you out of the woods...that’s Ranger.You’ve known him for years.Has he ever tried to hurt you?”
Her eyes flicker to the floor, her shoulders shaking with the weight of everything she’s been through.Then she murmurs, “Last night.”
“Last night didn’t go to plan,” I say, the words laced with regret.“Can you tell me why you were there?”
“A lot of the outlanders come into the diner.Well, when they come to town, which isn’t often,” Tessa says, her voice tight as she takes a deep breath as if she’s trying to steady herself.“One of the women, Nancy, she and I are friends.”She hesitates, her fingers twitching, and shakes her head.“Sort of.”
I nod, trying to keep my voice steady.“We call them homesteaders.”
She stares at me for a beat.I can almost see Tessa processing my words, and then she finally mutters, “That’s probably a better term.”She takes a step forward but then halts as if the air itself is too heavy to cross.
“Please sit, Tessa.”
Before she can answer, there’s a sharp knock on the door.Ranger steps inside, his presence filling the space.Tessa flinches, pressing herself farther into the corner as if she’s trying to disappear into it.
I hold up my fist, a silent command, and he freezes in his tracks.Standing, I walk toward him, taking the two cups of coffee he’s holding.
“Thanks,” I murmur, the words gruff, but the thanks are there all the same.
His eyes flick to Tessa, then quickly drop to the floor, his posture shifting.I can tell he’s giving her space, submitting in his own way.He bares his neck, an old-school sign of respect among men like us.“Vex said you like milk and sugar.I hope that’s okay.”
Ranger backs out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him with a soft thud.
Turning, I hold one cup toward Tessa.“I’m going to set this on the chair.Then I’m going to sit down.Ranger makes good coffee.”My words are casual as if I’m just another guy offering coffee to a friend.
Tessa stares at the cup for a long moment before finally meeting my eyes.“Are you like him?”
I tilt my head to the side, my gaze steady.“Kind of.”
“Kind of?”Her voice cracks with confusion, her wariness still there, thick as ever.
I slide onto the chair across from her, deliberately relaxed, stretching my legs out and crossing them at the ankles, pretending I’ve got all the time in the world.I take a loud slurp of coffee, letting the warmth settle in my chest.“If you sit, I promise I’ll tell you.”
Her eyes flicker to the cup, but she doesn’t move.“You won’t hurt me, will you?”
My eyes lock on hers, and I let her see the truth in them.“I give you my word.No one will hurt you.”
Tessa’s gaze lingers on mine, her breath steadying, and then she closes the gap.She picks up the cup, but before sitting, she drags the chair back a few feet as if creating some space between us.The tension is thick, but she’s trying to calm herself.
“You and Nancy are friends,” I begin, watching her closely.“Did she ask you to be there for our business transaction?”
Her lips twitch, and she hesitates before responding.“It wasn’t Nancy.It was Jasper.”
I blink, the words catching me off-guard.“You said you were friends with Nancy, but it was Jasper who asked you to be there?”I feel the confusion twist my gut.She nods, and I push further.“Who is Jasper?”
She grips the mug tighter, taking a sip.I hope the heat of the coffee will help steady her nerves.“Nancy was in at the diner, telling me her husband was meeting with the Kings of Anarchy for a business deal.Jasper told her you couldn’t be trusted.And after she left, he told me I should watch out for her.I told Nancy and Jasper that you were all fine.A little on the rough side but nice.”
Her words hang in the air, their weight sinking in slowly.
Processing them is harder than I thought.None of this adds up.“I don’t understand.”
