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I give her a sharp nod, knowing how much it cost her to say the words and recognize that I’ve gone above and beyond for her. She hates feeling like a burden. I get it, but the last thing Sioux could ever be is a burden to me.
She’s not an obligation.
I sure as fuck haven’t been helping her through recovery because of guilt.
It’s been partially self-serving. Because I need her close to me and need to know if she’s doing okay. Yeah, I want to be there for her, but it’s for me as well.
I don’t think I could have survived her months of recovery if I hadn’t bulldozed my way into her life and refused to give her a choice when it came to coming back to my place. I had good reasons for it, especially in the beginning, but I can’t say it was entirely for her.
“I think this will hit the spot then for you,” my words are a sensual drawl and I watch as her pupils dilate and her body sways toward me slightly.
She can try and deny it all she wants, but the way her body reacts to me can’t be faked.
I know I’ve got her right where I want her when she glances away from me and squeaks, “I’m sure it will.”
While it’s probably true that I should walk away from her without giving into the need to touch her or show her affection, I’m not that strong. The kiss I put on her forehead is brief and it’s not nearly enough, but it’ll do.
For now.
As I stand slowly, her eyes take on a dreamy quality. As if I don’t know what gets under my woman’s skin.
“I know you don’t get nearly enough time to eat, Firefly.” As difficult as it is, I force myself to take a step back. “I’ll see you at home tonight.”
“Right,” she breathes out before clearing her throat and shaking her head like that’ll clear away the way she feels about me. It won’t. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Everything in me is screaming to kiss her, but I force myself to walk toward her door instead. Even though I want to steal more time with my woman today, I know now is not the time. The way she respects her job and the way it fulfills her is something I love about her. I could never do her job, but someone needs to.
Seeing how much she’s put into being a teacher is inspiring as fuck. I’ve watched her spend her own money on getting her room set up and on supplies she’s needed throughout the year. Have I made sure that she gets double of anything she’s bought? You’re damn right I do, but until she buys it, I have no idea what she needs and there is no way she would ever ask for my help outright.
She’s independent, which is something I admire about her. But I wouldn’t mind it if she would come to me for help more often. That’s alright, one day she might just surprise me.
“Crosby,” her sweet voice calls out just as I’m about to step out of her room. I look back at her over my shoulder, knowing I’m on the edge of walking back in and claiming my woman the way I’ve been wanting to. The sweet, soft smile on her face is almost my undoing. “Thank you. Really.”
“I’ll always take care of you, Sioux,” I remind her before I smirk and add on, “even when you don’t want me to.”
The way she rolls her eyes has me chuckling and shaking my head as I walk into the hallway. She’s full of sass and it’s something I’ve had the pleasure of watching come back to her as she’s recovered.
The way she emotionally curled in on herself after being shot scared the hell out of me. It was a huge fucking relief when she started coming out of her shell. The better she felt, the more she got back to her fiery self.
Before I walk out of the high school, I stop back into the main office where Mrs. Bisby gives me a beaming smile. This woman has helped me in so many ways over the last few months. She might be pushing 70, but that doesn’t mean she’s not the epitome of stealth and secrecy.
The first time I met her was the day Sioux started back at work. I had tried to tell my woman that it was too soon for her, and she needed to take a little bit more time off. She wasn’t having any of that shit. I knew she was going stir crazy at home and was frustrated that she wasn’t back to life as normal. It wasn’t that I couldn’t sympathize, but I was petrified something would happen and she would get injured again or she’d push herself too hard.
Since I wasn’t getting anywhere with Sioux and she was insisting on going back to work, I knew I needed someone on the inside to keep their eyes and ears open. I wasn’t sure who I would recruit for the job or how to go about it. Until I walked into the front office and was greeted by Mrs. Bisby.
Normally, people are wary of me when they meet me. And rightfully so. I’m not a small man and I’ve honed my ‘don’t fuck with me vibe’ over the years as a member of the club and then as an enforcer. I come by the violence wafting off me honestly. If someone wants to judge me, they can go right ahead. I don’t give a shit; it’s not like I was usually interested in having them in my life anyway.
Mrs. Brisby, for being a slight woman and more than half my size, practically knocked me on my ass. She smiled brightly at me and there wasn’t a hint of judgement in her eyes as she greeted me. “Good morning,” her voice was welcoming and warm. “How can I help you?”
I leaned against the tall counter in front of her desk and hunched my shoulders, hoping I wouldn’t intimidate the woman I was hoping to recruit for help. “Good morning,” my voice sounded rough and didn’t hold any of the charm and sweetness I was hoping for. “I was hoping you could help me with something very important.”
She seemed to sit up a little straighter with my words as she focused on me. “As long as it’s not illegal, I can see what I can do,” there’s was a teasing lilt in her voice that had me chuckling.
It was easy to imagine Mrs. Bisby as a younger woman and that ember of sass reminded me of my firefly. There was no doubt in my mind she was the right person to be my eyes and ears on the inside.
“It’s not illegal,” I assured her and shrugged one shoulder, “but if my woman finds out what I’m up to then she’ll be pissed at me.”
“Ohh,” she held out the word with a knowing glint in her eye before prompting me, “well, don’t leave me in suspense.”
