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I looked over her shoulder, and fuck. I really needed to get those scratches cleaned up. I grabbed for the cat, O as she was calling it.
Rylee shrugged and put the scissors down.
“Okay. Sure. Can you detach him?” Rylee was looking at me.
It took a few minutes, some swear words, and more scratches that would probably need to be disinfected before he was tied up like a burrito. Cali poured the soap all over him and was working it into the towel. For her sake, I hoped it worked.
“I have never strangled a cat before. If you two don’t hurry up, that might be happening,” I said. I suddenly understood the concept of herding cats. The damn cat had me breaking out in a sweat with the effort it took to keep him from biting me. I was barely able to control this one, and I had his head in my hands. I was sort of keeping his head from getting wet and sort of keeping him from hurting Cali more.
“I knew those muscles were good for something,” Cali said as she rubbed soap into the cat. “I just never guessed it was for taming pussy. Oh, wait. I’m sure you have no issues in that department. Being that you somehow lose a girl’s number the next day.”
Rylee snorted but kept scrubbing the cat as Cali turned away and grabbed the cup that was proving more successful than thefaucet when it came to rinsing him and keeping him sort of calm. That being said, when she got back and sidled in between Rylee and myself? I took advantage and leaned over, keeping my voice just above a whisper.
“That isn’t what happened. You’re the one that threw yourself at me.”
Perhaps I was being petty, but I didn’t like what she implied. Not that I didn’t have a bit of a past, but I had all the reasons in the world.
“Oof,” was all I got out when she elbowed me.
“Ouch, what the fuck is in there?” she asked.
I smirked as she rubbed her elbow, spreading soapy water everywhere.
“I thought abs of steel was just some stupid saying. Fucking hell.” Cali glared at me.
“Maybe be nicer to me and I’ll let you inspect me for a bruise later.”
Her jaw dropped and Rylee giggled as she coughed and looked away. Her phone rang and she stepped away to answer, leaving me with Cali and one pissed off cat.
“I think O is clean, don’t you?” I asked. He’d at least stopped screeching somewhere between getting scrubbed and rinsed.
“Yeah, sure. I only have one other towel, but I guess it’s better than him being wet. I’ll be right back.”
Cali left me alone with the little monster, and I had to process what the hell she meant by one other towel. This place really was a shit hole. It wasn’t really Viper territory which told me they weren’t the ones paying for it. But where was all her money going? I tried to think back to our conversations and struggled to figure out all the pieces. Why was she branded and broke?
“Here it is. Can you untie that one so I can grab him before he runs through my apartment like a cat possessed?”
I eyed the beast.
“Please behave for her. She needs a damn friend.”
She needed something. This place screamed lonely. Her actions? I’d been more than willing, but this was a woman with literally nothing to lose. Something tightened inside my chest. I had nothing to lose. Except Cas and Zeid.
I watched Cali reach for the furry demon as I released him from the towel.
“Come here, O. You smell a million times better. Maybe like a body that’s fresh from the dumpster rather than rotting in a river with bloat.”
The visual wasn’t pretty, but the sentiment?
“Well that certainly puts into perspective how bad he was before we got here. I’m still pissed that you opened the fucking door. I didn’t bring in state-of-the-art security for you to die at the claws of a cat.”
She snuggled the cat that looked more like a drown rat, but somehow, watching her now? Even with that thing in her arms she looked like a damn angel.
“Oh, would you tell Xander thanks for caring, but he has what he needed, so it wasn’t a big risk.”
She still wasn’t looking at me, and now she was talking to me through the cat. My knuckles cracked before I realized I was squeezing them tight, ready for a fight that wasn’t going to happen. I needed a session with Cas or Zeid soon. The anger needed to spill out somewhere and the ring was the best choice. Not here.
Anger maybe wasn’t the right word either. I swore I was confused as hell most of the time with this woman. I’d been doing what you’re supposed to. I’d fucking respected her, and by staying away from her I kept her safe.
