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Tav looks at me like I’m insane, his eyes darting to Cash and communicating a silent but clear,‘Should we commit him?’that has Cash shaking his head.
Cash leans forward to plant his elbows on his knees. “How are you planning to do that?”
“I’m going to take her home with me. She’ll be safe with me.”
Tav chokes, but gathers himself quickly enough to say, “You know you can’t make her move in with you?”
Cash chuckles deep and low. We both look to him as he shrugs. “I kind of did with Wrenlee.”
Silence. It throbs between us as we stare, dumbstruck, at our friend.
My ears ring.
“Come again?” Tav is the first to speak.
“Second that,” I mutter, eyes lockedon my friend.
Cash rubs the back of his neck. “It’s a long story.”
“Got time,” I assure.
He shrugs again, like it makes no difference to him. “We started fake.”
“What-now?” Tav shakes his head, face scrunching in disbelief, like he thinks Cash is pulling our leg. He’s not, I can tell. Tav’s pitch is high when he asks, “Fake?”
“Overheard Addy from Addy’s Ace telling Wrenlee she sucked at waitressing. Wasn’t cutting it and was close to firing her. I’d been watching Wren already, so I knew I wanted her. Didn’t know how I’d make a girl like her interested in a man like me, but when I overheard that conversation after we’d played one night at the club, I knew I had my in. I propositioned her to be my fake girlfriend, move in with me, show the world I was off-limits. In exchange, I provided a safe place for her to live, food, and the ability to sleep without working herself dead. With her in my space, it wasn’t so hard to make her fall for me.”
“You freaky fuck. You stalked the girl before you manipulated her into falling in love with you,” Tav accuses, wagging his finger at Cash in reprimand that makes Cash grin like the genius he is. “That’s what was happening that night I caught you cornering her in the hall at Addy’s Ace, wasn’t it? Because before I knew it, her ass was living with you.”
“That’s the night.”
“Shit.” Tav blinks and repeats, “Shiiit.”
“Genius,” I breathe.
Cash sits up straight. “If you’re serious about the girl, all you gotta do is make her an offer she can’t refuse. Table something she can’t deny, and make sure you get her out of the deal.”
I grin wide at my brother and tell him again, “Genius.”
Tav just mutters, “Here we go.”
six
Nevaeh
The x-ray shows my ribs are not broken, although they are bruised. The ultrasound shows no internal bleeding. My throat will be raw for the next week or so, my voice scratchy. I’ll have to have my stitches removed in a few days, but the other cuts and bruises on my face and body will heal in time. I’ve been prescribed an anti-inflammatory for the swelling and a painkiller for—well, the pain.
After the assault I suffered, it’s amazing there isn’t more damage. It’s almost as though my attacker knew just how to strike me to make it excruciatingly painful, without really hurting me.
I’ve been given the clear to go home, even thoughhome is the last place I want to be. If I’m being honest with myself, I’m terrified to go home. Sick at the thought of it. But I’m also too afraid to go to Mom and Dad—too afraid to bring this trouble into their lives. I could go to Uncle Miguel. He’d take me in without hesitation and do his best to protect me, but he’s not the most law abiding of citizens and although Antonio clearly is no saint, he has the reputation of one. He also has the financial means to destroy Uncle Miguel if the mood strikes. If Antonio’s hiring the goon who pummelled me last night has taught me anything, it’s that the mood most definitely will strike. Antonio only requires a slight nudge to his obviously delicate ego to pitch a rich-boy fit.
I pull the cardigan from over the chair where I hung it when I’d undressed to don the hospital gown. At home, I’d been too sore to throw a pullover sweater over my head. I’m even more sore now that the bruises and swelling have had a chance to settle in. That’s even with the painkillers.
When the struggle to shove my arms into the cardigan becomes too much, I give up with a huff I’m sure the entire ER department hears. A tiny sob catches in the back of my throat, burning there as I fight to swallow it back, shove it down. No one needs to hear me break. I’ll do that when I’m alone.
Because I know where I need to go.
I know what I need to do.
