Boss of Me

“Focus on Nashville. Keep it small, a boutique service. Keep the money coming in.” His voice turns dry at the end.

“Seems like you’ve done the last part.”

“I’ve spread us thin with this expansion. It should pay off in a big way… If this doesn’t break us.” He reaches up to scrub his face, and I feel such sadness rolling off him.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No.” He turns to the wall, opening a portrait that hides a safe.

I step away while he enters the code, walking to the window and looking out. “Can you tell me what happened with Marley?”

The noise of clicking and papers shuffling meets my ears. I look up to see him pushing that envelope inside and closing the metal door. He spins the lock and closes the portrait over it.

“I’ve spent all night and all day keeping it out of the papers.” His tone is bitter. “The last thing we need is this getting out now. We haven’t even contacted Hastings and Key.”

“Actually, we did. I sent them an email this morning and copied you and Taron on it. I haven’t checked for a reply, but—”

“What did you say?” He goes to his desk and slides his fingers across the keypad.

My stomach is tight, and I wish I’d checked my emails before telling him what I did. As it stands…

He’s silent, eyes focused on the screen, brow lowered. I feel like I’m dying when his expression doesn’t change. Finally, he cuts his eyes up at me. “They’re onboard.”

I exhale loudly. Oh, thank God. “So that’s one good thing?”

The muscle in his jaw moves, and I’m afraid he’s pissed. “He intentionally overdosed. He wanted to die because he couldn’t stop the memories.” His voice grows rough again. “Now they’re placing him in a 72-hour lockdown. We can’t see him or talk to him. It’ll be like he’s right back there…”

His voice trails off, and his gaze going to some distant memory, far away. I go to him, putting my hand on his arm. “You need rest. Let me take you home.”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t do anything else. If they’ve put him in lockdown, all you can do is wait.”

He hesitates. I think he’s going to tell me no, but when our eyes meet, he takes my hand.

18

Patton

Raquel moves around my apartment like she lives here. She goes into the kitchen and pulls down two tumblers, pouring us each a shot of scotch. Thunder rumbles outside the window, and the rain starts.

“Rain feels good during tough times.” She holds her glass, looking out the closed balcony doors. “Makes me feel like I’m not alone in my suffering.”

She’s wearing slim blue pants and a striped blue button-up shirt. It’s the first time I’ve really looked at her since she found me in my office losing my shit. As always, she’s stunning with that long, dark hair and blue eyes.

Last night was long and hard. Taron and I went to the ER and waited… and waited. Taron stayed as long as he could, but by 2 a.m., his back was giving him too much grief. I sent him home and stayed until the doctors came out and told me Marley didn’t seem to have any long-term damage. In view of the circumstances, his past honors and his treatment history—and with a lot of urging on my part—they agreed not to press charges.

It’s fucked up to get arrested after attempting to kill yourself, but I get it. He broke the law. He’s not supposed to have fucking heroin. I’m not sure whether to be glad or concerned over what he did. I’m glad because the Narcan was able to bring him back.

The problem is I know how Taron struggled to get off that shit, and he wanted to get off it bad. Marley has no such desire.

Raquel returns to where I’m sitting at the bar watching her, and I realize what she just said. “When were you suffering?”

I don’t know if she’s exaggerating, referencing a broken heart or a missed date, or if she’s really had to face hardship in her life. I know she told me she was one of the poor kids growing up, but the way she talks about being at the beach and her sister makes me think they were close…

Another reason I should send her home tonight.

“Oh, you know.” She says it through an exhale, taking another, longer sip of scotch. “After my parents were killed things were hard for a long time… I think it’s why Renée had her breakdown.”