Abe’s jaw drops. “Benji, you’ve stepped into some shit here. You’ve got to watch yourself before something happens.”
“I know,” I say, withdrawing my hand. “I may need to call that—”
The bell rings again. “Abe!” Cal crows.
“Shit,” I mumble, trying to catch Abe’s eyes, to tell him to keep his fool mouth shut. He either doesn’t see or he ignores me.
&nb
sp; “Cal,” he says tightly. “It’s good to have you back, but you seem to be doing a piss-poor job at this whole guardian-angel thing.”
“I can handle myself,” I snap at Abe. “I’ve been doing just fine for years without him here.”
“Fine?” Abe says, arching an eyebrow at me. “That’s what you call it? Fine?”
“What’s going on?” Cal asks, his voice low and dangerous.
“Some guy was just in here and he attacked Benji!”
“Abe,” I groan. “He didn’t attack—”
Cal’s in front of me even before I can finish my sentence. He towers over me, irritation flashing in his dark eyes, his upper lip twitching. “Show me,” he says.
Try as I might, I can’t refuse him. I hold out my wrist again, and his touch is gentle as he rubs his fingers on the darkening skin. I try rolling my wrist in his hands, and while it hurts, it doesn’t seem like anything is sprained.
“Who did this to you?” he says, his voice vibrating with fury.
“It doesn’t—”
“No games!” he barks. “Tell me.”
“Traynor,” I say, looking away.
“Traynor?” Abe says, sounding surprised. “Wasn’t that… Arthur Davis said that name. That was him?”
“Who is Arthur Davis?” Cal says with a scowl. “He is not one of mine. He is hidden from me. Traynor is too. You asked me about him once.”
“Shit,” I mutter again.
“Arthur Davis was the guy with the gun that you scared to kingdom come,” Abe says.
“I will find him,” Cal promises. “I will find this Traynor. He will not bother you again.”
“No,” I say sharply, and he flinches. “You are not to do anything like that again. You promised me.”
“He hurt you.” Now it looks like his anger is directed at me. “Why didn’t I see your thread if you were being hurt?”
That’s a question I can’t answer, though part of me wonders if I kept it from him by merely wishing it so. This isn’t information I think needs to be shared, if true. That would mean that God… crap, I can’t even begin to think of it. “I’m fine now,” I reassure him. “Abe came in and rescued me.” This is supposed to be a joke, but it comes out flat.
But to Cal, it’s serious. He turns to my old friend. “Thank you,” he says somberly. “Thank you for doing what I could not.”
Abe shrugs. “Don’t need to worry about that. I saw you up with those people at Rosie’s and figured Benji could use some company.” He raises his hand to cut Cal off as he tries to interrupt, guilt pouring off him. “Didn’t mean a thing by that. You might have been watching Benji for a long time, but you aren’t the only one who cares what happens to him. People are just a mite glad you are back, and I’m one of them. I don’t expect you to leave again anytime soon, we clear?”
Cal nods, bowing his head. He entwines his fingers into mine and grips me tightly. I squeeze back to let him know that everything is okay, even though it’s so far from okay it’s mind-boggling.
“What are you going to do about this, Benji?” Abe asks. “This is getting to be bigger than all of us.”
“I may need to make a call,” I admit.