EVIDENCE
I didn’t wantto go to work, but someone had to buy cat food. After my conversation with Drake, the prospect of seeing him, or possibly having to speak to him, was not high on my list of things I would find enjoyable. Being in that place in general after CeeCee’s murder kind of unnerved me. I was half tempted to call in sick, or even quit all together and spend the day looking for a new source of income.
But someone had to buy the damn cat food.
For the first time in forever, I was obeying the speed limits. I made a full stop at every stop sign. Anything to prolong the time it would take to pull into that lot and enter the building. A car accident would be great right about now. No such luck.
When I parked, I didn’t move. I breathed heavily, still gripping the wheel, trying to convince myself to turn the car off and get out. When a blue pickup pulled into the spot beside me, the spot that used to belong to CeeCee, I shuddered. I didn’t want to see the driver. I was afraid it would be her replacement, and I wasn’t ready for that. But it was like passing a car accident, you can’t just not look. Damian’s eyes looked back at me from the driver’s seat, and my anger rose to my throat like bile.
Why the fuck did everyone think I needed a babysitter? Sure, I was sitting in my car about to hyperventilate, but I was allowed to do that. I wasn’t a child, nor had I asked for their help.
He was the first to kill his engine and step out. I almost drove away. Fuck his concern.
I rolled the window down and lashed out at him in frustration. “What the hell are you doing here? Didn’t you catch my meaning when I complained about Cole following me around? I am an independent woman. If I think I need some kind of bodyguard, I will let all of you know. Until then, please back the hell off.”
Damian sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and placed his hand on my door. “I was worried about you. Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you mad.”
“Look, I get that I’m in the middle of something bad right now. And I appreciate that you care enough to want to make sure I’m okay, but I want to live my life as normally as possible. I don’t want to be afraid of my own shadow. I can’t do that if you guys are all hovering over me like a mommy bird. I’m not going to fall out of the nest, Damian.”
Lightning etched itself across the sky, followed by a crash of thunder. Rain drops began to fall on the windshield, leaving trails as they slid down. Damian looked up at the sky, wiping the water from his handsome face.
“Get in the car,” I demanded.
He didn’t hesitate. This would not be a romantic drive, the guy is soaked, and all his manly muscles show dramatically through his wet, skintight t-shirt moment. I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous thought. Apparently, I’d been watching far too many Hallmark movies.
“Is this going to be an everyday thing?” I asked. “Should I expect to see at least one of your cars in the lot with me every morning?”
Damian ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. I didn’t talk to the other guys. Sterling scared me yesterday when he said he would kill everyone, though. Isn’t that why we are in this situation to begin with? Because someone is killing people? It didn’t sit right with me, and it made me worry that if we got in the way of something, or if you chose us over him, would he hurt you? I couldn’t live with myself if he hurt you. So, I wanted to make sure you were okay today. At least while he is so mad.” He turned his face to me, and the raw emotion etched on his features made my heart sink.
“I think he just said that because he was mad that we cornered him and made him tell his secret,” I told him. “I don’t think he would actually hurt anyone. It’s his job to be a protector. Even before he went into hiding. He protected people. I don’t think it would be in his nature to hurt someone he cares about.”
“But what if Cole is right?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“What if he is leaving out key parts of his story to fit the narrative he has created for himself? What if there was more to it than what he told us?” The reflection of the water hitting the glass echoed across his features, making him look like a beautiful painting. I wanted to run my hand down his cheek and feel his warmth beneath my fingers.
“We are just going to have to take his word on it right now. There’s nothing else we can do. If his family really is all gone, there isn’t even anyone we can ask. I’m sure if he was lying about that, the investigator would have spoken to them himself.”
“I guess you’re right,” he relented with a sigh.
“I need to go inside. You’re not going to sit out here all day, are you?” I asked. “I promise I will be perfectly safe sitting at my desk all day.”
He shook his head. “I’ll go back and wait at Cole’s apartment until you get home. I actually don’t mind hanging out with the guy. He’s got a lot of video games and he keeps pretty good snacks in the cabinets.”
“I’m glad you guys are friends.”
He pursed his lips. “I wouldn’t say friends. We are still pretty suspicious of each other. But we are more suspicious of Sterling, and that gives us common ground.”
“When all this is over, I think we will all get along just fine.” I pulled the key out of the ignition and looked at him. “I really have to go inside.”
“Okay,” he nodded, and took the liberty of leaning across the console and nuzzling my cheek. Unable to resist, I turned my face to him and took his bottom lip into my mouth. His bonding hormones came alive with need, and I pulled back reluctantly. “I would ask you not to stop, but then you’ll never get to work.”
“Yeah, I have to go.”
He nodded and got out of the car, rushing back to his own vehicle under the heavy, pelting drops. I looked at the open-toed heels I’d worn and frowned. This was not going to be fun. Bracing myself, I opened the door, and all but sprinted to the door, scanned my badge, and ripped it open. My speed did nothing for me. My hair was a sopping mess, and my dress looked garish. There was no doubt that my mascara was running, and I looked like a drowned rat.
Drake put his hand to his mouth from where he stood in the doorway of his office.
“Don’t say a fucking word,” I warned.
He took a step back and closed his door behind him. Smart man.
My phone vibrated from inside my purse. “Fuck me!” I shouted. I tore the thing out of the side pocket and looked at the screen. “Oh, no! I do not have time for you right now, Sterling.” I hit ignore and put the thing back where it had come from. It began to ring a second time. I ignored it as I made my way to my desk and grabbed a stack of tissues from a box to blot my face. But he was unrelenting, and the phone was now ringing yet again.
Giving in, I hit the answer button. “What do you want?” My greeting was hard. It was a direct representation of how I felt.
“Dahlia it’s Sterling.”
“No shit. I do have caller ID.”