Killer (Savages 2)

I felt a chuckle rise up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, grinding my knuckles into the hair at the top of her head. "You're not the tough nut you think you are, sweetheart."

"Shh. Don't let that get out. I have a reputation to keep," she said, wrapping her arms around me for a hug. "You're really coming back tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I have a job next week. 'Sides... there's nothing for me here."

"Okay," she said, giving me a squeeze before moving away. "Good luck wrestling that demon cat into a travel carrier," she said with a wicked grin as she made her way to the door.

I waited. I figured maybe she needed a minute to put her walls back up; maybe she was embarrassed of being open with me. So I was giving her time. In fact, I gave her till early evening, being a complete creep and listening for signs that she was awake and moving around before I walked out into the hallway and knocked on her door.

There wasn't so much as a pause before her footsteps stopped and the door opened; so she either didn't expect me to show up and therefore didn't check the peephole, or she decided she was going to be cool, snippy Amelia and push me away. Judging by the way her mouth fell open when she saw me, yeah, it was the former.

"I told you to go."

"And I went," I said, tucking my hands into my pockets. "Now I'm back."

"And you're unwelcome."

She tried so hard, she really did, to seem mean and bitchy. But the fact of the matter was, she was neither and she didn't even play act at them well. "I want to explain something to you, baby. And you're gonna listen. You can slam the door in my face if you want, but I'll just yell through it and let the whole floor know our business."

"There is no our," she corrected, wanting so badly to believe it.

"Sure there is, darlin'. And it seems you got something confused at some point the night before last. I want to set that to rights."

Her eyes flashed, "Oh, I'm not confused at all, Johnnie. In fact, things are crystal clear to me."

"You weren't getting out of this town without that beer you promised me!" Dade's voice called, and I craned my neck over my shoulder to see him walking down the hall toward us. "I'm holding you to it," he said, gesturing with the six-pack in his hand. "Pretty lady," he said, winking at Amelia who seemed completely immune to his charm. Funny, that. "How are you holding up, honey?" he went on, his head cocked to the side, looking concerned. "You had a rough day."

"It would be much better if you got him out of my doorway," she said with a haughty chin lift.

Dade gave her a small smile. "Want to join us for a beer?"

"No thanks, Dade. I'm tired."

He moved forward, shouldering me slightly out of the way in doing so, making me step out of the doorway. Whether it was to carry out her wishes or to make his move, I wasn't sure. His hand moved out to close around her wrist, giving it a small squeeze. "If you need anything, honey..."

"Thanks," she cut him off, offering a closed-lip smile that nowhere reached her eyes. "Enjoy your beer," she said, moving back and closing the door.

"Fuck was that?" I asked when Dade turned back to me.

"What?" he asked, innocently, moving toward my dad's apartment.

"Shouldering me out of the way?" I asked, closing the door behind me, watching as he put the beer on the counter and reached out to pet Millie, who let him.

"You're ugly as sin, cat," he said to her as he popped his beer. He took a long swig before answering. "What are you doing messing with that girl?" he asked, shaking his head. "You're out of here tomorrow, man. Don't you think her heart is broken enough as it is?"

"So that was you making a move?" I asked, feeling annoyance rise up. "Case you were wondering, she tastes like fucking sunshine."

Dade's brows raised for a minute, taking another sip before he let his breath hiss out of his mouth. "Ain't like you to kiss and tell. You're better than that."

Fuck. He was right. I sighed, accepting the beer he held out to me, twisting off the top and drinking half the bottle in one swig. "Wanted more time with that one," I said honestly. It was true.

"What's stopping you?" Dade asked and there was a glimmer of hope there that reminded me what a selfish shit I had been. He wanted me to be around. He wanted our friendship back.

"Work. Break and Alex. Paine. I have people back home."

"Ain't saying you need to uproot your life, Johnnie. I get it. You've put down some roots. Just sayin', don't mean you can't have wings too. Hell, I got an empty apartment at the ranch. Come through between work and life stuff. Visit. See Amy."

"Amy?" I asked, gaze shooting to his. That was too... familiar for my liking.

"Amelia," he corrected, trying to hold back a smile.

"You call her Amy?"

"I'd call her fucking Cleopatra Queen of the Nile if she would give me the time of day."

I half-snorted, half-laughed, shaking my head at him. "That short for tail in this town? You all gotta sniff after her?"

"She's different, ya know? Ain't all about how she used to be a cheerleader and makes the best peach cobbler. Girl has something else going on for her. Ain't got no delusions, though man. Asked her out twice. Don't need any more kicks to my ego. She ain't interested. I won't be making a move on her."

He meant it as a comfort to me. I reached for another beer. "Kinda prefer it'd be you then some other dumb fuck around here."

"You callin' me a dumb fuck?" he asked, pretending to be offended.

"Oh, you're a dumb fuck alright," I smiled, tipping my beer at him.