“We’re not fighting. She’s not staying with me because I have a dragon pig and its pet dog/brother/worshiper—whatever Spud is to it—in the house. That dragon pig and demon unicorn do not get along, and I don’t want Spud to become a casualty.”
“Right. And also you and Ryder are fighting.”
I tucked my fists into my jacket and gave her my cop’s glare. “Who told you that?”
“It doesn’t take anyone to tell me what I can see with my own eyes. Police officer.” She pointed at her face. “Keen observation skills.”
“And what can you observe?”
“He’s never home when you are. Scheduled a job that takes him out of town on the days you’re home. Only gets one day to sleep in his own bed. A day when you’re on duty.”
“That’s not—”
“Isn’t it?”
I didn’t know.
Yes, he’d taken the build out of town. Said he needed the extra money. Said the dragon pig was eating us out of house and home. Not strictly true, since it was eating us out of junkyard, and there were plenty of junkyards we could scavenge.
He’d been really focused on money, and quick to change the subject whenever I brought up how we were doing together, or when I tried to check in on our goals.
Maybe having my soul possessed by a demon for over a year was just too much. Maybe I’d changed. I knew I was having…blackouts? Some kind of foggy memory moments. I figured that would get better as my soul healed.
But there was no guarantee on that.
Maybe I was broken this way now.
Permanently.
“Wow. That is one long-ass pause.” Jean leaned away from the side of the building and wrapped her arms around me.
“Don’t.”
“It’s a hug. You can handle it.”
“I’m fine.”
She squeezed.
“Jean, you’re making a big deal out of nothing.” Her hair smelled like key lime pie.
“You’re confused about you and Ryder, but it’s okay. It’s a fight. After a fight you get to make up. Making up is the best.”
“I’m not confused.”
The squeeze again.
“Making up after a fight is awesome. You’ll see.”
“Get off me, you perv.”
She snorted a laugh into my shoulder and finally stepped back, one hand catching my fingers.
She’d done that ever since she was a little kid.
“Go away,” I said.
“I’ll take on the pony demon. You do some work facing your doubt demons, okay?”
