“Razor slipped while I was shaving.”
I forced myself to maintain a straight face. Skinner’s brows lowered.
“And the one on your arm?”
“I fell on a knife,” Brody replied, his gaze never wavering from Skinner’s. “I’m a klutz.”
“Uh, huh.” Skinner fished a card from his pocket. “When you both decide to tell me the truth, give me a call.”
Without shaking hands, Skinner gave us both quick nods, then he and the uniformed cops crossed the waiting room to the doors. I rested my hand on Brody’s shoulder as the nurse pushed his chair, walking beside him. He grinned up and winked.
“So you’re back to having me on your couch.”
I rolled my eyes. “Time for you to start paying rent.”
“Happy to.”
***
Ensconced once again on my couch, his knee resting on pillows, Brody seized my hand. Whether I’d grown used to being grabbed in such a fashion, or my dragon’s presence acted as a balm on my former fears, I didn’t flinch. Instead, I lifted my brow.
“Manhandling your landlady is so unacceptable.”
He pulled me to him. “You’re adorable when you’re annoyed.”
Sitting beside him, I smoothed his hair from his brow. “How’s your pain? Is your knee troubling you?”
“Not really. Doc said to keep ice on it, though. Austin almost rearranged my kneecap.”
“Almost?”
“It’s just stretched tendons and ligaments. You’re not concerned about how he threatened to kill you?”
“Should I be?” I smiled, tracing his sutures with my fingers. “He tried once. Look what happened.”
“Don’t get overconfident, baby,” Brody said. “Your dragon is giving you confidence, sure, but a bullet in the back will kill you both.”
I took in a deep breath. “It’s not just my dragon, Brody. I’m growing tougher. I’m not scared like I used to be. His bullet can kill me, us, true. But mine, or yours, can kill him just as easily.”
“That’s true enough.” Brody’s gaze searched my eyes. “You’ve changed. In a good way, don’t get me wrong. Just remember, he’s still out there, might be watching the house right now.”
I leaned forward to kiss him. “Time to get ourselves a Rottweiler.”
Standing, I went to the window to have a look outside. Only a few kids rode their bikes up and down the street, staying well within the block. A pair of women watched from a porch, surely gossiping about the neighborhood and what occurred within it. I saw no black sedans, no cars that weren’t normally there.
“I’ll get your ice.”
After packing his knee with the ice, I left him to watch television while I tried to get some work completed in my office.I’m so far behind because of Austin’s shit. I wish he’d just fly to New York and start a new drug business there.
I managed some work on the short story, then gave it up when my brain ran out of ideas. Brody’s ice pack had turned to slush, and no strange cars sat parked on the street. The women and kids were gone, however. I sat in my recliner with a heavy sigh.
“I’m so sick of being stalked,” I complained, then realized what I’d just said.
Brody’s eyes widened. “Can’t say that I blame you. So who’s your stalker? Outside of you know who.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to talk about it.”
“I’m ready to listen when you are.”
