“Are you fucking insane?”
“Yes. And, to win, you have to be. Tight screws don’t leave room for successors. Loose screws do.”
She stomped toward the door with her chest out and her chin up. As she opened it, Matte fell through.
I placed a hand on my forehead, rubbing the worry lines that creased it.
“Oh shoot.”
“Girl, grow a fucking spine,” Royce demanded.
“Sorry– I– uh–”
“And stop apologizing so much.”
“Yes. Right.”
Matte regained her balance and stood on both feet.
“Is everything okay?”
She approached my desk, completely baffled.
“Oh God, Mr. Grayson. You’re bleeding! Oh God! Oh God.”
I placed a finger over my mouth as I stood from my chair. It wasn’t until then that I surveyed the damage.
“Oh God. What should I do? Should I call the police?”
I shook my head.
“No. Don’t make any calls. Find us a way out of here without detection. There’s a media storm downstairs and I need to get to Berkeley medical.”
I unbuttoned my shirt and wrapped it in a ball. I pressed it against my wound and waited for Matte’s feet to move.
“But– but why aren’t you– doesn’t it– are you sure you don’t need me to call you a medic?”
“I need you to do what I’ve asked of you. I can handle the rest.”
“Right. Right.”
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Matte. It won’t be my last.”
I didn’t need Berkeley City Medical. Neither did I need Matte’s assistance. I could remove the shell, clean, bandage, and stitch. But, I wasn’t sure if Royce would put another hot one in me if I didn’t find my way to the hospital. She was pulling the sympathy card. Though I despised it, I wouldn’t hinder her plans.
The weight of my world rested on my shoulders. The weight of her world rested on my shoulders. The weight of us… our world… her pain. Rested on my shoulders. It was heavy, but I carried it without complaint. I didn’t have room to moan or mumble or grumble. I’d made a mistake and Royce had every right to demand payment for it.
Twenty-four hours had escaped without me hearing her voice, touching her body, or feeling her against my skin. Withdrawals led me to Clarke. Desperation led me to her door.Desire forced me to knock. And, regret forced me to stay even after she refused to let me in.
Rain poured from the skies, signaling my despair. I pressed the doorbell a third time and stepped backward. Nothing was right without baby girl in my corner. I’d much rather crawl into an early grave than to go another day without her at the center of my universe.
Royce’s home was beautiful. There was over ten thousand square feet of silence. I was certain her thoughts were echoing in the silence. Aside from them, all she heard was the sound of her heartbeat. My heart beat. If there was nothing else I’d learned about her, it was that she hated being alone. It hadn’t always been this way, but as life progressed, so did her urge for companionship.
I peered at my cell. A full two minutes passed.
Open up, my baby.
I pressed the doorbell a fourth time. Instead of waiting for the inevitable, I unlocked my screen and dialed the digits that would connect us.
