“He…he won’t talk. I don’t know if he can. I don’t even know if he knows what’s going on. Collin gave him something for the panic.”
“Same thing he gave me?”
“Yeah,” Zevon gulped. “I don’t want to cause more harm. And he was pretty out of it when I picked him up. Wyatt helped drag him in.”
“Did he have to drag him?”
“No. That’s not the right world. Carried? Shit.”
“Zevon,” I said, stepping in front of him. I waited for his eyes to meet mine. Despite the panic I was feeling, I kept it tamed for the moment. I could freak out later. “Deep breath. Tell me what you want me to do.”
“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Okay,” I said. “Do you know anything about him?”
He shook his head. “Only that, at the time of the auction, the previous owner said that the item was at the cleaners. I have no idea what that means now that I have…him.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“I don’t know,” he repeated. “I don’t know what to do, Scarlett. With you, I just stayed away, knowing you hated my guts.”
“Can’t blame me. I didn’t like anyone all that much,” I said.
“I don’t blame you one bit. I caused you pain when I thought I was helping. And when I saw that you would rather do anything than be in my company, I kept my distance.”
“And now, you can’t do the same thing with him,” I summed up. “But you want to.”
“I’d give him to Ace or something, but he’s too far away.”
“Okay,” I said. I gently pressed my lips to his forehead. He leaned into me, soaking it up. Pulling back, I spoke. “You gave me time to adjust to everything, and look at us now. You’ll figure something out.”
“But—"
“Go get some fresh air. I’ll keep him company. Just…no more auctions.”
“That, I can promise you,” he shuddered.
“Go make some magic soup or something,” I said, stepping back.
“Okay. I can do that. I think.” He didn’t move.
Shaking my head at him, understanding exactly where his train of thought was most likely taking him, I let him be. He could either sit there and do nothing or go find something to do.
I took a deep breath in before facing the man curled up on the floor. He was in desperate need of a shower and haircut. And clothes, as the sweat pants he wore were stained and filled with holes.
For now, small steps. One thing at a time.
Isat on the floor, my legs crossed. The man quickly glanced at me before staring back at the floor. In that one glance, I saw his pain and confusion.
It brought back so many memories I didn’t want to recall.
“I’ve been where you are. Well, sort of, in a roundabout way,” I said, slowly and quietly. “I’ve been hiding in a corner like you not all that long ago. Uh, ten weeks ago or so, to be exact.”
He didn’t move, but I knew he was listening.
“Zevon drugged me,” I went on. My eyes dropping to the floor. “He meant well, but he had no idea how much that made my life worse. He does now, since I told him.”
“Oh, he knew before you told him,” Collin said from the doorway.
