I pressed my lips together, not believing her reaction in the slightest. “You wouldn’t know, you’re a dog.”
She sucked her tongue back in, her ears folding back, and she released a gruff of disproval.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, come on, let’s get some coffee.”
She jumped up, following me out of the room closely, and we headed for the door.
Everett and Evelyn stayed at my house for a week after that night, he hadn’t come to visit my room since then either. Nothing more than stolen, unreadable glances.
I wasn’t worried. I knew how he felt fucking me in thatcondition, and I hadn’t been fully healed before he left, which was a little disappointing, but again, I understood.
Since the morning after, I had spent my time sleeping, writing, taking long, hot baths, and reading while they worked on whatever it was they worked on. Constantly on the phone, on the laptop, talking or researching, it seemed. I sent texts to Martin who had told me it would take longer than he thought it would to gather up everything I would need for the company. My time limit had been well deserved but unmanageable given how large the company was, which was irritating, but understandable.
They left a few days ago on some top-secret thing, probably one of those things I would never know about, or didn’t need to know about. I didn’t care. I hadn’t slept since they left, and Everett knew that if he had been paying any attention to the one camera he had installed into the spare bedroom. One only he had access too.
But even knowing that he might be watching if he managed to get a second to look, I still couldn’t sleep, and I was on the verge of collapse today.
I was in desperate need of café coffee, not just home-brewed stuff, but something sugary and jacked with caffeine. So today, we would head back to the city to get some coffee and maybe look at some office spaces since my home was no place to run a business.
A much needed trip, if I said so myself.
I clipped Lucy’s collar and leash on before grabbing my purse, wallet, and keys, and headed out, locking the door behind me.
It was a beautiful summer day out, warm, but still comfortable. July was one of the hotter months in Colorado, but I couldn’t have been more excited. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t worried about bruises given to me out of malice or about what Steven would say if he knew what I was wearing.
I just wish that I didn’t feel so self-conscious today. I loved this dress. I loved the shoes I had paired with it, and my hair wasn’t frizzy, but those scars and this feeling in my stomach, it was ruining everything.
Still, I couldn’t let it detour me from getting things done. I would be fine. And maybe Everett would be back soon, with his challenging words and icy eyes, and those heated looks that always warmed my stomach.
I truly missed him.
I was still worried about Lucy though. She was more protective than ever now, which I didn’t mind. I needed that, especially since I wasn’t used to carrying my gun around yet. I didn’t have a holster, and even though I had practiced pulling it out of my purse, it didn’t feel natural yet.
Lucy was all I had, even so, I prayed that this mental snap she had wouldn’t be permanent. That one day she would feel okay again.
“Morning!”
Lucy immediately started snarling, putting herself between me and Wade who was walking up in full cop gear.
I slowed to a stop halfway down my walkway, glancing to the street to find that the cab that I had called was nowhere in sight.
Dammit, I should have stayed inside.
“Whoa,” he said, his smile getting nervous as he stopped on my grass. “Is she okay?”
“Um,” I cleared my throat, adjusting my stance. “Yeah, something about being out here has her on edge,” I explained easily. I was fine. I was fine. He was a cop. He didn’t have anything to do with the guy who broke in. He was kind. “You on patrol?” I asked, glancing towards his house. No patrol car. In fact, I had never seen a patrol car parked anywhere near his house.
“Street today, yeah,” he agreed, pulling my eyes back. “Ishould have told you earlier, I’m a Detective at Falcon. Sometimes they send me on patrol if they’re short staffed.”
My brows pulled together, and I took him in. I didn’t know they did that. “Huh,” I said, glancing down the street again. Still no cab. Maybe I should have just stayed inside. I could have ordered coffee, and the internet was there for a reason. Searching for office spaces online would have been so much better than dealing with this.
Lucy snapped and my head whipped around, finding him a step closer than before.
I took a step back, letting Lucy adjust herself to accommodate. “You patrolling this street?”
He shook his head, studying me carefully, confusion in his eyes. “Heading out, saw you walking out, thought I’d say hi before I leave.” He lifted his chin, his suspicion growing. “Are you okay? Did something happen the other night?”
My heart skipped a beat, and it took everything I had to remain calm. “The other night?”Fuck!He knew about what happened. He knew that Everett and Evelyn killed and dismembered someone in my living room. He knew about the cleaning crew. I single-handedly just ruined a criminal empire because of a stupid collar.
