So, I let it all go.
I don’t recall all the details of the fight. Every ounce of energy that wasn’t directed at keeping my human form, I threw into the fight, somehow making Frank the object of all my pain, and if only I could bring him down, then I’d feel better. I almost succeeded, and when we were both bloodied and beaten, Frank sporting a black eye which he’d roared,“Not the face!”at me when I’d given it to him, and the wound on my chest reopened when he clawed me again, we backed away from each other.
Panting, we watched each other wearily, Frank looking mildly shell-shocked that I’d been able to inflict so much damage. “Are you ready to talk about it?”
“Fuck you,” I spat out.
Frank simply raised his brows at me, straightening as he lifted his shoulder in another half-shrug after rolling them. “Suit yourself. Do you want to keep going?”
I thought I did, but after the past hour, now that we had stopped, I felt drained and numb inside. I was happy to not be feeling an avalanche of emotions anymore, but I didn’t like this feeling of hollow nothingness. Nikki returned to my thoughts as if she was ever far from them, and the nothingness was replaced with an ache that swallowed my heart.
Gritting my teeth against the tears welling behind my eyes, I squeezed my eyes shut as I heard Frank sigh and approach. “Let me give you a ride home, you stupid fuck.”
Sighing to myself, it was as close to a term of endearment as I was going to get from him. “Okay.”
Of course, he drove some expensive European car, and I shuffled in my seat, aware that I was probably getting blood on the cream upholstery. Frank was too, but he didn’t seem to care, but then again, it was his expensive car, and he could do with it as he wished.
Part of me wondered if he purchased the expensive vehicles and suits to keep up appearances or if he genuinely enjoyed the luxury. I suspected a bit of both but could barely form any thoughts, let alone ask a coherent question and maintain a conversation. Frank was hardly the sort for pointless conversation anyway, and I’d never been more thankful for that than right now.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?” he asked after a while.
“No.”
Frank pursed his lips and nodded, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. His grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles turned white. “How did you lose your mark?”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t really give a shit what you want,parvulus puer. You’re too wrapped up with this human woman, and it’s not good for you.”
“Don’t talk about her.”
“First, you try to solve a murder for her, now I’m guessing by your scars…” Frank threw an indignant look at my chest before returning his gaze to the road, illuminated by LED headlights, “… you went back home to ask something you shouldn’t, ofsomeone youdefinitelyshouldn’t be talking to.”
“Drop it, Frank.”
“What happened? Were you desperate to know something about some past fuck-buddy of hers? Maybe find out her kinks? Why you can’t make her come?”
There was screaming of tires and a responsive angry hail of horns as Frank’s car swerved dangerously into the oncoming lane. His eyes flared yellow as he corrected the vehicle, and he rubbed his jaw, glaring at me as I retreated to my seat, rubbing my knuckles.
“I’m going to forgive that punch…” he muttered, frowning, “… provided there are no scratches on my fucking car.”
“Just leave it alone. Please.”
He threw me one last look before sighing loudly. “Fine.” Pressing a button on his steering wheel, the radio flared to life, and he switched back and forth between two stations—Nine Inch Nailson one and something that sounded like Mozart.I watched his face as he decided between the two, the decision seeming to tear him. By the time he settled on Nine Inch Nails, the song was almost over, and we were pulling up to the front of my apartment building.
I expected him to keep the car idling and drop me off, but he stopped the car. Getting out and striding around the vehicle, Frank grabbed my arm as I went to leave. “Cade.”
“What?”
“She’s human.” I simply grunted in response, and Frank’s brow furrowed, his fists clenching. He was ready to fight over the point if I was going to push it. “Let her go.”
“No.”
Frank stared at me again, his fingers flexing before his shoulders dropped in resignation, and he held out his hand. I took it to shake, and his grip increased with a move I was too distracted to see coming as he landed a punch to my nose, usinghis grip on my hand to yank me back toward him and keep me standing. I snarled at him, which he ignored. “That’s for punching me while driving, asshole.” As he turned to leave, he paused before getting back into the driver’s seat. “I care about you, brother,” he said, tapping his fingers on the roof of his car. “I’m only trying to help.”
“Iknow,”I snarled before sighing and reducing my voice to a whisper, humbled by a show of affection from a demon such as Frank. “I know.”
Frank watched me for a beat, his expression unreadable. “Go to bed, Cade.”
