I reached for him, but he was already on his feet. “We should go so I’m not late.”
He went for the door, and I hurried to put shoes on and grab my coat and the spare gun on the counter.
“I call shotgun!” Ghost called from behind as I was rushing out the door.
I stopped so abruptly that he collided into me and bounced back. I turned, and he knew just by the look on my face.
“Aw, man,” he complained. “Fine. I’ll sit in the back. Won’t make a peep.”
“You’re staying here,” I told him.
“But—”
“Meet me at the Neon Reef at one. You can stay with him while I’m out.”
“You know what? Fine,” Ghost said. “You don’t need backup anyway. Your chest is like stone anyway. Bullets just ricochet right off. Probably your head too. God knows it’s hard enough.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks.”
I turned to go, but he caught my arm. I glanced back around.
“You’re gonna buy him that fish, right?”
I sighed.
“‘Cause if you don’t, I will. Did you see his face? Bullets might not work on you, but that look? Brought you right down.” He made a sound. “And did you hear what Mr. Wasashi told him? Gonna sell off his favorite little fish. Poor Scop. That’s just villainous. I’ve killed for less. So have you.”
I shoved his hand off my arm. “I’m leaving.”
“Vaughn.”
I heaved a sigh. “Of course I’m gonna buy it,” I said low. Hell, I already had a barstool and two half-dead plants in the middle of my living room. Might as well add a dirty, ugly fish too.
Ghost beamed. “I’m gonna be an uncle!”
“I’m leaving!” Hazard yelled from down the hall as the elevator dinged open.
I pushed Ghost into my apartment and started forward. “Don’t even think about getting on that elevator without me,” I said as he literally stepped into the box and the doors began to close. “Hazard!” I bellowed.
I could have sworn I heard him snicker as I ran forward, my hand sliding between the closing doors just in time. They popped open, and I strode in, railroading Haz up against the back wall as the doors latched and the car lurched.
He gulped, head leaning against the mirrored wall so he could gaze up at me. I stared at him hard, hoping the weight of my stare was almost painful.
“I’m proud of you,” I said, gruff.
His eyes rounded, shock making him look like an owl.
“Your whole life, you did everything you had to do to survive, and you did it without becoming bitter shells like everyone else.I’m proud of you and fucking grateful, and I will do my best to understand you want to work.”
His head bobbed, and I leaned a little heavier into him just because having my body on his was my new obsession. “But I need you to also understand that I love you, and you said you love me back.”
“I do.” He confirmed.
“That means I get to help take care of you now, and I can’t do that if you’re running around all willy nilly and getting into elevators by yourself?—”
“Willy nilly.” He snickered.
“Pay attention,” I barked. “I’m giving you a lecture.”
