“No doctor.”
“Why are you upset?” His hand lands on my shoulder. “Talk to me, Specter.”
Exhaling slowly, I squeeze my eyes closed for a few seconds. Phantom is a good listener.
“I knew he was in trouble. I sensed it and I left him unprotected.”
“Hey. You can’t take on that guilt, man. You’re not in a relationship with him, right?”
“No.”
“So what could you have done? Stalked him?”
“Yes.”
Phantom chuckles. “There’s no sense in focusing on what you could’ve done. Put your energy into helping him now.”
“You’re right. I can do that.”
“Any idea who the attacker is?”
“None.”
“Okay, well if you need help, you know where to find me. We’ve got your back, Specter.”
He hugs me even though he knows I hate it, and I end up slumping against him and smiling into his shoulder. Guess I needed it.
“Thanks, man.”
He pats my shoulder. “He must be pretty smart.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He came to you. If anyone can fix it, I have faith that it’s you. When you find his boogeyman, you’ll paint the town in that dude’s blood.”
“Damn right I will.”
“Coming in?”
“Gonna finish my cigarette.”
Phantom nods and slips back inside while I work out the rest of my stress with some nicotine. I hope my absence gives Cashmere enough time to shower and change comfortably.
Change. Shit.
He can’t put on the same clothes he was attacked in. I drop my cigarette and stamp it out before hurrying back inside. The tea is already steeping, so I grab the tray with the pot, a couple of mugs, and the honey bottle, thankful for Whisper’s tea routine. I rarely drink it, but when I do, I drink it plain.
“Smells like chai.” Whisper himself enters the kitchen. “That’s a pretty fancy setup for late tea.”
“I have a guest.”
His eyebrows rise. “What? That never happens.”
I grunt noncommittally. “He likes chai tea.”
“Just chai. Chai tea is redundant.”
“What?”
