Tyson cracked open the energy drink and took a long swallow before glaring in my direction again.“Ha,” he said flatly as he flipped me off one more time.
“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”Britta asked.
Tyson shook his head and leaned against the kitchen island.“Got off a couple hours early,” he said.“Managed to fall asleep right away when I got home.I’m good until I need to head back tonight.”
Britta smiled.“Well, that’s great.”Then her eyes shifted to me.“Tyson and I could hang out for a bit if you have something you need to catch up on.”
I didn’t, not really.The only thing I needed to be doing was keeping an eye on Britta.That was it.
That was the whole list.
But I could check in with Twister and make sure the club wasn’t sitting on anything new.
Still… leaving her sat wrong in my chest.
Tyson flicked his fingers at me like he was shooing off a fly and sat down on the other end of the couch from Britta.“Take off, man,” he said.“I’ve been keeping an eye on Britta since she was born.We’re good.”
That part I believed.
Tyson annoyed the hell out of me, but he wasn’t stupid, and he’d tear the walls down with his bare hands if something happened to his sister.
“I’m just gonna check in with the club,” I said finally.“Shouldn’t be more than an hour.”
“Make it four,” Tyson said.
Britta rolled her eyes.“Ty.”
“Seriously, man,” Tyson went on.“We’re good.We’ll order a pizza and chill.”
I didn’t love the pizza part.Letting random delivery guys know the apartment number while Britta was inside wasn’t my favorite thought, but Tyson was here, and I was going to be just a five-minute ride from the clubhouse.
I grabbed the notepad off the kitchen counter and scribbled my number down, ripping the page off and handing it to Britta.“Call me if you need me.I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Sounds good,” she said.
“Later,” Tyson muttered.
I grabbed my keys and sunglasses from the counter, took one last look at Britta, and headed for the door.
Walking out of her apartment felt wrong.Like I was stepping away from something I shouldn’t leave unguarded, even for a little while.
The hallway outside was quiet.I hit the elevator button and waited, listening to the mechanical groan as it climbed.
My fingers drummed once against my thigh.
I didn’t like leaving her.Didn’t like how fast that feeling had taken root in me.
The elevator doors slid open.I stepped inside and hit the lobby button.
If something happened while I was gone…
No.
Tyson was there.
Britta was inside.
I could do one hour.
