She rubbed my back. “And you have every right to feel that way.”
“I’m just--kind of shell-shocked, I guess. Very angry. I mean, really fucking angry. Don’t get me wrong, I’d never do something like this. But I now understand crimes of passion.”
Chloe giggled bitterly. “Yeah, if I’m feeling it, then I know you’re feeling.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “The little bit that we did talk, it sounds like he lives in the area. Like, he’s planted here.”
“I mean, if he’s not dead, it doesn’t shock me that he came home.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fuck me, I just can’t catch a break, can I?”
“Can I ask you something?”
I glared at her. “Don’t say it.”
She picked at her muffin. “I have to, on behalf of Natty. Do you have any plans to--?”
“No,” I said flatly.
“Are you sure?”
I scoffed. “Am I sure? The man faked his death, as far as I’m concerned. He deployed, there was gunfire, and then I never heard him or saw him ever again. You know what I went through to try and track him down. You know the lengths I went to in order to try and find him. You think I would owe that kind of person anything? You think he’s cut out to be anything in her life, at this point?”
“You make good points.”
“Of course, I make good points, because I know what’s best for myself and for Natty. He made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me the second he fell off the map a world and a half away and didn’t bother to resurface. He doesn't deserve to know this. To know about her.”
She placed her hand on my shoulder. “Then, I support you all the way. Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
I sipped my coffee. “We fucking better be.”
She laughed softly. “Now, are we gonna stand here and act like we don’t want alcohol in our coffee right now?”
And after I drew in a deep breath, I opened the kitchen cabinet above my head and pulled out the Bailey’s.
“Two shots, or three? It’ll help knock me out so I can take a nap with Natty, anyway.”
Five
Frost
“Code word?”
I rolled my eyes as I turned at the sound of his voice. “Nutmeg.”
He nodded before he handed me a cooler. “Here. That’s everything you need.”
I blinked. “Code word?”
He cleared his throat. “Sorry. Madagascar.”
I took the cooler from him. “I appreciate it.”
“Hey, do you know that new girl? Leena?”
I furrowed my brow. “Lexi?”
“Yeah, her. Do you, like, know her or something?”
