My best friend turned to me, a serious look in her eyes. “I’m a healer. I fix people, patch them up so they can live to fight another day. If we’re all just marching toward our death, then what’s the point of me savingpeople?”
Crap. I’d caused an existential crisis in my normally unshakablebestie.
“Because maybe we’re not all just marching toward our death. Maybe there’s a way to end the DreamWars.”
Something shocking flickered to life inside of me then. Hope. It felt dangerous and fragile. I’d never allowed myself to hope anything. I didn’t make plans for the future, just lived one day at atime.
“Are we going back to this client’s house?” Brisk’s deep voice called out from the counter. “Because if so, I’m doubling myorder.”
Frick.
“Double it,” I said, without thinking. “We can always use them later if we decide against going back.” Iadded.
A sly grin crept across Ronnie’s face. “He wants you, ya know?Bad.”
I furrowed my brow. “Brisk? That shit’s over. God, why can’t you drop it?” I’d only freaking slept with him once, but I would never live itdown.
Ronnie rolled her eyes. “No,Damien.”
I huffed. “Don’t go there. He’s just a client. Come on, let’s check out.” I pushed the cart to where Sal was ringing up a variety of grenades, sticky bombs, and scatterbullets.
The giant store clerk stood at almost seven feet tall with a scraggly brown beard. He reminded me of a bear. Once a defensive lineman in college, Sal was hardcore. The Depo used to be a grocery store, but his family bought it when the Dream Wars started, and he supplied the hood with weapons aplenty. The back had a shooting range, and he gave free classes to kids under fourteen. I knew he and his two sons took turns sleeping with his disabled wife and keeping her safe. I heard she slept almost every night, and then needed a nap in the day. They rotated their schedules to make it work, but it must’ve been hard on them, but they were well stocked since he had an unlimited supply ofweapons.
“Hey, Sal. How’s Marlene?” I asked, placing our stuff on thecounter.
He smiled. “She’s all right. Caffeine pills aren’t helping with the fatigue, so that’s beenhard.”
Damn.
“Well, she’s in my nightly prayers,” Briskstated.
I smiled. He was our good Catholic Marine raised in the south, opened doors for women and all of that. I hip-bumped Ronnie and bounced my eyebrows, trying to showcase what a catch Briskwas.
She rolled her eyes and stepped six inches away from him, crossing her arms and glaring atme.
Stubborn brat. Give the boy some sugaralready!
Sal smiled. “Thank you,son.”
He bagged the last item and hit a button on the register. “All right, I’ll charge that to Mr. Striker’saccount.”
“Wait, what?” I stepped forward. This was thousands of dollars in stuff, and that wasn’t in our contract. Part of the protection deal was that I provided thegear.
“Yeah, he called right before you guys got here. Said anything Kit Steel wanted was to be charged to his account. Made me promise.” Heshrugged.
Nox gave me a side look and a slow grin. “Dating lover boy could have some niceperks.”
Sal’s eyebrows rose, and I reached out and smackedNox.
“He’s kidding. I’m not dating anyone. I’ll pay forit.”
I pulled out my phone—one swipe and the entire order would auto debit from my account—but Brisk stopped me. “If Mr. Striker wants to pay, let himpay.”
He was a billionaire. What was a few grand to him? Hehadmade me use my luckygrenade.
I groaned. “Fine.”
Sal hit a button and that was that. I’d just let a man buy me weapons. Sounded kind of romantic, but I didn’t like the idea that I owed anyoneanything.
