Power walking home, uneasy anywhere outside of my apartment these days, I make quick time, reaching the crumbling, concrete steps to the building within half an hour. A strange sensation trickles down my spine and I mute my music instantly, paying close attention to everything as I take my first tentative step up the staircase.
The faint scent of lazy summer afternoons reaches me and I take the last steps two at a time. When I see Emmy sitting on the floor beside the door to my apartment, I break into my first genuine grin of the day. It falters a bit in the face of the behemoth leaning against the wall beside her, but when she hops to her feet with a smile, my raised hackles settle, dismissing him as a threat if she isn’t concerned.
“I was just about to call it a wash and try again tomorrow,” Emmy states, crossing the distance between us and wrapping me in a hug tight enough that it threatens to fracture my ribs.
Behind her, the man drops his rigid posture a fraction as his gaze roams over me, like he anticipated Emmy was waiting for some guy he was going to have to get into a pissing contest with instead of a girl whose head barely reaches his shoulders. His eyes are the same shade of gold as hers are, and with as unusual as that coloring is, it leaves no doubt in my mind that they’re related, though his hair is a dark brown, buzzed on the sides and longer on top instead of blonde. A permanent frown seems etched into his features, and the black t-shirt he’s wearing threatens to give up on its career choice as he returns to leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
“It’s no doubt cold and disgusting by now, but here.” Emmy shoves a to-go coffee cup at me and I bark out a laugh.
“You actually remembered that? And here I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”
Her smile fades, a serious expression washing away all signs of levity. “There isn’t a single thing about that night that I don’t remember, Sabrina. Namely, that I have you to thank for being able to walk away from it.”
Chest tightening, I envelop her in a hug like we’re old friends instead of strangers only bonded through a traumatic experience. “But you’re okay?” I whisper in her ear.
She tightens her hold, trembling slightly before straightening her spine as if suddenly remembering that we aren’t alone. “I will be.” Plastering a teasing scowl on her face, she shoots a look over her shoulder. “Though I’m going to have to get used to my brother’s ugly mug shadowing me any time I leave the house for the foreseeable future.”
The man in question rolls his eyes. “Like I’m not going to trade off with Cin the first chance I get. I’ve got better shit to do than take you shoe shopping.”
Emmy shoots a subtle wink my way as she continues to taunt her brother. “Then go take care of them. Sabrina can be my knight in shining armor while you’re working. Hell, she’s probably better at it, anyway. You should’ve seen the way she charged in guns blazing to come to my rescue; swoon-worthy, I tell ‘ya.”
My cheeks heat. “It seriously wasn’t as impressive as you’re making it out to be when I pretty much just grabbed your hand and ran away.”
Her brother’s eyes narrow dangerously on my face before directing some of the intensity his sister’s way. “She shouldn’t be running around alone at night, either.”
Emmy releases me with a wicked smile that evaporates the moment she turns to face him. “Are you seriously going to stand there and pretend to be upset that she maced that motherfucker in the face and paid my way home, no questions asked?”
A low warning growl escapes him. “Emmeline.”
She matches it without hesitation. “Boden.”
Interrupting their pissing match, I awkwardly lift my key and cold coffee. “Do you want to come in?”
“Oh, we wouldn’t want to impose! I know you weren’t expecting me, let alone this asshole.” She hitches a thumb over her shoulder to indicate Boden before her gaze becomes shy and unsure, cutting away to look at the floor. “I wanted to invite you to dinner this weekend. You know, to thank you.”
Heart lurching at the sight, my answer falls from my lips before I can second guess myself. “I’d love to, but not because you owe me anything.” Reluctantly, I admit, “It’s been pretty rough since moving to the city, not gonna lie; I could use a friend.”
Beaming, she claps her hands before making a ‘gimme’ gesture with her hand. “Then let me give you my number. Friday alright?”
Nodding, I pass my phone her way and she quickly adds her number, sending herself a text so she can save mine.
Pausing, she scrunches up her face. “Do you have a car?”
Cringing, I shake my head, not sure why I’m suddenly embarrassed since over half of the city doesn’t bother with them either. “Too expensive to mess with parking and the traffic hassle. Sold mine within the first month of moving here and I swear, I get around faster without it.”
She turns to her brother, not even batting her eyelashes. Emmy simply stares expectantly in silence until he breaks, huffing out an annoyed sound halfway between a scoff and a groan. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”
I must be older than I thought, because who the hell waits until that late for dinner? I’m going to have to take a nap that afternoon just to make sure I make it through without falling asleep at the table.
Biting my lip, I send a worried glance to Emmy. “I seriously don’t want to be an inconvenience. I’ll take a cab, don’t worry about it. Text me your address.”
She smacks Boden’s chest with the back of her hand, yet he doesn’t even flinch. Emmy actually shakes her hand out, glaring at him like he offended her with the solid sheet of muscle. “It’s no trouble, seriously. If Bo’s busy, I’m sure Cinjin will volunteer for thehonor,” she dramatically emphasizes.
Hiding a smile as his gaze flicks between us with annoyance, I fire off a text, testing the waters.Seriously, I don’t want to burden anyone.
Within seconds, she’s typing back.Don’t let him fool you, he’s beating himself up that you had to save me in the first place. He blames himself for not being there and doesn’t know how to process that you ran towards danger instead of away from it when you’re over here looking like Virgin Barbie.
Tucking her phone away without waiting for my reply, she withdraws a hundred dollar bill that I back away from like it’s made of hellfire. “I know what you’re doing, and you put that damn thing away right now.”
