“I’ll be back tomorrow night,” I said.
Garrick’s brow crinkled.“Cas, considering what happened tonight, maybe we should let things cool down for a bit.”
Annoyance tinged with grief built in the pit of my stomach.I took a deep breath.“I need this.”
Garrick’s expression softened, and he spoke in a whisper.“This won’t bring them back, you know.”
“I know that!”I shouted, surprising even myself with the anger that sprang up like wildfire.But he didn’t have to drag my parents into this.My face heated, and I worked to regain control.Garrick looked at me with pity, which made me even angrier, so I turned away before I said something I would regret.
After a few deep breaths, my pulse slowed, and I whispered, “I didn’t mean to shout.”
“I may have overstepped,” Garrick said in a soft tone.“Come back in three days.I’ll have another job for you by then.”
“Thank you.”
He put a hand on my shoulder, and it was all I could do not to flinch.“Let me know if you ever need to talk.”
His expression was earnest.He was a good friend, but I had no desire to go into any of this with him.I nodded and then left the office without another word.
As I walked toward the tavern door, my thoughts were a maelstrom: Garrick’s words, the night’s harrowing events, and the golden-eyed thief.My mind spiraled from one thought to the next.I knew this feeling, and if I didn’t get hold of myself soon, there was no telling how deep down the hole I would fall.
I needed a distraction.
The reasonably cute guy who’d propositioned me earlier that evening was face down on a table, breathing deeply.It took only a couple of shakes before he blinked his eyes open.
“I paid m’ bill,” he slurred in a dreamy stupor, but then his eyes focused on me, and he smiled.“You’re back.”
“You still interested?”I asked, heading for the door.
He grinned.“Been waiting all night.”
“You sure?”
“Very sure,” he said, then raced after me.
Chapter three
Marked
Themomentwewerebehind the tavern and out of sight of prying eyes, he dropped to his knees, smiling widely.He hastily unbuttoned my trousers and pulled them down, and the rest was a flurry of heat and haze.It was just what I needed to quell my racing mind.
After, we both took ragged breaths, letting our hearts slow.He sat back against the alley wall, smiling.“You seemed to enjoy that.”
“You seem to know what you’re doing.”
“I’ve had a bit of practice,” he said, laughing, then yawned.
He leaned his head back and let his eyes shut.Before I could even pull my trousers up, his breathing was rhythmic and deep, his sleep aided by endorphins and a bit too much ale.
“Fuck,” I said to no one in particular, at least no one who could hear me.
In a way, I envied him, lying there in quiet contentment, whereas I could already feel the dark clouds in my head returning.
Suddenly the night felt cold.The tavern looked even shabbier than before.The reek of the alley assaulted my nose, and this sorry bloke was lost to the world.I couldn’t just leave him passed out here.I leaned over and gave him a shake, to which he responded with unintelligible mumbling.Gods, I didn’t know he was this far gone.
“Hey…um.”Dust, I didn’t even know this guy’s name.But maybe that was the point.“Hey, friend.Let me take you home.”
“Mmm…”
