“Why is Hart sending you presents?”
Double shit.
“Because I found out he’s in the mob and was beating the shit out of my attackers.”
“How did you find out?”
“He has a private doctor.” I tick off the list with my fingers. “He has a group of men who call him boss and answer his every command. He owns the largest building in the city. He carries a gun. He’s offered to kill people for me. I thought he was joking!”
“I should have told you, but I didn’t think things would get so out of hand. Fucking internet making you a human-interest story.”
“I don’t mind if it helps other people and makes them brave enough to speak out.”
“You’re amazing.” He pulls back to kiss my forehead, and then he just looks at me before narrowing his eyes in the “I’m thinking” way. “But it still doesn’t explain why Hart is sending you presents.”
Shit! Deflect.
I throw my hands dramatically into the air. “How should I know! I’m not a mob boss. Maybe he doesn’t want you to be upsetat him for upsetting me and then you’ll stop being his doctor?” Brendan doesn’t look like he’s buying this. Time to amp it up. “So this is your fault! I didn’t ask for the presents, or the revenge or the attack…” I sniffle, and now I kind of feel like a dick cause I’m using my trauma to make my brother back off, but hey, it’s my trauma and I’ll use it however I want.
“Okay, I’m sorry. I just worry about you.”
“Everything I do worries you.” I pout.
“I want to say that’s not true, but it is. I want to help you heal, but I don’t know what’s normal and what’s trauma.”
“Neither do I.”
“Promise me you’ll tell me if something is wrong.”
“Promise me you’ll ask me before hiring any other mob boss.”
“Done.” We pinky promise. “How about we order pizza and watch a movie?”
“The one with the detective who becomes a beauty queen?”
“Whatever one you’d like, but I get to pick the next one.”
“Fine, but I’m limiting the number of deaths to twenty.”
“Twenty!” Brendan gasps, truly appalled. “We might as well watch another rom-com then. Thirty!” he demands with a smile.
“Twenty-five,” I counter.
“Sold!”
“Hello, rabbit. I miss you. Please come to dinner tonight. You don’t have to talk, I’ll just be happy to see your beautiful face.”
I almost cave and go to dinner, but I’m still not ready to talk with Lex. What am I supposed to say? “Hey, I like you, stop killing people?”
That’s insane!
Do I want him to stop killing people?
Yeah, I suppose I would prefer he doesn’t kill people, but I’m guessing they all deserve to die.
Jesus! Listen to me!
I’m trying to decide if I’m okay dating a murderer?
