Page 35 of When The Noise Stops

"Did you really just go there?"

"I'm serious."

"I love you, but absolutely the fuck not."

She stopped pacing. Looked at me. Her face softened.

"Come here, my baby," she said.

I went with my arms already out.

She pulled me into a hug. Tightening. Until she squeezed the air out of me.

"You're not alone anymore, you hear me? You're not alone. I got air miles. I got money. I know killers. Neither one of us taking any more losses in this worrisome-ass fucking life."

I cried into her shoulder until I couldn't cry anymore. Then I pulled back and wiped my face.

"I'm okay," I said.

"No, you're not. But you will be."

I nodded.

That's when another knock came.

The front door this time.

Ronny's head snapped toward it.

"Who's that?"

"Don't know." I pulled myself away from her and opened the door.

Knox was standing there in a black T-shirt, jeans, and his permanent scowl. He was holding a plate with a foil-covered something on it.

"I cooked this for you—"

"Lila, who this?" Ronny asked loudly.

I turned to her.

"Knox, this is my friend Ronny. Ronny, this is Knox."

She walked over, pushing me aside to block the door. She wasn't but 5'2", so Grizz made her look like a dwarf. Ronny looked him up and down. She didn't smile.

"You're the neighbor," she said.

"You're the one who found her by the garbage cans?"

"I am."

"And you held her. Let her sleep on you. Without doing anything inappropriate?"

"I did."

Ronny nodded.

"Okay."