Chapter 54
54
Reuben stared down at the woman who had her arms and legs around him, clinging on to him like a monkey.
Fuck.
He couldn’t leave her like this.
The doorbell rang, and he opened it.
Cat walked in, smiling widely. “I’m here!”
Faith startled, then turned her head toward Cat. “Cat! Hi!”
She released him slowly and he helped her stand. He could see how hard it was on her to let him go.
Fuck. He hated this.
“I’m going to cancel my meeting,” he said abruptly.
Rafaek, who’d stepped in behind Cat, gave him a knowing look.
Faith’s eyes widened. “What? Why?”
“You’re not doing well, baby,” he told her quietly.
Her shoulders dropped. “I’m all right. I promise.”
“Of course you are!” Cat said, wrapping her arm around Faith’s. “I’m here now to save you from too much testosterone. Of course, I had to bring Rafael, but he’s really just one of the girls.”
“I am not,” Rafael grumbled, glaring at Cat.
“You can go, Reuben. We need girl time.” Cat led Faith away. “I brought us some mani-pedi kits and chocolate and cupcakes.” She patted the huge bag on her shoulder.
Faith turned back to give Reuben a tremulous smile.
Fuck.
“Make sure you drink your water. And have a snack. I’ll be back before dinner.”
She nodded.
“I’ll be quick,” he muttered at Rafael.
The big man shrugged. “Doesn’t make much difference. Cat is going to stay as long as Cat wants. The other woman is here?”
“Cammie. Yes, she’s in her bedroom. Watch her if she comes out. I don’t want her upsetting Faith.”
“You think Cat would allow that?”
Reuben knew that she wouldn’t, but he’d still get back as soon as he could.
Cat turned toward Rafael as he entered the kitchen. She and Faith were sitting at the table. “Reuben’s gone?”
“Yep,” Rafael said, eyeing Faith carefully.
She tried to hide the fear at knowing Reuben was gone. What was wrong with her?
“Good. You okay, Faith?” Cat asked.
“I guess. You brought us stuff to do mani-pedis?” she asked.
“God, no. I brought us the good stuff. Rafael, can you see if you can find a sharp knife and a chopping board?”
Why would she need those things?
Then Cat drew out a bottle of tequila, plonking it down on the table.
Followed by a bag of limes.
And a shaker of salt.
Uh-oh.
Rafael groaned. “Where did you get that from?”
“Um, the shop.” Cat gave him an innocent look.
“The shop?” he asked skeptically.
“All right, I stole the tequila out of Alejandro’s office and the limes from the kitchen. Doomy Gloomy won’t be happy since I think he wanted them for dinner tonight. But he’ll get over it.”
“Doomy Gloomy?” she asked.
“Ahh, yeah. He’s like the butler-slash-cook-slash-bringer of doom and gloom.”
“Right. Makes perfect sense. Reuben has a housekeeper who might or might not be invisible.”
Cat grinned. “Anita? Nah, she’s just really good at keeping out of Reuben’s way. Rafael?”
Rafael put down the knife and chopping board on the table. “I’ll cut the limes. Last thing I need is you cutting yourself. Also, I’m going to tell on you.”
“Remember what snitches get,” Cat sung.
“You will not put blue dye in my shower gel.” Rafael pointed at her.
Cat just grinned. “Who me? Why would I do something like that?”
“Because you’re a brat.”
Cat gasped. “So rude. What happened to bodyguards being invisible?”
“Those bodyguards weren’t tasked with guarding you.”
Ouch. Those words might have hurt Faith’s feelings, but Cat’s laughter told her that this was how the two of them often interacted.
And she thought she might have caught a glimpse of amusement on Rafael’s face. Maybe.
Faith’s phone buzzed. She checked it, surprised that it wasn’t from Reuben.
“Oh, it’s Charlie.”
“Who’s Charlie?” Cat asked.
She explained about meeting Charlie the other day at the toy shop.
“Aww,” Cat said. “That’s so sad. We need to help him find someone.”
“If only there was a site or something for Littles to find Tops,” Faith said. “I mean, I know there’re some things out there, but those places can be scary.”
Cat nodded. “Definitely. A safe space for Littles to look for Tops. I think that’s a great idea. We should do it.”
“Do what?”
“Start our own app or website. And we can make it really safe. We could send Rafael on every first date.”
“I think I need that tequila,” Rafael muttered. “Also gonna need some bread and butter.” He set the wedges limes down on a small plate next to them.
“And glasses,” Cat said.
Rafael rattled around in the cupboards.
“Charlie sounds so lonely,” Faith said. “I’m going to ask him to have coffee with me one day this week.”
“Just make sure you tell Reuben,” Cat suggested.
“Why?”
“Um, because he’s a strange man? Reuben will want to investigate him. Maybe even go with you.”
“But Charlie is harmless,” Faith protested. “He seems nice.”
“Oh dear.” Cat stared at her. “Blossom, you can’t just trust people because they seem nice.”
Fudge. Cat was right.
“But we can’t go around thinking everyone is bad, either,” she pointed out.
“I don’t like it, but we have to be careful. The men we’re with . . . there are people out there who would use us to get to them. You understand what I’m saying?”
“I . . . I . . . really?”
“Yeah. That’s why I have the big guy.” Cat pointed at Rafael.
“And because you get into trouble.” Rafael placed the glasses down and Cat poured in some tequila.
“That too.” She grinned.
“Um, Cat, is this really a good idea?” Faith asked worriedly.
“Of course it is! All my ideas are great. Ooh. I know, I’ll get Nighthawk to look into this Charlie and then Reuben can’t object to you meeting with him.”
Rafael snorted as he placed a plate of bread and butter on the table.
“Hush you.” Cat pointed at Rafael. She pulled out her phone and placed it on the table on speaker.
“Kittycat! We playing?” a voice boomed through the phone.
“Not right now. You’re on speaker with me and my girl, Faith. She needs some tequila and girl talk. Rafael is here too.”
“All the girls together, huh?” Nighthawk laughed. “How are you, Sourpuss? You frowning at the phone right now?”
Rafael was doing just that, and Faith had to stifle a giggle.
“Faith? That Reuben’s girl?” Nighthawk asked.
“Um, yes. Hi,” she said.
“Girl, you’ve got to be brave or dumb to take that man on. Although he is certainly fine eye-candy.”
“Nighthawk, we need a favor,” Cat told him.
“Kittycat, you always need a favor. And I’m getting ready to play.”
“Please,” Cat begged. “It won’t take long.”
Nighthawk sighed. “All right. What is it? Poison? Blackmail?”
Dear Lord.
“Background check.”
“Well.” Nighthawk sighed. “That’s a let down.”
“You got a pen and paper?” Cat asked.
“No. Just tell me. I’ve got an excellent memory. Die, fucker, die!”
Faith gave Cat an alarmed look. Cat just shook her head. “Video game.”
Relief filled her.
Cat gave him Charlie’s name and description.
“Might take me until tomorrow.”
“That’s cool,” Cat replied. “Thanks, Nighthawk.”
“You owe me, Kittycat! Gotta go!”
“There you are.” Cat beamed at her. “Nighthawk will discover if there’s anything we need to know.”
“Thanks. I’ll text Charlie back.” Faith sent the other man a quick hello and told him that she was in the middle of moving. He promised to text again later in the week to see about coffee.
“Now.” Cat rubbed her hands together. “Down to some serious stuff. We need to talk.”
“About what?” Faith asked.
“What we’re doing to that asshole who hurt you last night. I thought I could make him some of my no-bake bars.”
She wanted to make Eric some bars?
“No,” Rafael said sharply as he set two glasses down. “Absolutely not.”
“Dios, you’re such a downer,” Cat grumbled. “If anyone deserves some of my no-bake bars, it’s him.”
“Not saying that he doesn’t. But Alejandro has this covered.”
“I’m just trying to lighten his workload. One less asshole on the planet is a good thing. I’ll make that jerk from last night some bars and then bam! He’s no longer a problem. Don’t worry, I know how to get hold of someone to clean up the dead body.”
“What?”
Faith jumped and glanced over to see Cammie standing in the kitchen, staring at them both in shock.
“Are you . . . are you talking about killing Eric?” Cammie asked.
“Of course she wasn’t,” Faith soothed, standing.
Cammie took a step back . . . as though she was afraid of Faith. Which made absolutely no sense.
Faith spotted the suitcase behind her. What was going on?
“Oh, hey, you must be Cammie. I’m Catarina De Leon.”
There was a strange note to Cat’s voice as she stood and offered her hand to Cammie. Why had she used her full name?
“You look like you could use a drink,” Cat said, letting her hand drop when Cammie didn’t take it. “Will you join us?”
“I thought Eric was at home,” Cammie accused Faith.
“Uh, as far as I know, he is.”
“He is,” Rafael added.
Cammie turned to study him, swallowing heavily.
“Don’t worry about Rafael. He looks as scary as he is, but he won’t harm you,” Cat said.
Hmm. That could best be described as mildly reassuring.
“I . . . I . . . Faith, what is going on? Why are these people here? Do you know who they are?”
Faith stared at Cammie, taking in the distaste and fear on her face.
“Cat’s here because she’s my friend, Cammie.” And even though she barely knew Cat, she’d been far nicer to her than Cammie had, especially during the last few years.
Cat just smiled and waved. “Sorry if me talking about your rat bastard of a husband like that upset you. But really, he doesn’t deserve to live, does he?”
“Cat,” Rafael warned.
She smiled at him.
Okay. Her new friend could be a bit scary.
“I don’t want him harmed,” Cammie told Faith. “What your . . . your boyfriend did last night was enough.”
Faith clenched her hands into fists. She didn’t agree, but she nodded. “I’m sure he’s fine, Cammie. Cat just likes to joke around.”
“That’s me. I love to joke around. Just last week I threatened to poison Rafael because he wouldn’t take me for ice cream. Didn’t I, McGrumpface?”
Rafael just grunted.
Faith still wasn’t fluent in that language, so she couldn’t figure out if he was annoyed or agreeing with her.
Cammie still didn’t look convinced, but she nodded.
“Cammie, what’s going on? What’s with the suitcase?” Faith asked worriedly.
“I’m leaving.” Cammie’s face softened. “I can’t stay here, I’m sorry. I just . . . I can’t be near you right now.”
Ouch.
Faith tried to take a breath, but it was hard with the hurt racing through her.
“I know none of this is your fault,” Cammie told her. “Mostly, it’s mine.”
“That’s not true, Cammie. You can’t blame yourself.”
“But I can. Maybe I should have left him a long time ago and then I wouldn’t have treated you so poorly. All I know is that I need some time to myself to breathe. Thanks for letting me stay here last night. Will you . . . will you be all right?”
It was a nice thing to ask, but it was said stiffly as though Cammie knew she should ask but wasn’t really interested in the answer.
And Faith felt that last thread tying them together break. Perhaps one day she’d change her mind, but right now, she thought it was probably a good thing that Cammie was leaving.
And that maybe she would never see her again.
“Have you got somewhere to go?” Faith asked instead of answering her.
“Yeah, I’m going to a friend’s place. He’s picking me up. Thanks again.” Cammie turned and strode away. She didn’t even wait for Faith to say goodbye or offer to walk her down.
“You okay, Blossom?” Cat asked quietly.
“I’m . . . I’m not sure.”
“Going to make sure she’s gone and the door’s locked,” Rafael told them before disappearing.
“I didn’t really expect her to just leave like that.” Faith sat back and took the glass that Cat handed her.
Cat clinked her glass. “Drink up. It will help.”
Would it?
Faith wasn’t sure but at this point she’d try anything.