Forty-Three
D ay two of my isolation was the worst. Nobody visited. Nobody fucking spoke to me at all, and not talking to Lissa was tearing me apart. Eventually, I gave in, and opened the door.
“Can you check if Has will talk to me?”
The prospect nodded, and gestured to the prospect on Has’ door, but I didn’t stick around to find out. It might pressure him, and honestly if he didn’t feel like a chat, I didn’t want to force it, but a few minutes later, there was a knock on my door.
I opened it, and Has stood there. He looked pissed off, and I briefly wondered if it was my fault, because that was the norm for us, even if we’d started to bury the hatchet.
“If you’re busy, I understand.”
He edged past me, and kicked the door shut.
“It’s fine. I needed to get out, but it’s just… Nick just told me he’s found another fucking video of me online. Fuck. I thought this shit was over, but it’ll never be over, will it? The fucking internet is forever.”
Jesus. “I’m sorry, man. I should be on the case with that, and instead I’m sitting here on my ass, completely useless.”
He went to lean on the windowsill, staring down at the car park. Probably eyeing his bike, and wishing he could get out on the road. It was my fault he was stuck here.
“I’m sorry I got us both on lockdown. I know it’s killing you.”
He shrugged. Oh, how easy it looks when you don’t have to worry about agony.
“Where would you go if you could get out right now?”
He rested his head against the window, letting out a heavy sigh.
“Honestly?”
I joined him at the window.
“Yeah.”
“Honestly, it’s probably best I’m still on lockdown, because I’m so fucking angry that I’d go looking for her. And you know me, I don’t hurt women, but I’m so close to losing my shit over this. I did my time of being on fucking screens where everyone could see me, and felt like they had some kind of claim on me. That’s not who I am now.”
I couldn’t even imagine how that felt.
“You want me to talk to Reacher? See if I can get on my systems now?”
He pressed a hand against the glass, practically drooling over his bike. “Fuck, I just need to be outside, and I dunno, man. I appreciate it, but it’s a losing battle. For every video you take down, she could be adding two more.”
I grabbed his arm, not just because he was smearing handprints all over my window, but also because I needed his attention for a minute.
“Brother, she doesn’t have them anymore. I nuked her system, hit her with a fucking virus that toasted all her stored files.”
He looked at me then. “Seriously?”
“Yeah… so if she’s not putting them up, then someone else has them, and they’re either in on it with her, or someone else is fucking with you.”
“She could have had them on a USB stick or something.” I nodded in response to his fairly good point.
“She could, but the second she plugged it into her computer, my virus would nuke whatever she tries to save, and it’d burn the device she plugged in too.”
“Fuck me, man… remind me never to get on your bad side.”
I shot him a smirk. “You’ve yet to find yourself on my good side, man.”
Lissa
R eacher had so many surprises for me today, not least the one where he arranged for a prospect to turn up to pick me up the very second Ice’s lockdown was over.
The prospect had driven the van to me and loaded my bags inside, even though I didn’t know if Ice would still want me to stay or not. I had to proceed on the basis that he would want me, because the alternative was terrifying.
The prospect introduced himself as Ned, and was fairly chatty on the drive to the club, talking about his recent acceptance as prospect, and how he mostly got the disgusting clean up jobs, so this was a step up.
By the time we reached their… I don’t know what to call it… compound?... I was exhausted from the constant chatter, but I thanked him, and followed him inside. He banged on an office door and told me to wait there, but disappeared with my bags.
“Lissa, welcome back.” Reacher’s response when he opened what appeared to be his office door was a surprise, but we’d worked on burying the hatchet while he’d visited me, so perhaps it shouldn’t have been.
“Thanks for letting me back, and for the ride here.”
He grinned. “Let me show you to Ice’s tech suite. He’s working on something for Has, but I know he’s desperate to see you. Remember to tell him that I said he’s ‘whipped’. He has that coming in spades.”
It was like meeting a different man. He was no longer a terrifying reminder of my own father, but more like the jovial stepfather I’d ended up with.
“Is he doing okay?”
Reacher led the way, glancing back as he walked.
“I think so. Doc checked in with him earlier and said he wasn’t showing any signs of severe withdrawal, so I’m taking that as a good sign.”
I hoped it was. “And he and Has-Been have sorted out their differences?”
He stopped at the first floor, and looked at me.
“I fucking hope so. They say they have, but honestly I’m not convinced. I won’t be surprised if we’re right back at defcon one in a week. Hell, maybe you can help them work on that shit if it implodes again.”
He grinned slyly, stepping away from the door he’d approached, his voice low and secretive.
“Why don’t you surprise him?”
God yes. I reached out and grabbed Reacher’s hand, wondering what the fuck I was doing, but his look of surprise relaxed into a smile.
“Thank you. I can’t wait to see him.”
“Welcome to the family, love.”
I watched him walk away, and then turned back to the door he’d stopped at, suddenly feeling nervous, because I had no idea who else was behind that door, or how he’d react.
I took a deep breath and grabbed the handle, pushing the door inward.
“What now?” Ice sounded exasperated, not even bothering to look up as I stepped inside. Even cranky, his voice flowed through me, easing away some of my fear, and replacing it with warmth.
I paused for a moment.
“Honestly, I’ve had better welcomes.”
His head lifted instantly, and his eyes found mine. I watched as a smile lit up his face, and he eased up out of his chair.
“Fucking hell, Lissa. You have no idea how much I missed you.”
He was moving in my direction, but I closed the distance fast, running into his outstretched arms, and sighing with relief, as his arms tightened around me at long fucking last.
Ice nuzzled my neck, taking a deep breath.
“I missed how you smell… even your smell is sweet, Lissa.”
“Being away from you was hell, Ice. I don’t want to do that again. Please don’t make us be apart again.”
He pulled back to look at me.
“You know I didn’t do that, and Jessica is nobody, babe, I promise. Like I fucked her a few times a while back, but that was all it was. You’re all I want.”
I nodded. “Believe it or not, Reacher made that very clear. We’ve talked a bit since I went home, and I guess he’s not so bad. Certainly not like my father.”
His frown disappeared when I crashed my lips against his, because why was he holding back and not kissing my face off like I wanted. Like I needed. I sank into our kiss, as his arms tightened around me, and his mouth plundered mine, his hips rocking against mine.
Someone cleared their throat then, and we pulled apart, my face darkening red as I realised I hadn’t even noticed anyone else in the room.
It was Has-Been, and Torch. I remembered him from that awful night. He offered me a wide grin.
“Hey, love.” I smiled at Has-Been, and nodded at Torch.
“Sorry. I guess I was a bit excited.”
They exchanged a look that I couldn’t decipher.
“Probably time we go get a beer anyway, man.” Torch slapped his hand against Has-Been’s back, and headed for the door.
“Ice, you need us for anything, you know where to find us.”
“Pretty sure I know what to fucking do, but thanks.”
“Didn’t mean with your lady, although now that you mention it...” He flipped Torch off, and they all laughed as the room emptied, and the door closed. We were alone at last.