Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
KRUGER
Ready or not, I don’t give her a chance to back out and change her mind. Legs and Midas help pack. Well, Midas helps. Legs supervises after getting annoyed when Midas yelled at her for picking up a pillow.
I call Con, who brings my truck before we load the girls in and head back to the rental.
Delphi is quiet, but she doesn’t look like she’s going to bolt, so I’ll take it.
Midas orders us burgers, much to Legs’s delight, and all the while I watch Delphi hover ever so slightly in the background, looking in.
She seems curiously happy watching Legs interact with Midas, the big bastard fawning all over her, but there is an air of melancholy surrounding Delphi.
By the time they leave, she looks exhausted.
“You should go lie down.”
“I hate being tired all the time.” She sighs, running her hands up and down her arms as if she’s chilled. “Kruger?”
I turn back to her.
“I’m sorry about before. Hitting you is never okay. That won’t happen again.”
“I figure if I hadn’t restrained you, you wouldn’t have lashed out, so I’m not going to hold it against you.”
“Still, it won’t happen again. Sometimes, I hate the person I’ve become.”
“I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the old Delphi, and I’d have given anything for the old you to be here again, but only because that would mean nothing had stolen your smile. Life is shit. We have to figure out how much of it we’re willing to shovel.”
I step closer, but I don’t touch her. “The woman you are now suits the man I am. I’d have been too much for the old Delphi.”
She looks up at me thoughtfully, but she doesn’t argue with me.
“You need some space?”
She nods, biting her lip. “It’s hard to think when I’m around you. My guard is always up, and it’s—”
“Exhausting. I get it. I hate it, but I understand.”
She offers me a grateful smile before turning away.
“You won’t leave?” I say to her, retreating. It was intended to be a statement, but it sounds more like a threat. I can’t help it. She has to know by now that she can run, but I won’t let her go easily.
“I won’t leave,” she whispers before she picks up her pace and heads upstairs.
I lean on the back of the chair and take a deep breath.
There are a million things I want to say.
I want to yell at her for running, demand answers about why she would fucking do that when anything could have happened.
Hell, her migraines alone mean she needs someone around while she figures out her new norm.
The other part of me wants to hold onto her and never let her go. I want to pick up where we left off and spend forever exploring her body until I know it inside and out. Every time I push, she retreats. But when I pull back, she builds her wall a little higher, leaving me with a no-win scenario.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I head to the room I’m using as an office and start work tasks to pass the time.
When that’s done, I look online at shit that Delphi might need while she’s here.
Before I know it, I’ve thrown a bunch of random crap into the cart and paid for it.
I stretch and head to the kitchen for some coffee, hoping I might catch a glimpse of Del.
I pause at the thought when I realize how fucking pathetic I’ve become.
“Fuck this bullshit.”
I make myself a coffee, then move over to the TV where I have the Xbox hooked up. I lose myself in a game for a while, blowing shit up and taking just enough headshots to keep my inner psycho happy, when I sense movement. I pause the game and turn, finding Delphi watching from behind the couch.
“Hey.”
“Hi.”
“You wanna play?”
“Sure.”
She walks around to sit beside me and takes the controller when I hand it to her.
“You played before?”
“Once or twice.”
“Alright. Go ahead. I’ll grab us a couple of drinks.”
“Thanks.”
I leave her to it for a minute, glad she came out of her room. She isn’t actively avoiding me.
I grab a couple of Dr. Peppers from the fridge and head back to the living room, placing them on the table. I look up to see how she’s doing and feel my eyes widening at her killstreak. “Holy fuck, chestnut. I thought you said you only played this once or twice.”
She smirks at me. “What can I say? Sometimes I like to run around and shoot men without having to worry about getting arrested for it.”
I throw my head back and laugh at her candor, then watch as she dominates the fucking game. By the time she’s finished, my cock is so hard it’s painful.
I turn toward her slightly as she grabs one of the cans, and take a risk. “You up for talking?”
She sighs but doesn’t immediately shut me down.
“You can tell me to fuck off if I ask something you don’t want to answer,” I add, making her grin.
“Alright.”
“You want your pain pills first? I know you’re due.”
“I’m okay for now. I don’t want to take them until I need them. The last thing I want is to become reliant on them.”
As much as I don’t like the thought of her being in pain, I don’t push. She’s a grown woman. She can make her own decisions regarding her body.
“Alright, go ahead.” She tenses, but I keep my posture relaxed, hoping it will make her do the same.
“Why’d you leave?”
“I don’t like being backed into a corner. You gave me no choice in coming here, and I’m really tired of having my choices taken away from me.”
“Would you have agreed to come if I asked?” I already know the answer. I just wonder if she’ll admit it.
“No, of course not, but that doesn’t mean you get to force me just because you don’t like the word no.”
I wince because she’s right. And yet there is a part of me that knows I’d do it all over again. Having her mad beside me is a million times better than having her happy with someone else. Fuck, I’m every inch the prick she thinks I am.
“So what changed?”
“Legs asked me to stay.”
I blink at that. “Legs asked you to stay, and you agreed?”
She sighs. “She told me I could stay here or with her and Midas.”
I laugh. “And I’m the lesser of two evils.”
“Something like that. The baby will be here soon, and this is the last time they’ll get some alone time together for a while. I don’t want to take that from them.”
“Well, their loss is my gain, so I’m not complaining.”
“Somehow I didn’t think you would.”
I grin, grabbing my can and taking a sip, watching as she does the same.
I lick my lips, thinking about how to say this next part without making her want to run a mile.
“I don’t regret what happened between us. Not one little bit. Today’s been the best day of my fucking life because of it. I understand you have reservations. I’d be worried if you didn’t. I’m asking you not to shut me out. You have worries—talk to me about them. I promise I’m listening.”
She continues to drink, but I know she’s using the moment to get her thoughts in order.
“I don’t regret what happened, either. I enjoyed it. I’m just not sure it should happen again. Everything is so complicated, and my head has already exploded once.”
I scowl at her.
“Right, not funny. Can we just work at being friends right now?”
I fight back the urge to howl. I’m so fucking sick of being this woman’s friend, but how can I say no? She doesn’t trust me anymore, and the only way to change that is to rebuild it.
“Friends, it is.”
“Really?”
“If that’s what you need from me, then that’s what you’ll get. I have to say, though, no men. I’m keen to go at whatever pace you need here, but I can’t handle watching you with another man. Not again.”
“Believe it or not, Kruger, men aren’t exactly lining up at my door.”
“Mostly because you don’t have a door anymore. And if you did, it would probably be surrounded by a crocodile-filled moat.”
She bursts out laughing, and the shrill sound has me freezing. This. This is what will make this tortured friendship bullshit worth it. It’s been a long fucking time since I heard that laugh, and my new mission is to hear it at least once a day.
“Point taken. All I’m saying is, there are no men on my radar.”
“Only me.”
She swallows, tilting her head a little before she concedes. “Only you.”
I’ll take it.
“Does this work both ways, or should I prepare myself to see a parade of women in and out of here?”
“When are you gonna get it, chestnut? The only woman I want is you.”
She looks shocked by my admission, even though I’d said as much to her before.
I need to change the subject quickly before she decides to leave. I remember I still need to tell her about Au. “I need to talk to you about something else.”
“Okay, sounds serious.”
“Not serious, just annoying. The reason why I went out last night was because the alarm was going off at Au, and nobody could get hold of Midas.”
“Fuck. What happened?”
“Just a broken window. Probably kids. Nothing else was damaged, and it doesn’t look like anything was taken either. I boarded the window up, and I have one of my guys coming out to fix the cameras.”
“Of course, the cameras were down. Isn’t that always the way? Though saying that, kids wouldn’t normally take out the cameras, would they?”
“Might not have been the kids who messed with the cameras. It really could be a coincidence.”
“Not sure I believe in those.”
“We’ll keep an eye on the place, and the glass is being replaced tomorrow.”
“Did you get a quote for how much it will cost?”
“Nothing.”
“You can’t pay for this, Kruger. It’s not your problem.”
“It fucking is. If it weren’t for you, that building wouldn’t be standing, and I’d be helping arrange funerals, not for a piece of glass to be fitted.”
“I can pay.”
“So can I. It’s done now. If it gets broken again, you can pay for it next time. How’s that?” I’m lying through my teeth, and I’m pretty sure she can tell, but I won’t budge on this.
“You’re a pain in my ass.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
She shakes her head and winces.
“Head starting to hurt?”
“A little,” she admits.
“Take the pills, babe. We’re not talking about a regular headache here, and you know it. Give yourself a little more time to heal before we swap them out for something like Tylenol.”
“Oh, alright.”
“I love it when you give in,” I smirk.
Hearing her breath hitch, I look up. Her face is flushed—my words have had a different effect on her than I meant them to.
“Fuck. Don’t look at me like that, chestnut. Not if you want to just be friends.”
“Sorry.” She dips her head and sighs. “I’m really not trying to give you mixed messages. My brain is just all over the place.”
“I get it. Why don’t you go and slip something cozy on, and we’ll curl up and watch a movie? Or I will while you take a nap.”
“Aren’t you getting bored with babysitting me?”
“Why would I be bored?”
She snorts, but frowns when she realizes I’m serious. “Alright. I’ll be back in a second.”
“No rush. You want something to eat?”
“I’m still full from lunch. Maybe just some popcorn?”
“I’m on it.”
I stand up and tug her to her feet. I don’t make a move to step back, and neither does she. She looks up at me and, for a moment, everything around us fades away.
“Thank you for looking after me. It’s been a long time. I know I don’t make the best patient...I’m just…” Her voice trails off as I lean down and kiss her forehead.
“It’s my pleasure, Delphi.”
She passes out before the opening credits, so I watch the movie alone after maneuvering her so she’s lying almost completely on top of me.
Friends can snuggle, right?
By the time the movie is three-quarters of the way through, my bladder is bursting for a piss, but I’m loath to move.
When Delphi stirs and almost knees me in the dick, I dip my head and speak quietly so I don’t startle her. “I’ve gotta piss, Delphi.”
She groans, one that ends on a laugh as she lifts her head. She frowns when she sees the position she’s in. “What is it with you taking advantage of me when I’m asleep?”
“You mad?”
She pouts but shakes her head. “No. You’re pretty comfy considering you’re all muscle.”
I grin, liking that she’s checked me out. I help her sit up and wait for her to steady herself before getting to my feet.
“You want me to pause it?” she asks, catching the tail end of the movie.
“Nah, it’s alright, I’ve seen it before, anyway.”
She shrugs and leans back to watch. I head to the restroom and take the world’s longest piss. While washing my hands, I hear a thump.
I pull the door open. “Delphi?” When she doesn’t answer, I head back to the living room. The movie is at the penultimate fight scene, where all the spaceships converge with the enemy fleet, rapidly firing lasers until the whole thing explodes.
I glance around the room. “Hey, chestnut, where’d you go?” I head to the kitchen, passing the sofa as I do. I freeze when I see Delphi on the ground, her whole body convulsing.
“Del!”
I drop to my knees beside her and get my thoughts in gear. I yank out my cell phone and dial 911, wedging it between my shoulder as I gently hold either side of Delphi’s head so she doesn’t injure herself further.
It feels like it takes forever for me to get through to dispatch, but when I do, they quickly tell me an ambulance is on its way.
“Alright, is she breathing?”
I press my fingers to her pulse and feel it thundering wildly under my fingertips, and her chest is moving up and down rapidly. “Yes, she’s breathing.”
“Good, make sure her airway is clear, and that there is nothing around her that she can hurt herself on.”
I shove the table and the sofa away from her and line either side of her with cushions. “Alright, done. How far out is the ambulance?”
“About eleven minutes, sir. Do you know if she’s taken anything? Any kind of narcotics or foreign substances?”
“No, all she’s taken were her prescribed painkillers about three hours ago.”
“What are those for, sir?”
I can hear her tapping away in the background as I watch Delph slowly start to calm.
“She had brain surgery a little while ago.”
“What was she doing before the convulsions started?”
“Sleeping. No, she just woke up. I came back into the room, thinking she’d still be watching the movie. The movie—fuck. It was all flashing lights.”
“Okay, sir. That helps. Do you know if she has a history of seizures?”
“Not that I know of.”
“That’s okay. Don’t worry, we’ll get it all figured out.”
Fuck me, she better, because I refuse to lose her now.