Twenty-Two
I could have fucking punched him. Who the hell did he think he was? Hitting on my woman, while I was literally sitting right there? Did he know? Did he know about my fucking affliction, and figure he could give her what I clearly couldn’t? Or was he just making a future claim for when I was dead?
“Stitch, sit back down, please.” Fuck me, did I scare her again? I sat down, and tilted her chin up, staring into those gorgeous browns of hers. No, there was no fear. She looked kinda pissed though.
“He’s a bit of a dick, right? Like, it’s not just me who wanted to give him a slap?”
I grinned, brushing my thumb over that full bottom lip of hers.
“Girl, you go right ahead if you want to. Torch can be a major pain in the ass, but he generally doesn’t mean anything by it.” And I guess that’s when the common sense kicked back in, because of course he was just doing what he normally did, without realising how on edge I was. How could he know when I was doing my best to hide all this shit from everyone, so I could pretend things were normal?
I turned and caught his eye, flipping him the bird, and we both laughed. Yeah, normalcy actually felt pretty good, so maybe I should be trying for more of it.
“I added to my list, by the way, but it’s more just for me. They’re bigger things for way down the line, I guess.” Camille tried to stop me as I grabbed her phone, which she’d been poking at as she spoke. Hell. Yeah, she’d added a few things alright .
“Let’s do this one.” I pointed to the last one on the list, and she shot me a look of pure shock.
“Are you fucking serious? I just said that’s a long term one, Stitch. This isn’t a game.”
I passed the phone back to her, and then grabbed her hand.
“I don’t have long term, girl, but what time I do have, I want to be with you. In the long run, it wouldn’t impact you or stop you doing it again, right?” And what do you know? She blinked once, twice, and then she smiled, and it was like the fucking sun beaming through the clouds.
“You’re right. Let’s do that one.”
Damn straight. “You go talk to Lissa, and get what you need sorted. I’ll go arrange it with Reacher.”
“He’d do it? Wait… you mean we’re doing this right now?” Even shocked and bemused, she was fucking stunning, and I wanted her forever, dammit.
“Nope, but we know someone. Go, girl. You know I don’t have time to waste.” She grabbed the last bite of her lunch, and then slid off the stool, sliding her phone into her pocket.
“Promise me you’re not joking.”
I grabbed her hand and led her to the stairs, tapping her ass lightly.
“Never been more serious in my life. Go.”
I went straight to Reacher’s office, and shoved the door open, forgetting to knock in my urgency.
“Fuck’s sake. What if Ally had been in here with me, dickhead?”
I grinned. “Like I’m bothered, man. I need your help, and I need it urgently.” I explained what I wanted, and he lurched up from his desk, his chair skittering back a little.
“Are you out of your fucking mind?”
Maybe I was, but it was happening whether he agreed or not. I just knew I’d rather do this with him right beside me, than without him even there.
“Please, brother.”
Cammy
L issa was as stunned as I’d felt when he said it, but now it was all I wanted.
“Seriously? Cammy, think about what you just said. An hour ago, you were terrified of him, and now this? You’re kidding, right? It’s a joke.”
Ice laughed from his seat across the room, where he was supposed to be out of earshot, but clearly heard every damn word.
“Sounds serious to me, babe.”
“I told you not to listen!” Wow, Lissa actually snapped at him. I wondered what I’d walked in on, because there had been a definite atmosphere when Ice opened the door, and Lissa shoved him out of the way.
“Look, I want you with me, but if you won’t come, I do understand. Just… do you have something I can borrow?”
Ice was muttering to himself over in his corner, but I put my focus on Lissa.
“Please. I need you there. I know this probably seems frivolous to you, but it’s right. It’s what we want.”
“As your therapist, I’d advise that this isn’t a sensible course of action, particularly after the trauma response he caused just a little while ago. Try and be rational.”
Ice cursed and got up from his chair, joining us in the kitchen area of his flat.
“Look, if it’s what they want, what’s it to us? She’s your friend, so are you gonna be there for her or not?”
“Ice, this is insanity!” He leaned forward and cupped Lissa’s slightly flushed face in his hands.
“Babe, are you even allowed to use that word in your line of work?”
She giggled, and I wanted to thank him for talking her down from her high horse, but I didn’t want to distract them.
“Help her out, my little vixen, and I’ll reward you later in that way you really like.” She sighed, and he kissed her. Suddenly I had so many questions, but this probably wasn’t the time.
“What do you need, Cammy?” I stared wide eyed at Ice.
“How the hell did you just do that?”
He smirked. “You have your secrets, and we have ours, darlin’. Where’s Stitch? I’ll see if he needs a hand with stuff.”
“With Reacher.”
Ice mock saluted at both of us, and headed out of the room, and the second the door closed, Lissa grabbed my hands.
“Are you really sure about this?”
I nodded, surprised to find that I really truly wanted it, and I wanted it right now. Wanted him .
“Yes, god yes. Please, Lissa, do this for me, for us.” She sighed heavily, and went to her wardrobe, rifling through it.