The Villain

11. Valley People

South

I work until my eyes get gritty and then I go out to get my hair done. The only indulgence I’m allowing myself until the house is ready. Shade is another story. I’ll spoil him whenever I like.

By the time my hair is dyed teal and trimmed, it’s almost six.

No one stops me when I get to the restaurant. I walk around, looking for Andi. No one notices me as I pace past tables.

I spot her with her guards and three boyfriends at a table in the back of the restaurant. There are very few people around them, giving the illusion of privacy. Two empty chairs sit across from Andi.

I take the one that faces her directly and sit down. Everyone pauses eating to take me in. They act like I dropped through the ceiling and landed here. There’s a lot of confusion.

“I’m South,” I tell Andi flatly. I focus only on her. The rest of them can fuck off.

She blinks at me dumbly, setting her fork down to take me in.

“I set fire to their clothes in a barbecue pit, dug the ashes out, and put them in the middle of the driveway. I roasted marshmallows while I did it. I piled every game, movie, tv, and console into the middle of the living room, doused it with gasoline, changed my mind about setting it on fire, and took a sledgehammer to it all instead. Is that enough detail for you to believe Tera that I’m real or should I go on?”

Wide eyes stare back at me. The four assholes begin to get angry.

“You did it,” Ira says in a gritty tone.

I ignore him to keep Andi’s gaze. She holds my stare though I can tell she wants to look away. I’m making her uncomfortable.

If I had my way she wouldn’t have to worry about her comfort ever again.

“Shade said he did it,” she protests with a frown.

“He wasn’t there and he had no idea it was happening. Same with Tera. Ask him for details, he’ll trip up.”

“Who are you?” She asks with a frown.

“You’re supposed to be his friend.” I want this point branded on her forehead before I leave here. She’s going to back him up or I’ll reconsider her friendship status as unnecessary.

The chair next to me slides out and Shade sits down. His face is expressionless as he looks around. What is he doing here? Other than distracting me.

“Let’s ask him now,” Felix says with a scowl.

“What’s going on?” Shade’s voice is cold as he speaks. “What are you doing here?”

“This bitch says she destroyed our things.” Blaze glares at me malevolently. Like I give a fuck.

“Why would she? She doesn’t know you,” Shade replies without missing a beat.

Andi chews her lower lip as she looks between us. “Give me details about it, Shade. What did you do?”

“No.”

I raise an eyebrow at Andi.

Andi notes it and leans forward, her lips turning up in a smile. “South gave us a few convincing details when she admitted she did it. Why won’t you?”

His head whips around to look at me, enraged. “What the fuck.”

I give him a blank stare in return, even though I’m enjoying the emotion leaking past his blank mask. As a bonus, the longer our eyes stay locked on each other, the angrier he gets.

“Get up. We’re leaving,” he hisses.

“I’m not going anywhere until this is done.” I disagree as gently as I can.

His jaw clenches until his teeth squeak.

“Get. Up.”

I lean closer with a smirk. “No.”

I turn back to Andi, which seems to make him even madder, and her more excited. He leans into my personal space and slaps a hand down on the table in front of me. His other arm gets braced along the back of my chair. His lips brush my ear as he whispers.

“This is done. Let it rest.” The quiet tone is velvety with a hot breath. Goosebumps trail down my neck in reaction even though I keep the rest of me focused.

This one isn’t making him happy and relaxed, but I won’t relent. Sometimes there have to be rules. Tera taught me that. I’m making one for Andi now. She better meet me in the middle. I won’t cave on this one.

“Is this done, Andi? Should I let it rest?” My words become gritty with anger. She allowed Shade to throw himself under the bus without asking him a single question. She owes.

I lean forward, away from the addicting warmth of Shade’s presence, to give her a deadly look. She’s scowling and looking uncomfortable. Her boyfriends are starting to stand as if they could do anything. One of them is trying to signal a waiter. This town is full of morons.

“Look around you, woman. You want to stay in a nest of vipers, that's your call. I’m dragging my people out of it as of now. You can come with or you can get bit. I don’t give a fuck, but Tera does. Shade does. Give them some respect in return or fuck off.”

“We’re leaving,” Shade stands and pulls my chair out. I’m not budging until she gets it through her head. If he drags me much further, I’m going to stand up. He’ll try to throw me over his shoulder to get what he wants. As amusing as that would be, I’m not in the mood.

“I’m listening,” Andi says earnestly. She extends a hand as if she can reach across the distance and pull me back.

“Good,” my lip curls as I take her in again. She’s definitely upset now. Hopefully it’s because she finally gets that I’m less of a talker and more of a doer.

Shade reaches down to grip my jaw. I’m expecting the hold to be vicious, but he’s gentle. He eases my face to the side and angles it up until all I can see is him. I’m confused by the careful use of strength. He leans down until our noses are almost touching, giving me the full effect of his pale eyes.

“You don’t have to do this,” his brows furrow in confusion. “Come with me.”

“She’s going to back you up one way or another,” I whisper back. “Get out of here.”

His nostrils flare in frustration as we stare each other down. It’s hard for me to enunciate like this. I’m already feeling the effects. I catch my breath during the down time and have to clear my throat.

His eyes flick to my lips and back up. “No more talking like that. I’m giving you thirty minutes. You know where I’ll be.”

I do know. This is diner night. Why the fuck did he come here instead? Is he meeting with them and I threw a spanner in the works? The thought makes my anger fire hotter. It shouldn’t but it’s there. He’s mine and I don’t share.

I guess that answers the jealousy play question.

He leans closer to me and I ready myself for whatever bullshit comes next. His lips press to mine gently, lingering for a second, and then he draws back again. I’m so surprised at the move I don’t have a chance to respond. Out of everything he could have done, that was not what I was expecting.

“Thirty minutes, baby. Starting now.”

My lips are tingling from the contact. I want more.

He wants to play a game with me. It’s even more startling than the kiss. This game is about time and whether I’m listening. He’d consider it a test. I can’t wait to pass.

He stares into my cold eyes for another second and then straightens to walk away.

I’m trying to process while I watch him. My brain is too scrambled to do it. We’re playing a game together this time. Willingly. Tera is the only one that’s done that before. They really are spirit twins.

“You’re dating,” an excited squeal breaks me out of my stupor.

Andi is hopping in her seat with excitement, just like Tera does. Her boyfriends look shocked. The four assholes are glaring as hard as they can.

It’s a play. He’s trying to make the twins jealous. Did Tera tell him to start dating me? I wouldn’t put it past her.

If I play the game to win I might have a chance. I actually listen to him, even when he isn’t saying a word. I need to study up on him more and start spoiling him for real.

“Well?” Blaze snaps at me.

I try to regain my wits so I can play this game too. He likes Andi, otherwise he wouldn’t have stopped me. He would have sat silent without any expression, accepting whatever they dished out.

That’s stopping as soon as I can manage it. Without bloodshed, sadly. I won’t take away something he cherishes, no matter how much it irritates me.

“The guys you have guarding you are pieces of shit and you need to cut ties.”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Ira thunders.

“ Shut up !” Andi yells over him. “I’m trying to hear her!”

“She’s been following Shade for months,” Felix breaks in with a scowl. “Now they’re dating? That seems pretty suspicious.”

“How do you know that? You just got back,” Andi’s surprise is genuine, then turns to me. “Is it true?”

“It’s true.” I’m not going to deny it, I just won’t tell her the complete reasons why.

“Why?” Brody’s tone goes dangerously low. The rest of the assholes settle back, readying themselves for violence.

I stare at Andi. I’ll answer if she asks. No one else. She seems to be wavering on the fence now.

“We can’t find out anything about her. Her real name is Van Leppard but that’s all we know. Does that not raise any red flags, Andi?”

My name is what ? Damn Tera and her love of 80s rock bands. That’s the worst fake name yet.

“Have you been in touch with Tera about this?” Ira asks gently. Trying to salvage his blow up from a second ago I bet.

My eyes narrow on her and hers do the same to me. I jerk my chin in a go for it gesture. Tera has already told her and she refused to listen. I think this is going to be a running theme in this town.

Andi breaks our stare down to pick up her phone.

Everyone seems invested in her call.

“Tera? Hey. Would you mind explaining South to me?” Andi asks sweetly. One of her boyfriends leans close so he can hear whatever her response is.

Andi doesn’t say anything as she watches me. I relax back in my chair and check my watch. I have twenty-five minutes left. I’m giving them five more and then I’m out.

I don’t want to imagine how disappointed he’ll look if I don’t show. He’s been left behind and forgotten so many times I’m sure that’s what he’s expecting. To wait for me until his diner closes for the night in his frozen posture. My chest aches at the thought.

We aren’t close enough for him to be devastated about it so I don’t have to worry about the scream that has haunted me ever since I heard it. My dead gaze moves over the bodyguards with contempt.

Why are they still breathing again?

“Ok,” Andi chirps happily before her five minutes are up. When I look up from my watch, she’s beaming at me and squirming in her chair with excitement. “I get it and I’m in support one hundred percent.”

She nods a few times and then says, “Share your playlist with me super spy. I love what you’re doing.”

Andi hangs up and gives me a wink. “No problem. We’re good.”

“ What ?” Felix looks ready to lose his mind. Ira is watching me with open suspicion.

“I’m going to text Shade later and grovel for forgiveness. I was shitty to him, you’re right. It just made me mad.”

I nod once and stand up. My job here is done.

“Shade likes pie,” she calls out as I walk away. “Any kind, really.”

My lips twitch in a smile. She knows where he is. The pie display at the diner is unreal. Maybe having Andi around will be more useful than I thought. I can pump her for information if she knows him well enough to know his likes.

***

He’s so still and expressionless he looks like a mannequin. It disturbs me because he’s already anticipating the worst. It shouldn’t bother me. He doesn’t know how obsessed with him I am. He’s expecting the same old response to his demands that he’s had.

Surprise, statue. I’m listening.

As soon as he sees me he perks up in his booth, the stiff posture relaxing down. It relaxes me, too. I aced his game. The ball is back in his court.

I slide into the booth across from him and a waitress hurries over with a smile.

“It’s so nice to see him with someone. I’m Denise. What can I get you?”

“Water,” my voice goes toneless for a second and I clear my throat.

Her eyes widen and she nods. “A water. Orange juice too? For your throat.”

She’s gone before I can say anything else.

“You’re pissed at me.”

I look at Shade with my brows furrowed. “Don’t ever throw yourself under a bus for me again.”

“What the fuck, Evie? It’s not a big deal.” He runs a hand through his hair with an exasperated expression. My lips flatten as anger bites into me.

“Learn it now before you really piss me off.”

“Stop talking,” he snaps and shoves his drink to me.

I push it away with a sneer. I won’t be placated by his concern.

“Here you go,” Denise drops off water, a juice, and hot chocolate. I stare at the options, baffled. “I put in for some nice chicken broth for you, too. That will ease your throat. Everything will be ready in a few minutes.”

I stare after her in confusion. It’s like everywhere I turn someone has Tera’s kindness gene. Maybe she infected them all. Anything is possible. That added in with the not listening is making this place weirder than I’m used to. There’s no logic in this town to me.

“You don’t want to mess with these people,” Shade insists. He must not have noticed the weirdness going on in front of him. He’s built up an immunity.

“No, statue,” I lean forward so he can hear me better. My voice is almost gone but my lips twist up into my feral smile. “They don’t want to mess with me .”

He gapes at me like I told him I was a spider and started crawling all over the table to build a web. Or my smile is creeping him out. I drop it and clear my throat.

I pick the hot chocolate and take small sips. It doesn’t ease anything but it is good.

“Were you meeting them?” I ask, keeping my eyes focused on him.

“Yeah,” he snaps back. “To pay back what I owe. They were going to give me a cost in person only. I just wanted the shit over with.”

“You aren’t paying anything,” my tone drops to almost nothing with rage. It’s turning into the cold determination I normally get before I get rid of an annoyance.

“They’re going to complain to our boss if I don’t,” he assures me. He doesn’t sound angry anymore. His voice has hushed like he’s talking about the bogeyman.

His dread doesn’t affect me. I’ll tell his boss the same thing.

“I was handling it just fine without you.”

I give him a flat stare.

“Damn it, Evie,” he says in a weak tone and leans back. His eyes squeeze shut and he breathes deeply for a bit. Hopefully he’s getting it through his head that he’s not paying shit and if they have a problem with it they can talk to me.

How has my statue survived like this? Accepting everything that comes his way like he thinks stone doesn’t crack over time.

I leave him to his meditation and look out the window.

“I wasn’t handling it,” he mutters.

I look at him with a frown, setting down my cup. What does that mean? He felt guilty for my actions? Why not say so?

“I’ve been in deep shit ever since I said I did it. Tera told you, didn’t she. That’s why you were there tonight.” He looks resigned and defensive over it. Almost petulant.

I shake my head. If Tera knew about it, she kept the knowledge close. Good call on her part. I’m not reacting well to the news. She may have manipulated things to make sure I was in the right place at the right time but she kept everything else a secret.

“She didn’t?” He seems surprised. The defensive positioning stops as soon as I shake my head again.

“I thought she complained about my problems to you,” he trails off in confusion. “Why did you tell them, then?”

Is he serious? We just went over this.

“You owe them nothing . You never have and you never will. They can talk to me about it or they can shut the fuck up.”

He takes in the look on my face, whatever it is, and his expression becomes something I’m not familiar with. He softens. As gentle as his grip on my chin or the kiss on my lips. His mask has fallen away to reveal something other than anger and mockery. I want to memorize it. Keep him just like this. Happy and relaxed.

I wish I had brought my phone inside but that would ruin one of my games. He doesn’t even know he’s playing that one yet.

“Come with me to get coffee tomorrow,” he says softly. He starts shifting his glass in tiny increments as he stares at me.

I frown at the request. He wants me to walk with him instead of following him. A new game? Or a reason to keep me close.

His tongue flicks out to wet his lower lip and my eyes track the movement. He’s oblivious as he keeps talking. “You threw down a gauntlet in there. They’re going to be all over me with questions. Demands. I always get a drink on Fridays.”

“You always get a drink every weekday,” I point out with a raised brow.

He blinks at me, his eyes narrowing. “What do I do on the weekends then?”

“Stay home. The blinds are closed so I have no idea what you do. Sleep late hopefully. Watch TV and relax.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t broken in at this point,” he mutters.

“Banned. Unless I thought you were in trouble.”

He gives me a flat look and returns to his point.

“They know my old routines and if I switch they’ll find me. Fast.”

His phone rings, interrupting him. When he pulls it from his pocket it gets tossed onto the table. The caller ID is the middle finger emoji.

“That’s one of them now.”

I reach for the phone and he snatches it back quickly.

“No way. Rest your voice,” he glares.

Then why did he say something? My exasperated look makes him smile. It isn’t a smirk, it’s a natural widening of his lips that’s a little mischievous.

The phone stops ringing and starts again.

I don’t see the ID this time, but when Shade does he winces.

“What?” He answers with a bite to his tone.

His face closes down. His mask reappearing in a blink as he listens to whoever is on the other line. His jaw clenches and his eyes drop to the table.

“Fine.” He hangs up.

I gesture to the phone with a jerk of my chin.

“It’s complicated,” he says flatly.

Okay, then.

Silence lengthens between us as I stare at him. His hand starts fiddling with his glass again. I finish the cocoa and start on the water, at ease with the quiet. Shade doesn’t seem to be at peace, though.

“Has Tera told you anything about me?” He asks suddenly. His eyes are intent on my face. He acts like I should know all of his secrets already. Tera is a confessional. What gets told to her doesn’t get repeated. Especially if it’s a secret.

“You’re her big bro,” I shrug. Then I look at the empty cup of cocoa. My voice may not be back entirely, but the warmth really did help me gain some volume back. Huh. It never has before.

“Anything else?” Shade gives me a small laugh.

I shake my head.

“That’s surprising.”

“It isn’t. Tera is a vault for secrets,” I disagree with a scowl.

His eyes narrow on me after the comment. “No shit. She still won’t give me your number or tell me where you’re staying.”

I smirk at his frustration. Looks like Tera is playing a game of her own. I approve.

“You could tell me,” He hints in a darker tone. It’s a seduction when he doesn’t need it. His voice is already a weakness of mine.

“You sound like a serial killer right now,” I point out in a taunt. My glib reply makes his eyes open wide in surprise.

“What the fuck?”

I smirk again, letting him stew on that for a while. I can’t decide if I want this little conversation to keep going or if I should call a halt to it. I have the sneaking suspicion he wants to make them jealous and this is a ploy. Then again, I’ll get to watch how pissed they get when I’m all over him. Maybe I’ll have to ‘defend myself’. Decisions, decisions.

He breaks the silence again. “If I tell you something, can you keep it to yourself?”

I nod because I’m excellent with secrets. I’m all ears. Tell me all about you statue. I’m panting for it and I’ll never tell a soul.

“That was my boss. He said he doesn’t believe you did it.”

“What is wrong with the people in this town?” I mutter. Do I need to make an I’m guilty sign? A shirt? People are idiots but this town is taking it to an extreme I couldn’t have prepared for.

“He thinks I’m trying to weasel my way out of working with the assholes,” he continues but he’s smiling at my question.

“Fuck him,” I sneer and sip my water.

His smile gets wider. “I was just told nothing I did would stop it and to give up.”

“Give me your phone,” I hiss and hold out my hand.

Shade laughs. An open sound that surprises me at its lightheartedness.

Is this some kind of joke? Is he pissing me off on purpose? What game is this?

“I found out about six years ago that my boss is my biological dad.”

I tilt my head in confusion. His boss slash sperm donor is being a dick to him? Why?

“I thought I got away from the drama by joining Ira’s team. Staying out of the main office kind of thing. Less contact, less angst.”

Interesting. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. His need to keep Andi intact makes more sense now. A sibling. I suppose that makes her permanently banned from punishment. That’s a shame.

“While I’ve been gone my mom and the bio have mended fences.” He says the last words with an anger tinged with bitterness. “I’m supposed to be happy that the asshole who wasn’t around when shit got tough is with her.”

Abandonment issues. Tera has the same. His Dad ghosted just like hers. They might as well be actual twins at this point. He became bitter and shut down emotionally. Tera turned everything negative into a positive. If he tells me his mom is a controlling piece of shit the circle will be complete.

“Anyway, they got married last year. I was supposed to walk my mom down the aisle as a sign that I accept the changes they’ve made in my fucking life.”

His eyes meet mine from across the table as his jaw clenches. “I got a flat. Then the spare failed out too. I got it fixed and got to the wedding in enough time to watch my half-brother walk her down the aisle instead.”

“You didn’t call?”

“I called them all. Left messages. I even called his bodyguards. No one believed me about the flats.”

Huh. My brows furrow at that. I know he’s a dick but not one person accepted his version? None of them? What has Shade been doing to people that has them so ready to think he’s a piece of shit?

Then again he is an enigma that lies to save people who don’t need it. Or don’t deserve it. I can understand questioning that. I can tell he’s not the type to throw a tantrum that way. He’s prepared to go down with any ship.

“My mom called me after the ceremony and told me not to bother coming back to see her. I was in the fucking chapel trying to leave with everyone else. She said she wasn’t going to let my hate drag her down. After everything I’ve done. Nothing is ever good enough.”

Even his mom? Full circle, here we come.

“I left and I haven’t heard from her since. She won’t answer when I call or respond to my texts. I get calls from the bio but he’s more interested in pretending to be a disappointed father figure than a boss. It’s fucking me up because he’s turning what used to be a comfortable association into bullshit manipulation and revenge in my mom’s honor. I used to be his right-hand man. Now I’m some dirty street urchin he calls to take a bad mood out on.”

That’s going to stop. If Shade can’t trust the bio as a father or a boss he needs to go. I can think of several ways to get that accomplished. I go with a normal answer first.

“Quit,” I suggest.

He grinds his teeth and looks away. “It’s the only link I have left to my mom. It’s the only thing keeping me talking and he knows it. He gives me updates on her. He’s smug about it, but I can deal with that as long as she’s happy.”

Damn.

“No one verified your story?”

“No.”

“Receipt from the repair shop?”

He gives me a surprised frown. “They emailed it a week later I think. I was busy convincing Tera I wasn’t a piece of shit. I may still have it.”

“Look now,” I point at the phone he’s clutching tightly. “Send her and bio a copy. And the pictures you took at the wedding.”

“How did you know I took pictures?” He asks suspiciously.

Because Tera would have done the same thing and tortured herself looking at them. They’re twins. Maybe they should get a blood test.

“Guessed,” I shrug.

He stares at his phone without doing anything.

“Have you ever had a falling out with one of the only people you know loves you?” He asks me seriously.

I get a flash of my Dad’s face when I was being arrested. My Mom’s horror. They didn’t want to believe that I had done it. Broken someone’s bones in retaliation for an attack that left scars. They thought I was magically becoming a better person and reality slapped them in the face.

“Yes,” I shake all those images away.

“What did you do?” He looks up at me with a face filled with tension.

“I owed. I paid.”

His eyes narrow. “That’s all I get? No back story? I just spilled my guts to you. Shit only Tera and Andi know about.”

“And I will never tell a soul.” I assure him grimly. My past is just that. A past. Moments in time that helped shape me. No one has reached out to me since I got out of juvie. It’s better that way, for both sides.

“Give me your phone,” he demands suddenly. His teeth are grinding in rage.

“I don’t have it,” I tell him with a smirk.

“Prove it.” He spits out.

I raise an eyebrow and stand to turn out my pockets. I’m not sure what else to offer him.

“I need to know something about you, dammit,” he snaps, slamming his phone down in frustration.

He did share a piece of himself that I’ve wanted. If I reciprocate he might tell me more. But what can I tell him? Anything I can think of doesn’t have much emotional investment behind it. I’m not like him. Things don’t affect me the same way.

Maybe that’s it. I can tell him about one of the very few times I felt something.

“I’ve got it.” I retake my seat as he sits up and crosses his arms over his chest.

“I’m waiting,” he says impatiently.

Little brat. He’s lucky I find him adorable instead of annoying.

“When I met Tera, she was backed into a fence by four girls ready to beat the shit out of her.”

“In juvie?” his eyes narrow as he clarifies.

“Yeah,” I look out the window at his car as my memory replays that day. “She was tiny. Trying to make friends while they threatened her. She cried while she was smiling, still trying to be kind even when it hurt. I never saw someone do that before. I wanted it to stop. So, I beat them up.”

“Of course,” he smirks and starts to relax back.

“It kept happening. The smile/cry while people treated her terribly. I couldn’t understand. I still don’t. Any time it started I beat the shit out of whoever was causing it so she would stop. Tera started following me around after a while. Nonstop talking. Endless questions. She never let up. If I tried to make it stop she would start crying and smiling. Saying I was cranky and she’d come back later. She imprinted on me.”

I’m still baffled about how she managed it. How did I go from seeing her as a girl desperately trying to find a friendly face to being that friendly face?

He chuckles. “She badgered you into friendship?”

“Yes,” I tell him flatly.

“And now you guys are inseparable?”

My eyes snap to him as my expression blanks out. The last year has proven to me that we aren’t. Our solid foundation got rocked and it hasn’t been fixed yet.

She has a life here. It doesn’t include me. It can’t and remain normal at the same time. Something that she’s always wanted and I couldn’t give. It’s why we separated. A mutual decision that ended up being tougher than I thought it would be.

She has a lot of friendly faces now. People who will see her smile/cry and do something about it. People who don’t need rules or bans to keep them normal. I can’t do that.

But I don’t want to let her leave my life completely. She’s the only one that ever looked at me and saw something worth knowing. As I am instead of how I’m expected to be. I still remember getting out of juvie to see her bouncing around as she waited for me. Her excitement to be around me again. It wasn’t fake either.

She taught me how to maintain a fairly normal lifestyle and rules to follow to keep me out of jail while remaining my version of normal. I don’t particularly care about jail but it seems to be a big deal to Tera. She thinks locking me up will make me worse instead of better.

She’s shown me ways to control what no one else deals with. The need for something more . The need to feel something and the willingness to get it however I can. We made rules. Bans. Games to keep it within the limits of normality.

Tera taught me what it was to actually care for something. Then some one . If not the emotion then to recognize a person’s need and give it to them whether they like it or not. My methods are unusual to most people but that’s because they live with fear. That’s an emotion I’ve never felt.

At the end of the day I want her to be happy. If for nothing else than to never see the smile/cry again. I’ll give her whatever keeps her happy. If that means repacking and getting the fuck out of here I can do it for her.

I just don’t know if the rules will continue to apply after.

I’m already having problems with them now that I’m focusing on Shade.

“I’m not sure anymore,” I mutter flatly.

“Evie?” He says my name with a lot of concern behind it. “What do you mean?”

I’ll figure it out on my own. He doesn’t need to worry about this. He needs to focus on him.

I jerk my chin towards the phone, “Do it.”

He looks like he wants to question me further. Instead, he gets to work trying to fix what’s broken in his world.

I hear the woosh of a text sent and then he sets the phone down in the middle of the table.

“What now?” He looks like he regrets it already.

“We wait.”

He’s starting to get more nervous as time passes in silence.

He startles when the phone starts ringing. We both stare at it. This emoji is a blue heart.

“Now you answer it,” I say slowly. He’s reaching to pick it up when I stand.

“Stay,” he barks out as the phone continues ringing. It’s a tone that gets my attention fast. That wasn’t sweet and gentle or even concerned. That was a monster demanding I sit back down or face the consequences.

It sounded a lot like… me .

I stare at him, trying to see behind the mask he’s put back on. He isn’t looking at me. The phone has his attention. His posture is back to the stiff waiting he had before I arrived. He’s bracing himself for whatever this is going to turn into. He’s expecting bad things.

I retake my seat with a frown as he picks up the phone. His eyes flick to my face, watching me like I’m about to run. It’s a direct contrast to the tone he just used. A hint of vulnerability. He needs backup for this.

I throw my feet onto his thigh and cross my ankles. His shoulders drop with relief as he answers, his posture becoming more natural.

Just like Tera. Physical touch is a destressor. I’m noting that down too. The more time I spend with him the more fascinating he becomes. I want to hear that voice again.

“What?”

I look out into the diner, trying to give him some privacy as I pretend to zone out. In reality I’m hanging on every word. If this doesn’t go well for him I’ll take care of it instead.

“Because no one was listening. I forgot I had the damn thing. No, it got brought up in conversation. Not Tera.” He watches my face as he talks. I try to pretend I can’t hear a thing. His voice hardens. “None of your business.”

Then he falls quiet. It lasts long enough that I glance over to see him grinding his teeth. His stare is focused on the table like he wants to start a fire with his eyes. His face slowly starts shutting down again.

I snatch the phone from his hand.

“Shut up and listen,” I rasp as Shade gapes at me. There’s dead silence on the other side of the line but my voice echoes like I’m on speaker phone. “Shade didn’t do anything wrong other than drive like an irresponsible dick, I’m sure. You owe . Pay up.”

I hand him the phone back with a glare.

He takes it from me slowly like I’m about to attack him with it. The thought makes me smirk.

His eyes are wide as he listens and nods at whatever he’s being told.

“Yeah, I’m here. I was just surprised. I hear you. I understand. I love you, too. I don’t think that’s a good idea. Too new. No. I’m looking into it. Alright. Bye.”

I raise a brow as he hangs up.

“Mom was stressed out and depressed because she thought I was letting my anger keep me from coming. She had no idea I was already there. She apologized.”

He sounds like I just performed a miracle. Listening goes both ways.

“Good. If they fuck it up now that’s on them. I’m sure it’ll be difficult to maintain since you’re a dick to everyone.”

“Yeah,” he clears his throat, looking uncomfortable.

“I get it,” I shrug it off. He shuts down as a shield so he won’t get hurt. Tera has the same reaction to problems even though she smiles through it.

“And you’re ok with it?” He asks doubtfully. His smile is crooked with hope. The innocent expression doesn’t look like it belongs there, but it’s natural. A younger Shade peeking out from behind his many masks. There’s so many versions to find.

But I can’t let him get away with everything, can I.

“Fuck no. If you want things to work you need to learn to behave. Doesn’t mean I don’t understand, though.”

Instead of shutting down he chuckles. A blush rises into his cheeks.

His phone rings again. When he sees the caller ID he sighs, tucking away all of his hidden pieces as he picks up. I don’t think I like his phone.

“What?”

I take my feet back and he glares at me before he gets into the conversation. Our food arrives so I start eating without him. He tells whoever is on the phone that his food is right in front of him, then sighs in resignation as the call goes on.

My brow furrows as he stares at his burger, listening without speaking. All his enjoyment and his celebration of reuniting with his mom is gone.

This is bullshit.

He could put a halt to this at any point and he hasn’t.

I’m halfway done with my broth and the call is still happening. With how small my spoonfuls are, that’s telling. Shade is getting more and more angry the longer it takes. He obviously hasn’t learned yet.

I snatch the phone from him.

“He’s eating. Fuck off.” I hang it up and set it by my plate to finish my broth.

“You have to stop doing that,” his voice shakes as he tries not to laugh.

“No. You told them you were about to eat. They took your happiness and trashed it. They can respect you or kiss your ass. Nothing in between from now on.” I take another spoonful and glance around.

“It might have been work,” he says with a sly grin.

Like I give a fuck. Personal or work he deserves his own time.

The phone rings and a clown emoji pops up on the caller ID. I send it to voicemail.

“Evie,” he starts laughing harder as he watches me do it a second time.

“Is it life threatening news?” I ask blandly.

“No.”

“Then fuck it,” I shrug. “Eat while it’s still warm.”

“I have to deal with the fallout from this. You know that, right?” He can barely get the words out he’s laughing so hard.

“You seem so scared,” I point out with a smirk. “I can deal with the fallout. I have your phone after all.”

Sadly it doesn’t ring again so I can prove it.

“Coffee tomorrow?” He raises a brow and smirks at me.

“Sure. Time?”

“Same time as before,” he sounds smug about my capitulation.

I finish my food and see he’s only taken a few bites. It’s almost ten and I’m exhausted.

His humor washes out and the monstrous tone returns when I stand up. “Where are you going?”

As much as I want to draw that piece of him out to study, I need sleep. I don’t get much on a good day.

“I’ve been up since three this morning and I’m beat. My voice is shot. It’s time for bed.”

“You can stay at my place,” he offers with narrowed eyes.

It’s tempting. Way too tempting. Him in a bed that close to me? I don’t think he has any idea what he’s asking me.

Or my staying there will prove to other people that we’re sleeping together.

This is his game, but he hasn’t given me any rules yet. I’ll make my own instead. He can tell them what he wants. I will follow up his lies however I want. Right now, I want sleep. I get the feeling I’m going to need my wits about me around him.

“You’re the type of guy that would murder me in my sleep and tell everyone you won the fight fair and square. No.”

He chokes on a fry with surprise.

“Night, Shade,” I smirk and walk to the counter.

“Everything ok?” Denise asks in concern. She looks at Shade, who’s glaring at me from his table. He looks like he’s ready to kidnap me instead.

Huh. I wonder if he would. That would be fun.

“Yeah. Do you know which pie he likes the best?”

She blinks at me in confusion. “He usually orders apple.”

I nod. “Give him a slice of apple and a cherry slice with ice cream.”

“Really?” She smiles smugly at me.

“Yeah. He deserves a little something different tonight.” I slide my card over. “Put everything on my ticket.”

“You’re sweet,” she laughs and hurries with the card.

By the time I’m in my truck she’s serving him the pie with a wide grin.

He hasn’t finished his burger. He set it down and hasn’t picked it back up since I left. He was too busy watching me walk away with his stiff statue posture.

Shade glances at her, takes in the plate she sets down and then slowly looks at me with narrowed eyes.

I smirk and wiggle my fingers before I pull away.