Chapter 20 #2
Opening the closet door, I felt the fine weaves of designer labeled suits. “Hey, do you think Julian would like some of these suits?”
Regge uttered a noncommittal response. I stuffed several dry-cleaned shirts and suits in a hanging travel bag, tossing in the laptop and notebook in the bottom compartment.
“Got it,” Regge called. He opened the door to reveal a small office. We entered, going straight to a painting on the wall. Behind it was a safe—not large but bigger than your usual hotel safe. We stared at it.
I pulled the paper out of my pocket and handed it to Regge. He frowned.
“You’ve opened a safe before, right?” I asked.
“These are just numbers. Do I go right? Or left?”
“I think most safes are right first, then left, then right again. I’m sure you can do it.” Resisting the urge to pat him on the shoulder, I glanced over the room. “You have a light touch.”
“A light touch, have I?” Something in his voice caused me to look at him. His eyes were seafoam green in this light.
“Just do your thing. Please.” I found a briefcase near a file cabinet. It was brown leather, a satchel type with a flap that buckled over the top. I grabbed it, intending to clean out the file cabinet. If nothing else, it would look like he’d left town.
I kept an eye on Regge as he worked. This way, I could admire the breadth of his shoulders, the fit of the black pants over his glutes. It was a few moments before I continued my own search.
In one folder, I found Julian’s passport and birth certificate. The rest were insurance forms, lease agreements, and bank statements. Wanting to get anything that would lead to the hotel, I scooped up the financials as Regge gave a jubilant cry. The safe swung open.
My phone buzzed with a text from Pery. “Someone’s coming.”
Regge swept everything from the safe into his pack, closed it, spinning the dial. I closed the cabinet drawer, grabbed the satchel, and headed toward the office door. I heard the apartment door open before getting there. Closing the office door gently, I turned the lock.
After a few seconds of silent scrambling, we shut ourselves into a closet with a bifold door. I backed into some boxes. Regge gripped my arms, keeping me upright and bringing me closer to him. We stood face-to-face, breathing in each other’s space.
Muffled voices filtered through the apartment. I wiggled to get my phone up between us, texting both Pery and Skylar.
They’re in the apartment. Need a distraction.
Two men chatted casually as they searched the place.
Seconds later, the office doorknob rattled, and their tone turned serious.
A thud sounded against the door. It was a solid door, but judging from the sound, the men were intent on getting in.
I met Regge’s eyes, knowing we were trapped.
As the doorframe groaned under the heavy fists, the doorbell rang.
One man cursed. I held my breath, listening.
Light filtered in through the slats in the door—just enough that I could see Regge’s eyes narrowing as he listened.
We waited in the cramped space, breathing together.
His hand was warm as he clasped it around my bicep.
Not remembering when I’d last brushed my teeth, I turned my head to avoid breathing on him.
A feminine voice wafted through the living room, engaging the men. I couldn’t hear the words, but the tone was pleasant, conversational. Minutes later, the door closed and everything went quiet.
Neither of us moved, our breathing stalled, eyes locked.
Listening, waiting. Regge’s gaze dropped and he inched closer.
My phone vibrated with Pery’s all clear.
I turned the phone so he could read the message.
Without a word, he released me and opened the door.
Going back to the safe, he went through his backpack, pulling out two small jewelry boxes. He opened the safe and returned them.
“What are you doing?”
“I got to thinking, if these guys search the place, find the safe empty, they might think someone’s been here. We don’t need the cuff links, just the paperwork.”
“Not so break-in obvious. Got ya.”
Out in the living room, I grabbed a handful of albums and shoved them into the satchel. At Regge’s look, I explained, “Julian can never come back here. He has to leave his whole life. You should know what that’s like.”
Regge’s face had a thoughtful look as he nodded. We took off. Down the hall, a door opened. Skylar’s voice still held that cheerful lilt as she thanked the men. We headed in the other direction, taking the stairwell rather than the elevator. It was a few flights before Regge paused to look at me.
“That was close.”
“We got eleven floors to go.” I gestured to the next set of stairs. I wanted out of there. I didn’t want to run into whoever was searching Julian’s place. I didn’t want to be alone in the stairwell with Regge. Too much time for thought.
“Hunter, wait.” He caught up with me and put a hand on my wrist.
I stopped, but I dropped my hand from his grip. I waited. I wasn’t sure why. Or even what I wanted. Something. An apology? Something more than a mumbled sorry. Yeah, a real apology would be good. An explanation would be better.
Regge’s previous reassurances had been fiction. You’ve hit your head, mate. That’s why you’re groggy. No worries, you’ll be fit as fine. Did he even know that I remembered this? His lies? Did he care?
“No. You’re right. Let’s go,” he conceded. Skirting around me, he took the lead.
Another two flights. My legs started to burn as we cleared another floor. My mom’s words came back to me. That I should consider Regge’s past, how tough it had been. My mom didn’t know the half of what Regge had been through, but she had a point.
I could tell him that I understood how hard it was to trust people. I could do that now. We were alone with nothing but more stairs to descend. The number eight was painted on the stairwell door. Plenty of time to talk.
“Good job getting the key card by the way. That was something.” There, I’d said something. Another turn around the railing. Another half flight.
“Thanks.” Floor six.
Regge paused and looked back at me. “It was easier than I thought it would be. I’m a bit out of practice.”
This wasn’t at all what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to pin Regge down on his feelings. His obvious desire morphing to indifference in the daylight. Maybe that’s just how he was. How he would always be. “Still. Good job.”
Silence. Fourth floor. We’d be in the lobby soon and the opportunity would be gone.
“Did you find anything in the cabinet?” Regge asked.
“His passport, his birth certificate. Some bank stuff.”
“Good, maybe that will help.” We turned the corner and were at the door to the ground floor. “Did the boss say to meet here or the garage?” Regge had his hand on the door.
I stopped, slightly winded from the trek. Sixteen flights carrying bags was no joke. I cringed at my cowardice. At dodging a real conversation. This was it. Now or never.
“So we should just stick with the friend thing then?” My ragged breath caught in my throat. My left knee throbbing, I balanced on one leg to ease it. My sweaty palm was slick on the metal handrail.
Regge’s forehead glistened under the fluorescent lights.
I’d never seen a more beautiful green than his eyes.
A forest lake at the height of summer, long wide meadows of whispering grasses, jade stone carved to catch the light—all came second to that color.
That depth. The shutters of his lashes came down, closing me out.
“We’re a great team, HB. I… I don’t want to mess with that.”
I let out my breath, thinking it might be my last. So that was that. It was done. Over before anything real had started. I managed a neutral expression and ticked my chin at the door. Regge pulled it open to see Skylar jogging toward us.
“About time. Let’s go.” She led us down more stairs to the garage. Pery pulled up in the SUV. Once we were going, Regge relayed the details of what we’d found. He held up some paperwork and a stack of cash.
“How did you get those guys to leave the apartment?” I asked Skylar. She turned and gave us a smile. Her long hair held up in a ponytail, her almond shaped eyes carrying a silver glint.
“The apartment next to Julian’s was empty, so I jimmied the balcony door. Turned on the kitchen faucet, splashed water around, and played the helpless neighbor.” Her dazzling smile glinted in the car’s dark interior. “It’s amazing what men will do to help a female in need.”
“Brilliant,” Regge said, including me in his gaze. “We make a good team.”
“Let’s not make breaking and entering part of our usual activities, okay?” Pery glanced in the rearview mirror.
“What breaking?” Regge lifted his eyebrows, looking innocent. “There was no breaking. That was a very clean entry and exit. Larceny in its purest form, my friend.” He grinned.
“It’s not like we didn’t have permission. And it was for a good cause,” Skylar agreed.
Pery pulled into Pinkie’s lot and parked. Regge hopped out right away, practically running to the door.
Skylar grabbed the hanging bag and followed Pery into the bar. I was slow-moving as I exited the car, reaching in for the satchel.
“Hey Hunter, sweetheart. Everything go okay?” I looked at the back entrance of Pinkies to catch the red glow of a cigarette being smoked in the shadows.
One of the sisters stepped forward so the streetlight caught the blue streaks in her hair.
She pulled the smoke away from her mouth, her eyes sharp as she studied me.
“Abraham told us what was happening. Busy night all round.”
“Yeah, it is. I’m fine. I’m going to see my mom for a few days.” I walked forward, adjusting the satchel before handing it to her. “Hey, can you give this to Julian? Big guy, looks like a criminal taking up space in the back booth?”
She stubbed out her cigarette and took the bag. “Sure. You sure you don’t want to come in? A celebratory beer?”
“No. No. I’m good.”
“He missed you, you know. Not just recently, with the trouble you had—yes, Abraham told us about the necromancer shit happening. He was hoping we could help. We couldn’t. But I’m talking about Regge.”
“Yeah?”
He hasn’t been here lately, but every time he walked through the door, he looked for you. His vibe was all off when you weren’t here. A lot of things can be solved by just talking to each other.”
The bassline of a rock ballad rumbled through the back door, followed by a screech of lyric. I winced. Karaoke was still going.
Inside I knew the gang would be at the bar, beers in front of them, listening to the latest escapade as Regge, maybe even Pery relayed the story.
These were my people, often gathering to have a drink, talk plans or whatever.
But now I felt like everything was different.
Eventually I could be friends with Regge. After my heart healed up some.
“I’ve tried that.” I said, bitterness lacing my words.
“The thing about men is they don’t talk enough. Nor do they listen enough.” She tucked the briefcase under her arm. “You be safe, child. We’ll be here when you get back.”
With a wave at Blue, I called for a car to take me to the train station. My SUV would be fine in the bar’s back lot.