Chapter 4 Roderick #2
I hear them walk away, but don’t bother looking. I know Zander will keep an eye on her and get her to the girls in the van. I still feel Spencer at my back, choosing to stay as backup in case I should need it.
I won’t, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
“Do you want to tell me again how you swept the building multiple times and still seemed you missed her?” My words come out clipped as I try to hold in my anger, clearly doing a poor job of it.
“Or should we discuss how you don’t need our help?” Spencer says to him as he comes to stand at my side. I glance at him from the corner of my eye and see his stiff posture. Anger all but radiates off of him. At the moment, I’m sure we appear every bit as unhinged as everyone thinks we are.
“The officers will be dealt with for their incompetence, I assure you. And while I thank you for your assistance tonight, I really must insist that we head out and you do the same,” Trent tells us, forever the good little rule-following cop. He doesn’t rise to the challenge we just laid out.
How disappointing.
When neither Spencer nor myself back down, Trent tries again.
“I’m sure the girls would appreciate getting medical attention and being someplace safe and warm. Seeing as they are the victims in this situation, I think it would be best if we get them taken care of.”
He’s right, but I still want to hit him. And having him throw my words back at me, only makes that urge stronger.
Instead, I step back with a nod to Spencer without taking my eyes off Trent. Spencer stands down as well before stuffing his hands back into his pockets in his usual no fucks to give way. He walks around Trent towards the car, making sure to shoulder-check him as he goes.
Trent keeps his attention on me, not taking Spencer's last attempt to bait him into a fight, but that's okay. I may want to spill his blood all over this dingy, unkept parking lot, but even if I can’t, I still know how to win this round.
“You're right. Those girls deserve your full attention right now.” I turn towards the van to collect Zander so we can head out. I get a few steps away before I stop and call back over my shoulder. “Just worry about them. I’ll make sure the report gets to Froggie.”
Trent does an excellent job of keeping a straight face, but I’ve known him for years, and the panic in his eyes is clear to me. So I take a deep breath and let the idea of the punishment Froggie will dish out calm my need for blood that’s pounding inside me.
I round the van and find Zander leaning against one of the open doors, keeping watch.
He nods in greeting but doesn’t say anything.
The youngest girl has plastered herself to Jade and is once again crying so hard her words sound like a jumbled mess.
Jade holds her tight, soothing her hair back from her face as she coos and feeds her sweet nothings about how everything will be okay.
The other girls seem to be in better spirits now that Jade is with them. Even if they hadn’t told me she was their caretaker, it’s clear now that they are all together. My brows pinch in concern as I let myself take a moment to think about what being their protector may have meant for her.
How much bullshit has she been through?
I very well might never have an answer to that question, so instead of dwelling, I tell Zander it’s time to head out before turning away, letting the girls have their moment.
I feel more than I see Zander following behind me, though it seems forced.
Somehow, I get the feeling he would have stood watch for them all night if asked, or maybe even if he wasn’t asked.
We only make it a few feet before she calls out for us to wait, and we both stop. I’m unsure how I know it’s her before I turn around, seeing as I’ve only heard her speak a handful of times, but I do.
Her arms snake around my waist from behind before I can turn around to face her. Her head rests on my back just below my shoulder blades. I know she's small, but seeing how small she is and feeling how small her body is compared to my own is almost jarring.
Her arms just barely reach around me, but I feel her squeeze. Even though her face is pressed up against my back, I still hear her muffled “thank you” before she pulls away. It happens so quickly and without warning that I don’t have time to decide how to react before it’s over.
I turn around with just enough time to see her launch herself into Zander's arms. Zander isn’t small exactly, but he is the smallest of the three of us. Spencer and I are both about six feet. Zander is just a few inches shorter, but somehow, he still looks like a giant in comparison to her.
She wraps her arms around his waist just like she did me.
But seeing as he faces her, her head falls almost to the center of his chest instead of on his back.
Zander’s whole face lights up for a split second before he wraps his arms around her and lays his head on top of hers, his eyes closing as if he’s entirely at peace.
I’ve never been one for physical affection.
It’s not that I don’t like to be touched.
I just don’t see the appeal of hugs, kisses, holding hands, all that touchy-feely shit.
Just fuck and go about your day if you need to feel someone.
But seeing the look on Zander’s face and the smile that has yet to leave Jade’s makes me almost upset that I was hugged from behind.
I’m not sure what that means, but I’m almost positive it’s not good, so I keep my mouth shut against the urge to ask her for a do-over. Never in my life have I asked for a hug, and I won’t start now, especially with a stranger.
She thanks him as well before pulling away, tucking her hands behind her back. She smiles at us as she takes a step back toward the van.
“Please tell your other friend I said thank you to him as well.”
I nod, and that's all she needs. She’s gone as quickly as she was here, racing back towards the van and the other girls.
I look back at Zander in question, but he shrugs as if to say he has no idea what just happened before we head to the car again.
“You know, I’m not sure how it’s possible, but she smelled fantastic,” Zander says, lifting his shirt to his nose and taking a deep breath.
“Like musky vanilla but also like the woods. That part is probably just from being in a literal hole in the ground, but somehow she makes it work.” I roll my eyes at him as he continues to hold his shirt to his nose as we walk, fucking weirdo.
“You better knock it off before we get to the car. Spencer’s already going to be upset he didn’t get a hug,” I tell him as the car comes back into view. Spencer leans against the hood, smoking a cigarette.
Zander barks a laugh. “Oh no, I would hate to make him jealous.” Sarcasm laces every word. Great. There goes our quiet drive home.
“Did you want to sniff my shirt, Ricky? I know you didn’t get the chance to push her off for touching you like I’m sure you were dying to.
At least this way, it’s like you didn’t miss out completely.
” I shoot him a glare, hoping he’ll drop it.
If Spencer finds out that she hugged Zander and me, he’s sure to be a grumpy ass the whole way home, and I just don’t have the energy for that.
Not to mention the fact that I’m still upset, and I can’t even understand why, let alone explain it.
Zander stops dead in his tracks and looks at me like I grew a second head.
“I don’t know what your problem is, Zander, but let it go. I just want to get home,” I tell him, leaving him to stand there as I head to the car. If he wants to stand there all night, then so be it. But I’m leaving with or without his ass.
I reach the car just as Spencer stomps out his cigarette right next to two other butts, letting me know he’s been chain-smoking since the moment he got back here.
“Let’s go,” I tell him, and he nods, heading towards the rear driver's side door.
I pull open my door, but before I can get in, it’s slammed shut. Zander stands in front of it, blocking me from it with a vicious smile.
“Are you jealous, Rick?” His eyes sparkle as he looks at me as if daring me to deny it, or maybe he’s daring me to admit it.
Rolling my eyes, I move to shove him out of the way; I’m not doing this right now.
He dodges my hand and is back in my face again a second later.
“Come on, Ricky, it’s okay to admit you’re human.
I’ll even let you smell my shirt!” He’s bouncing around like a puppy as he continues to taunt me.
If I weren’t so exhausted, I’d knock him out.
But I am tired. So fucking tired, so instead of hitting him, I give in.
“I don’t know!” I scream at him as my temper momentarily gets the best of me. He freezes for all of two seconds before he bounces around even more than he was a moment ago. Then, his face splits into a grin so big I worry it might split his face in half.
“What in the hell are you two going on about?” Spencer questions as he gets back out of the car, probably to see why we have yet to get in.
Zander forgets about me as he turns to face Spencer. “Ricky is in love!” he screams, and just like that, my temper snaps.
He takes off the second the words leave his lips, with me hot on his heels. The fucker knew exactly what he was doing when he said it, and I played right into it. But it’s too late to back down, and there's only one way to make him drop it.
He’s quick and smaller than I am. While he’s not without muscle, he’s got a slimmer build than Spencer, and I do, making him fast, and he knows it.
I know if I just chase him around, we could be out here all morning, so I’ll have to outsmart him.
He runs around the car, and I act just before he goes past Spencer.
“If you grab him, I’ll explain what happened on the drive home,” I shout. Without a moment's hesitation, Spencer’s arm snaps out, quick as a whip, and grabs Zander.