Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
HAYES
I grabbed my coffee and took it out on the back deck to watch the sun rise.
As much as I wanted to stay in bed with Sloane, I was restless and didn't want to wake her.
I was having a hard time coping with what happened to her.
Don't misinterpret what I was saying. I didn't blame her, and I was trying, for her sake, not to blame myself.
But knowing what she had to deal with on her own killed me.
I was in awe of her strength.
A movement off to the side caught my attention.
I glanced over in time to see Anita walking across her backyard over to Sloane's.
The whole dynamic of the compound was foreign to me, but clearly, it worked for Sloane and her team.
And I liked knowing that all this time, Sloane had people there for her when I couldn't be.
"An early riser." It wasn't a question. Anita was stating a fact. She also didn't ask if she could join me. She plopped her ass down on the other chair and made herself comfortable.
"Hazard of the job. I don't sleep for more than a few hours a night." Or sometimes day depending on the job I took.
"Which one?"
I took a sip from my cup. "Both I suppose. Those early days when I first opened the garage included plenty of early mornings and long days. I guess I just got used to it."
Anita nodded. "You opened the garage after you left the Dunkins. I doubt you needed the money, so why do it?"
I liked that Anita didn't pull any punches. She was direct and wasn't afraid to ask what was on her mind.
"I wanted a challenge, and I had the skills to do it." It was as simple as that.
"And Hawk? How did that come about?"
That one was a little harder to answer. "After the garage was up and running, I found myself getting easily bored.
I needed something to keep me busy, so I started looking around the dark web for jobs.
My time with Alexander allowed me to hone my skills, and honestly, it gave me a rush nothing else in life could.
I'm not sure how Hawk found me or knew what I could do.
I was skeptical, at first, but my gut told me I could trust whoever it was, and the rest is history. "
"I can't say I've ever seen your work personally, but considering our messes never came back to haunt us, I can only assume you're good at what you do."
I chuckled. I wasn't entirely sure, but I thought that was a compliment from Anita, and I got the feeling she didn't hand those out often.
I cleared my throat. "I want to thank you for being there for Sloane. I hate knowing she went through all that, but it helps to know she had someone to lean on."
Anita suddenly found the concrete slab very interesting. I got the feeling she didn't handle heart-to-hearts very well. "I'm not sure that thanks is warranted. I gave her a way to protect herself. The rest she did on her own."
I was right. "That's not true, and you know it. From what Sloane told me, she wouldn't have gotten through things if it wasn't for you and Nova."
"Yeah, well, Nova was better at that stuff than me. Like I said, I made sure Sloane could feel safe again. I'm the reason she became an assassin. Most people wouldn't be thanking me for that."
"I'm not most people."
We sat in a weird silence for a bit. Not quite uncomfortable but not really comfortable either. Finally, I changed the subject or more accurately homed in on a more specific topic.
"I'm sorry about Nova. I wish I had more answers for you, but I can promise to help you find her. I won't stop until you get the answers you seek." My reasons weren't entirely selfless. I wanted the chance to thank Nova as well for her part in helping Sloane.
"Morning." Anita and I both turned toward the back door at the sound of Sloane's sleepy greeting.
"Good morning, Sunshine. Did you sleep okay?"
Sloane had mentioned her nightmares were back. They were the one thing she couldn't control no matter how hard she tried. Even learning to kick ass didn't stop them from creeping in when she was at her most vulnerable state.
"I did." There was the slightest hint of pink in her cheeks.
Anita abruptly stood up. "I'll leave you two alone."
I wanted to chuckle. For someone who was actively in a relationship, she appeared uncomfortable when presented with the possibility of displays of affection.
As soon as Anita was back at her own house, I held my hand out to Sloane. "Come here."
She didn't hesitate. As soon as Sloane was close enough, I tugged her hand so she fell into my lap. Within seconds, she was curled up and practically becoming one with me.
"You snuck away." Sloane sounded almost hurt that she woke up without me.
"I'm sorry, Sunshine. I was restless and didn't want to wake you.
I figured you needed the sleep after I kept you up long into the night.
" I nuzzled into her neck at the reminder of why we went to bed so late.
Even after multiple releases, my appetite for her wasn't sated.
"Are you having any regrets?" I had checked in with her when things first got heated and again after the first time, but everything after that was purely about sating a hunger.
"No." She slipped her hand under my shirt and traced the line of my abs. "I could never regret what we did together. I just wish it hadn't taken us so long to get to this point."
I squeezed her a little bit tighter. I would do just about anything to get that time back. Ten long years wasted because of an asshole I thought was my friend.
"Me too, Sunshine. Me too."
We stayed like that until Sloane's stomach demanded attention. I chuckled at the sound. "I guess I should feed you."
"I did work up quite the appetite last night."
The need to beat my chest like a caveman because of her declaration was strong. Then again, she always had that effect on me. Even as teenagers.
"Come on. Let's see what you have in the fridge."
I slapped her ass as she stood. Causing the cutest yelp to slip from her lips.
This was the Sloane I remembered. The one who was carefree and not weighted down by the horrors of life. With any luck, I would be able to keep her like this for the rest of our lives.
"Damn. I know I've been living the bachelor life all these years, but I never thought a single woman would need this much food."
Despite there being a lot of food, it was obvious things didn't go to waste based on the food in the freezer. Sloane didn't have processed food stocked in there. Nope, it was all stuff that was once in the fridge but now preserved for later use.
"We don't like going into town unless we have to for work, so once a month we stock up on fresh items. Our shopping day was right before I kidnapped you."
Was that really not too long ago? With everything going on it felt like a lifetime since Sloane crashed back into my life.
"Bacon, eggs, and cheese on an English muffin with burnt bacon still your favorite?"
"I don't like my bacon burnt. I just don't understand how people can eat it when it flops around like a dead fish."
The familiar discussion made me smile. Every Saturday when we ate at the diner, I would tease her about how she liked her bacon. "If you say so."
"And to answer your question, yes, it's still my favorite." Sloane suddenly looked embarrassed. "I actually still have one every Saturday morning."
I don't know what it said about me, but that statement made me happier than a pig in shit.
"Well, I know it's not Saturday, but for old time's sake, can I make you one?"
She nodded her head.
I set forth making her favorite meal and relished the fact that I, once again, was able to take care of her. With any luck, I would be able to continue doing it for the rest of our lives.
If she let me. But that was a discussion for another day. I didn't want to overwhelm her, so for the time being, I would cherish every second she was willing to give me.