5. Chapter 5
Chapter five
‘Lias
My spawn of Satan has one hell of a right hook.
Once she got me, my lip split wide open, then my nose burst from the pressure.
The second Sadie spotted blood pouring down my chin, her badass act dissolved.
Horror has since stretched across her face, with pretty blue eyes so large they threaten to bug out of their sockets.
Silly thing used both hands to cover her mouth through the shock—it was comical.
Had I not been punched in the mouth before, it might have knocked me off my feet. I stumbled back surprised, impressed she got one over on me. I’ll chalk it up to beginner's luck. I should have known better, especially after she had me fighting for my damn life in a hospital—my, how far we’ve come.
Once the shock faded, she took off. Tucked her tail like someone lit a fire under her ass, making a beeline to the women’s locker room to hide.
Honestly, I wish she wouldn’t do that. There’s nothing she can do that would scare me away—except maybe taking a foot to the face next time.
Most of the blood’s dry now, crusting around the inside of my nostrils—I’ve bled enough to know when it’s dangerous and when it’s not, and now is not one of those times.
Between you and I, I wonder if I can persuade my hellion into nursing my swollen mouth.
I could do it alone, yeah, but it’d be nice to have her fix what she broke. A learning experience.
I haven’t seen her in weeks; Mav’s keeping me busy on details requiring all of my focus.
Thankfully I’m on R I twist her around before she can lift her foot and drive it back into my knee. Old war injuries don’t like being donkey kicked all that much and I’ve had all the physical discomfort I can handle for the evening.
Without fully restraining her, I give her a quick once-over before focusing on her eyes. They’re enormous, both in how wide they are and the unforgiving black-holes of her pupils.
Medicated today, good.
“Easy, killer. I just want to walk you home. Can’t do that when you’re trying to run like some scared critter.”
“I am NOT scared. Thank you very much, and I don’t need you to walk me, I’m capable alone.”
“One punch to my kisser doesn’t make you capable. I know you can hold your own if pushed; point is, you don’t have to. Now, straighten up. I’m letting go. If you run, I’ll throw you over my shoulder like my ruck sack.”
“I will cut you in your sleep, you obsessive fuckwad.”
“Colorful language, Sunshine. I hope you do; gives me a reason to spank you.”
Her scoff brings a smile to my face. Sadie tries too damn hard to convince her family she’s not struggling, but I’ve watched her long enough to know she doesn’t sleep and she’s tried more pill brands than most people will in the bulk of their lives.
I hate seeing her put up an impenetrable wall to keep herself safe—sucks for her, really.
I’ve climbed walls, mountains, fences, and scaled down buildings for play.
Dealing with her mote of malice isn’t going to stop me.
Doing as I warned, I release her and step to the side.
With a quick tilt of my head, I motion for her to follow me to her place.
She doesn’t at first, but she will. She’s a creature of habit and this is the only route she has—too late in the night for her to venture around and find an alternative.
She might get spooked, and that bone-gnawing psychopath inside of her may come flying out and try to kill me again.
Street lamps, crosswalk lights, and traffic signals fill the dark with multi-colored glares. Star-like in how long spokes protrude out from a solid center. Squinting, I finally glance over and see her next to me, quiet as a mouse. She would have been a good soldier—maybe in another life.
From my pocket, I retrieve my black-rimmed glasses and slide them on to combat the light flares—I get headaches if I go without them for too long.
I know her apartment is going to be lit up like Fort Knox with every light on, so I better put these damn things on now before the fluorescent flash-bombs feed into a migraine.
“You were out later than usual.”
The silence is awkward. Between Canada and now, shit has morphed into something neither one of us knows how to address. She’s a colleague's daughter; I’m her father’s age. We come from completely different worlds with traumas that can make or break us.
When we first met, I kept my distance because my concern for her health and safety was tied to my job.
Then she started texting me at night, when her nightmares got the best of her and fear was all she knew.
I’d cross the damn country just to make sure she was okay and let her burrow against me—and I did, a few times.
I remember Kace opening the door late one night and instead of arguing, I showed him the texts and he let me in without question. Nadia tried to draw her out, but she’d only leave her room for me, then fall asleep against me on the couch. The next morning, I’d be gone.
It went on for months until she found her new therapist and seemingly got better. Now she’s on her own and I’m more terrified than ever. Anxious she’ll end up hurting herself or kill someone else if I can’t get to her in time.
There’s a chance she could end up like her uncle and knowing this guts me—so I’ve dedicated myself to her safety, to helping her put the demons into their cages by sheer force.
When I’m not on a job, I’m here. I’m always here, even if she doesn’t see me. Her first day of class, the tattoo she’s yet to tell me about, at night in her room when she leaves her balcony door open for fresh air, and her little shopping trips with Nadia. I’m everywhere, and nowhere, at once.
“Yeah, was out doing things,” she deflects. Her way of keeping that mote nice and nasty.
“I imagine so.”
Approaching the resident entrance to her building, I hang back some—giving Sadie space to pull out her keycard. Swiping it over the reader, it beeps before the locks disengage and she pulls it open. In a rush she attempts to yank it closed but I’m faster and larger than she is.
Our eyes meet and I give her a glare—you know the one that puts fear into people and they comply? She stops and spins on her heel for the service elevator versus arguing.
No stairs tonight, got it.
The entry way’s nice; dimly lit and warm, decorated with a modern palette: golds, creams, and a punch of color here and there.
Silk flowers sit in vases on both sides of the brass-plated elevator door, hosted by a few brochures and business cards for anyone to pick up.
Then, overhead, pours a string version of How Did You Love by Shinedown.