THE RIDE BACK to my apartment was in silence. Briggs never wasted words on small talk. Especially when his clients were hos that reminded him time was money. Besides, I was exhausted and didn’t really want to talk. Sounds of busy pushed past us as life continued outside on the streets of the city. The whine of breathless engines and growls of cars trying to jockey for a spot, as the impatient honked their horns, the only conversations filling the thick barren air between us. I knew Briggs was curious about Shane and that he wanted to hear about Sybil’s status, but he also knew better than to ask me right now. Give me a ride home and then we’ll see.
Briggs pulled up to the front of my building. Dark, dingy steps lead to a cracked wooden black door with numbers loosely nailed to the thick part. Not a place where you’ll find doormen pulling open car doors, I sat waiting for the awkward moment to pass hoping that he’d ask me if I wanted to stay with him for a couple days. I had no idea where he lived, if his apartment, house, or studio even had enough space for me, but I didn’t want to stay where that prick Dax’s blood soaked the hardwood floors. I wasn’t ready to see the broken table that was most likely piled up right where it was left before we were whisked away. And I sure in the hell didn’t want to face the nosey manager who makes it his business to know every little thing that occurs behind the closed doors of our complex.
“You okay, Rosie gir’?” Briggs asked as he turned off the engine.
“Yeah, sure.” What the hell was I going to say, no?
“That wasn’t too convincin’. You wanna talk ‘bout it?”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty exhausted. I just want to sleep for like three days. But I can’t. I gotta get back to work. Rents not going to pay itself, and I owe you for . . . Sybil.”
“What? Don’t you disrespect me. I’m not goin’ to take your money. You go in there, get some rest. You’re gonna be just fine.”
Tears swelled in my eyes before plummeting down my cheeks.
“Oh, come on Rosie gir’. Now there’s no need to cry.” He slid the palm of his hand down across my head, catching the back of my neck. The pressure in his fingertips felt good as he rotated and massaged the muscles on either side of my spine. I felt the stress drain from my neck and clear down through my shoulders.
“I’m just exhausted. That’s all.”
“You need to take care of you’self now, Rosie gir’. You hear me?”
I nodded.
“How ‘bout I’ walk you up. Come on now,” Briggs said as his fingers parted from my neck and he pushed open the driver’s door of his SUV.
“Naw, you don’t have to, Key, I’ll be fine.” I pulled off my seatbelt. “Besides, you’ll get towed if you leave your car here unattended. I’ll text you once I’m in my apartment.”
“I don’t like this one bit. You promise?” he asked as he tucked his thick finger under my chin and made me look up at him.
“I pinky-promise you,” I answered holding out my pinky finger to him.
Briggs gave me a confused look until I grabbed his hand and twisted my pinky around his.
“This is a pinky promise.”
“Fin’,” he huffed before leaning over and kissing my forehead. “Take care Rosie gir’. If you need anyt’ing, you call me. Oh, and here.” He handed me a wad of money.
“What’s this for?”
“My bail. You ain’t payin’ me way.”
“Briggs!”
“No, Briggs, Rosie, I won’t have it.”
“Fine,” I answered.
There was no use in arguing, he was just as stubborn as I was. I smiled, just enough so he knew I appreciated him before I slipped out and pushed the car door closed.