There it comes, the sound of reality rushing back. Deafening.
“What did he say?”
“He said…” I lick my lips, and the cold fills me up again. “They claimed they did it for you. What did you do, Ev? What the hell did you do?”
“Me?” She flinches and pulls back. “You think I did this to Seth? That I sent people to beat him up?”
The hurt on her face is too much. “To hell with it, Ev. You asked what Seth said. And you always act scared around him and avoid him, and then you left from the hospital acting all upset. What is the truth?”
She gets up, and all the warmth leaves me. My teeth clack together, and my skin breaks out in goose bumps. I sit up and watch her standing with her back to me.
“You’re right,” she says, her voice barely audible. “I should have told you everything from the start.”
“Everything? That sounds like a lot.”
Her shoulders slump. She turns to face me. “Remember you asked me what scares me?”
“You said Blake. Very ex-boyfriend.”
A faint smile tugs on her lips. “Right. Well, he obviously doesn’t get the ‘ex’ part. Plus he has an issue with me talking to people on the street. So he threatened to hurt any homeless person I might talk to.”
Shit. I blink at nothing. “But Seth isn’t homeless anymore.”
“Blake said he kept track of the faces of every homeless person I’d taken care of before my accident. I wouldn’t put it past him to have photos of all of them. He’s sick. I thought he was just trying to frighten me, and some time passed with nothing happening, so I thought it would be all right, but then this happens…” She throws her hands into the air, and her mouth trembles. “This is my fault, for thinking Blake wouldn’t do it.”
I gape at her. The hell. “I’m gonna kill that fucker,” I say, my voice a growl. “Where is he?”
“Micah, no.” She returns to me, kneeling on the sofa next to me. “Don’t do anything. Get Seth to file a report, and combined with mine it should be enough to get a restraining order for Blake, for both me and Seth.”
“What about others? What about Shane?” What about me?
This sucks serious ass.
“I mentioned this to the police. I’ll have to avoid Seth and Shane for now, until we see what happens. Blake may have a record already. They’re looking into it.”
“You don’t…” I struggle to suck in breath. “Don’t understand.”
“What?” She’s looking at me, her eyes clear.
She reported the asshole. He’s being investigated, watched. Why should I scare her now by telling her I was on the streets, too? I can take care of myself. I’ll be careful.
“Nothing.” I pull her to me. “Will you stay?”
“Let me just text my brother.”
“And your parents?”
“I moved out.”
She did? When did that happen?
She jumps off the sofa in search of her discarded clothes and her cell phone, leaving me to stare after her.
Would she move in with me? Would Seth mind? Would she like it?
Oh shit. Too soon. I lean back and close my eyes. I’ll scare her. She barely knows me.
Too bad I’m not sure I can live without her anymore.
Chapter Twelve
Evangeline
When I leave in the morning, Micah insists he should accompany me, but I tell him no.
Truth is, I’m a bit worried about him. He looks good today as I kiss his warm lips and reluctantly pull away from his arms to go to work. But last night he wandered the streets for hours, frozen to the bone, and he coughed so badly. It scared me.
Besides, even after making love he seemed distant. Kind of disconnected.
He still doesn’t feel one hundred percent there. His eyes track me as I walk backward on the dim landing toward the stairs, but they’re flat like mirrors. What’s going on in his mind? Is he regretting being with me? What it cost his friend and the danger I put them in… Maybe he’s done with me?
But the way he clutched me to him, the way he pleasured me… The way he listened and acted like he believed me even though he has every reason to distrust me right now—the way he reacted, the anger on his face when I told him about Blake... He didn’t seem about to send me away.
Then why did he shut off afterward? He seems to be in a daze. Maybe the attack on Seth shook him worse than he lets on, and knowing what I know now about his past...
I shouldn’t have left him alone, I think as I hurry to work, smoothing down my wrinkled pants. Seth isn’t there.
He’s not a kid, though. He’s a grown man, and I’m not sure what I could do if I stayed home with him except drive him crazy. Still… Thank God tomorrow is weekend. It can’t come fast enough.
Cassie gestures at me to talk later, but customers keep us busy until it’s time for me to go.
“Are you okay?” she asks as I grab my stuff and get ready to leave.
“I moved out,” I say and laugh when she pumps her fist.
“Did you call Kayla?”
“I’ll call her now.” Someone is standing across the street, and fear curls in my stomach. Is it Blake or someone he sent? Does he know I reported him to the police? There’s so much I want to tell Cassie, ask her opinion, but more customers file in and she sighs, turning to meet them. “I’ll call you, too.”
“Yeah, you must tell me how it went!”
She puts on her bright smile and strides off to see what the customers want. I linger, unwilling to go just yet. I glance again at the guy across the street—and laugh.
This time it’s Micah.
I hurry over to him, and before I can speak, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in for a long, hot kiss. The world brightens and then melts away as he buries his face in my neck and whispers my name.
I love him. God, I love him so much. I cling to him and the worry fades. Everything will be fine.
“Going for coffee?” he asks, and his warm breath on my skin sends me into a full body shudder.
“Actually I was going to call a girl to see if we can be roommates.” I draw back, and his blue eyes lock with mine.
“Ev, you know you can stay with me until you decide what to do, right?”
I hug him tight. “Thank you. I’m staying at my brother’s. I’m okay.”
He nods, a flicker of emotion—disappointment? relief?—flashing over his face. “Whatever makes you feel more comfortable.”
I sense more under his words, but don’t press it. “How’s Seth doing?”
“They’re thinking of releasing him tomorrow.” He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me toward the donut place. “They’re a bit worried about the bruising in his kidneys.” His throat works.
I don’t know what to say to make this better.
We enter the donut shop, order our coffees, and step out to sit on the cold bench. Seems like years since we first sat here together. Silence stretches between us, easy and full.
Micah puts his Styrofoam cup on the table and stares down at it. He seems to be struggling with something.