“Liberty, someone broke into your place.”
“I’m well aware of that, but I’m not going to cower away from this.”
“You’re not cowering away. You’re being smart and sorting out a game plan.”
“I don’t need a game plan, Hetch. And I’m not leaving.”
“Jesus, Liberty. You’re the most frustrating woman I’ve ever met. This gang is dangerous. You think they're playing? They know where you work. They know where you live. Will you take this seriously?”
“I am, dammit,” I snap, hating that he has to break me down. “I’m not trying to be difficult. My parents don’t need the extra stress.”
“Then I’ll stay here with you again,” he challenges, thinking it’s going to sway me.
“Are you crazy? I don’t need a babysitter and I sure as hell don’t need a replay of the other night.”
“Then go pack your bag.”
“Hetch.” My hands move to my hips, assuming the position as my father would call it.
“Liberty,”
“Hetch.”
“Liberty.’
“No.” I break the pattern, hoping to throw him off.
“Yes.” It doesn’t work.
“I’m not having sex with you.” I try again, but I think the only one thrown off is me.
“You think this is what this is about? Liberty, if I wanted to fuck you, I would have fucked you the other night.” The blow hurts more than I expect it to.
If I wanted to fuck you, I would have the other night.
“You know what, you’re an ass.”
“And you have a great ass. Quit getting those sexy panties of yours in a twist. I didn’t say I didn’t want to fuck you—”
“I’m fine on my own, Hetch.” I cut him off, not wanting to hear the rest of what he has to say.
“I know you think you’re fine, but you still have a busted lock, and at this time of night, you’re not getting the super out here to fix it, so you’re stuck with me. Now quit overthinking it and let this happen,” he orders in his special kind of way. Where I want to punch him yet bow down to him at the same time.
“You know what, whatever.” I roll my eyes and spin on my heel.
I’m learning fast that fighting with Hetch is exhausting, so instead of going back and forth any longer, I forfeit, knowing full well this isn’t going to end well.
Ugghh, stupid man.
Eleven
Hetch
Sterling: So you’re staying at the neighbor’s…
The text comes in from Sterling. Lighting Liberty’s darkened living room.
Me: Detective Bailey’s gossiping is worse than a fucking woman's.
I type back, not in the least bit surprised the gossip has already started down at the station. As soon as Detective Bailey and his partner, Detective Sanchez, rocked up to take Liberty’s statement and dust for prints, I knew they would draw their own conclusions.
Assholes.
Sterling: Dangerous ground there. Hook, line and sinker.
Sterling types back, but this time I ignore it. He can think what he likes. The last thing I need is to feed him with more ammunition because maybe he’s right. I may be hooked. More hooked than I’ve been hooked before and yeah, it fucking scares me but fuck if I can’t stop thinking about her. Ever since I woke up on her sofa, note on chest, I haven’t stopped thinking about her or her under me, her sweet * glistening for me. I know I shouldn’t want her as much as I do, shouldn’t be entertaining the idea of anything more, but the more I try to force myself to stay away, or the more she tries to stay away from me, the more I want her.
“Fuck.” I drop my phone back to the coffee table and groan into the scratchy pillow Liberty lent me and force myself not to go crawling into her bed. This shit just keeps getting out of control. Even tonight when Bailey and Sanchez were interviewing her, I wanted to hold her hand while she let them in on everything that’s been happening with Dominic and the crew he hangs with.
I don’t fucking hold hands.
Ever.
The need to take care of her is growing, especially now I know the crazy fucking gangbanger has her set in his sights. Ever since finding out about Dominic and his connection to Liberty, I’ve done everything in my power to figure out how to take the fucker down. As of today, I’m still coming up empty handed, but I’m not fucking giving up.
Deciding, for at least tonight, not to think about Liberty or how I’m going to take this fucker down, I force all thoughts of Liberty and her hold over me out of my head. It takes a while, and I’m about to nod off when movement down the hallway has my attention. I clock Liberty’s pink toes, but don’t let on I’m awake, unsure what has her out of her bed and back out to the living area, but intrigued all the same.
She bypasses the living room and heads straight for the kitchen. I shift a little on her God-awful sofa, searching for a better line of sight, only to regret my decision when I notice her choice of sleepwear.