Page 182 of Back in the Saddle

Javi let me go.

I stepped away.

Roam stepped forward. “I’ll drop you wherever you need to go.”

“We can make our way,” Javi replied.

“I wasn’t questioning that,” Roam returned. And he didn’t stop there. “Something to know about me, I grew up on the street too. I get it. I get why you keep your crew tight. But don’t make bad decisions when the offer is made to expand your world. I had one dead brother and one live one,”—he jerked his head to Cap—“and we were facing nothing good. Then we let our world be expanded.” He lifted his hands to indicate the men in the room. “Not a lecture, just something to think about. Now, you want a ride?”

Javi didn’t move, he just stared at Roam for a really long time.

I relaxed when he finally muttered, “That’d be good.”

I gave my brother another hug before he left with Javi.

Raye got close when the door closed behind them.

“I called Luna. Luna called Harlow. Harlow is taking my shift this morning. Luna then talked to Tito, and Willow is taking your shift this afternoon. I’m taking Harlow’s.”

Willow provided our baked goods in the coffee cubby. Willow also acted as backup in the unusual event one of us needed to call off.

“I’m fine,” I said.

“I’m not saying you aren’t. I’m saying take some time. If you want to come in, come in. If you don’t, it’s covered.”

God, I loved my chick.

I wasn’t a hugger, but clearly hoarding most of my life’s supply meant I had to clear out some space, because I gave her a hug too.

When we broke, Eric was there, and he took control of my hand.

“I have the rest of the morning free too,” he said.

Decision made.

I wasn’t going into work, at least not until later.

I said goodbye to everyone, made sure to thank them all, especially Mace, for intervening, then Eric took me down to his Tahoe that was parked in the garage under their building.

We got in, he drove us straight to the Oasis, and he gave me an amazing gift as he did so.

Our comfortable silence.

Not that I didn’t have a lot on my mind. It was just, sometimes, I dealt with it better on my own.

And I loved it that Eric gave me space to do that.

Once home, I realized, even having a guy, it’d be nice to snuggle a cat. So I decided, even with all that was happening, we were so totally going to an animal shelter that weekend.

I might not get one, but I was going to get the lay of the land.

On this decision, I went right to the refrigerator.

I pulled out the icebox cake, my big, round platter and a table knife. I wedged the knife into the side of the pan and ran it around the cake. I then placed that fucker on the plate, released the spring mechanism, and pulled the pan away.

It was supposed to have shaved chocolate as decoration.

I was in no mood to shave chocolate (I could do that on something else down the line).

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