Page 108 of Dark Endures

I look down at the pillows in front of me. “Friends…I have some of them. Some really good ones.”

“You do?”

I nod. “It’s just…They’d never let something like this happen to them. They’re so strong.”

“And you feel weak,” He finishes the thought for me. “But you’ve got it all wrong. The woman in front of me is a warrior. We’ve had women show up with all sorts of bumps, bruises, and breaks. Like you, they fought to get away. They fought to survive. You need to keep fighting, but this time with an army at your side. No man stands alone in a war.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?”

He shrugs. “That might be a possibility.”

“I’ll call them. But if you’re stuck with a half-dozen crying women, it’s not my fault.”

“That’s a chance I’ll have to take.” Kyle moves the phone closer to my hand and stands up. “See you later, Mindy.”

That man is impressive. Mom could take lessons on manipulation from him.

Before I can collapse into a ball of tears with the Spinsters Club, I need to call Dahlia and see how much my life has fallen apart.

She answers on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Hey, it’s Mindy.”

“You sound terrible. Adonis said you were out sick, but he didn’t tell us you’re that bad. Can I do anything? Bring you soup? Some trashy magazines to go through?”

Do I tell her all about it? “Did you tell Maverick about the kiss?” That was a nosy question, but I couldn’t seem to hold myself back.

“No. Maverick wouldn’t have understood that it was just a stupid, drunk misunderstanding. He sees things rather harshly. It was better if I didn’t tell him,” Dahlia says.

That means I just might be able to keep my job. Adonis didn’t say anything at all. “How are you doing with all that?”

“It’s weird. I should have been terrified. But all I could think was, this guy is an idiot. I knew you’d be out in a minute, and it wouldn’t go anywhere. If drinking makes him do that, Adonis should really give it up completely.”

“Drinking doesn’t change a man. It lowers their inhibitions and allows them to be who they really are inside. Whereas they can pretend to be someone else when they’re sober.” Mom used to get every guy she dated drunk on purpose to see who they really were inside. It was part of her interview process.

Violent drunks were discarded. If only she did that with the guys’ kids, too.

“Oh.”

Adonis is too skilled at pretending to be a good guy. “Be careful around him.”

“Yeah. I will be. But what about you? You’re living with him?”

Lie, but don’t lie. “I’m staying with some friends until I feel better.”

“Good. You should probably think about moving out.”

When I make this next call, it’s not going to be an option. “Yeah. I think I’ll move.”

“If you need any help, Maverick and I would be happy to help.”

Walking back into the apartment with Maverick by my side would definitely take the fear away. What if it was Maddox at my side?

Don’t dream impossible things. “I need to rest. Talk to you later.”

“Feel better.” She clicks off.

That went better than I expected.

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