Page 41 of Broken

“Calliope don’t lie to me. What else? Did you go after him?”

“You think I’m gonna go chasing after some guy who rejected me?”

“That’s the spirit,” she nods. “What are you still so freaked about then?”

I cover my face with my hands. Sin waits. Then I tell her, keeping my eyes covered. It’s met with total silence. When I lower my hands, a slow smile spreads across her face, and she bursts into laughter.

“Not funny,” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Oh, it’s not funny at all,” her face straightens out. “Girl, I hate to be the one to say this.”

Oh God, what? The blood runs out of my face. “What?”

“Garrett has cameras all around the building. Inside and out.”

Not sure how I end up on the floor, but Sin is beside me in a heartbeat, taking my hand and asking if I’m okay.

Okay? Shit. I was wrong thinking I’d never be able to face him.

I’ll never leave this apartment again.

Chapter Eleven

Garrett

My elbow is finally good enough I can sit for a full session without painkillers. Gez is back on the table, lying face down and holding his phone out in front of him. I’m not interested in what he is watching. I just want to get this done.

My mind has been all over the place for the last few days. I’ve been a bigger asshole than normal. It’s permeating the mood in the shop and the others have been quieter because of me.

Again.

Lucky gave me hell for dipping out on Shane’s celebrations. To be fair, I’d agreed to go to the club for Shane. Then I left the party without a word.

Once everyone left, I went down to the back room and stood in the doorway, staring at the bed. I’m not sure if it was my imagination, or I could smell her in here. Her perfume, for sure. Sex, I’m not sure that’s possible, or wishful thinking.

Being the anal-retentive tattoo artist I am, I cleaned the chair. Not that there was anything on it. I wanted all the evidence of what I saw gone. Then I grabbed my sketchbook and went back upstairs.

Was she right? Had I left the book out? It’s not like I have to hide it. The others know to leave my shit alone.

Back in the living room of my apartment, I flipped through the book. What must she have thought, seeing images of the same woman? It hadn’t concerned her enough not to kiss me.

Truth is, she has nothing to worry about where Gwen is concerned. The woman in the drawings is my sister. She died when she was eighteen. The sketch pad is intensely personal, and why I lost my shit the way I did.

We’ve been at this session for two hours. I’m losing my concentration and Gez deserves better than that. So, I tap out, apologize and use the excuse my elbow is locking up.

When I’m checking the appointment book, Phoenix shows up. His brow is furrowed, and he runs a hand through his hair a few times, catching my eye. I lift a questioning brow. He said he had shit to do this morning. We offer canceled appointments to people on his waiting list, but he asked Lucky to let him have the morning off.

Lucky asks where he went, which he waves off as errands. This is something to do with the Disciples. It’s the only thing he never discusses with her. He heads to his station to prepare for his next client.

What the fuck was he thinking going there? I give him space for a while as he focuses on his client. Lucky kept the rest of my day free, so I decide to go get some supplies for the store, letting her know to text if she needs me.

Outside, I pull out my phone and text Phoenix.

Garrett:

You went to the clubhouse

It isn’t a question. Through the window, I watch Phoenix glance at his phone. He doesn’t pick it up. He’s in the zone and will answer when he’s ready. Whatever it was, he’s got to work through it. My next thought is to text Nero and find out what happened. Nero won’t tell me anything either.

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