Page 54 of Dagger

No.

“It’s better for all of us this way.” I didn’t give him a chance to say anything more because I returned my focus to where it belonged, on the only thing I had with certainty. My job.

I worked all day and stayed late to grade papers in the quiet of my classroom where I knew I wouldn’t be disturbed, and where there was security between me and the outside world.

When I finished my work, I stopped at the grocery store the way I always did and then I went home.

To my house, where I fell into a deep sleep instead of cooking a healthy dinner and watching a horror movie.

There’s always tomorrow.

Chapter 28

Dagger

It had been long enough, goddammit. Three days. I gave Sinclair three fucking days to come to her senses, but she was still inside her house.

Alone.

As there had been no more threatening notes or obvious signs of trouble I couldn’t really argue when she insisted that she went home. But I’m not so sure it was over, so for the past three nights I’d been back to my old tricks, watching her from afar to make sure that asshole, Nick, didn’t try anything. Instead of tucking Dani in at night like we’d both gotten used to, I was here.

But tonight I’d had enough. It was time that she realized this shit wasn’t just about her. I had responsibilities other than keeping her safe, and tonight I was done being nice about it. If she wanted to keep thingsprofessionalthen she could, I just wanted her to do it at my damn house where I knew she’d be safe. I looked inside her window from my spot on the porch as she brought a glass of something fizzy, silverware, and a napkin to the living room and set it neatly on the coffee table. She went back to the kitchen and returned with a steaming bowl of something, setting it down before she got comfortable on the sofa.

That’s when I went back to the door, raised my fist, and beat the fuck out of it like I was a cop serving a warrant. I pounded nonstop until the door swung open and I was met with Sinclair’s angry glare. “Hey.”

She frowned up at me, her hand gripped a bottle of pepper spray. “You almost got hit,” she muttered. “What do you want?”

“We need to talk.” I hated that my words sounded more sad than angry because I was plenty fucking angry.

“I thought we already did.” She paused and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “I appreciate your help, Dagger, more than I can possibly say. But I think I’m okay now.”

“Okay.” I snorted a laugh and shook my head. “You think you’reokaynow?” I fisted my hands at my side and got in her face. “What makes you think that, Sinclair?”

She took a step back and folded her arms with a heavy sigh. “Because I have to be,” she shot back. “I’ll figure it out or… I won’t.” She shrugged like it was no big deal, like it wasn’t her safety, her life at risk here.

“Come back to my place.” It was a plea, not an order, and that was probably the only reason she didn’t yell at me again.

“That’s not going to happen, Dagger. I am not your responsibility. Things were getting too complicated.”

I ran my hand through my hair. Yes, it was complicated… But in the three days she’d been gone, I realized she was a complication I really wanted in my life. One I missed. I wanted her to be my responsibility. I needed her to see reason, “This isn’t about responsibility, Sinclair, it’s about your safety.”

“You were outside just now?”

I nodded.

“Did you see any sign of my stalker?”

“No.” He hadn’t shown up tonight or last night, or if he did, it was well after I made my way home to get a few hours of sleep.

“Then let’s just assume he got bored, or your digging scared him off. Thank you.” She sighed again. “Seriously, thank you for working so hard to keep me safe, but since you clearly believe this is my fault, you need to focus on your own life now.” She took a step back and started to close the door.

I stepped into the house before she could slam the door in my face. “That’s not happening.”

Her eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite name before she walked away with a huff. “I’ll keep helping Dani,” she added, as if she thought that was why I was insisting.

“It’s not about that!” I ran a hand through my hair and then down my face, biting back the urge to shout some more. “Look, I appreciate what you’re doing for Dani, but this is about you. I’m worried about you.”

She let out a bitter laugh. “I’m not coming back, Dagger. I spent most of my life feeling like a burden and I won’t do that again.”

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