Page 102 of Clashing
She thanked the guys for their help, then walked out with Danny. I almost wondered if Collin would say something to me, but he didn’t. He left the moment she was out of the building.
“You should probably sleep too,” Francis said.
“Not yet. I have things to do first.”
I’d asked Danny for years to set up an alarm system. Now he couldn’t argue. Not with Scarlett living here. When I dropped off what he wanted from the store, I told him I was installing one. He agreed without argument.
After calling around, I found a place to fix the window that day. Next, I went to the hardware store and inspected about a hundred locks and doors before I was satisfied. The door was bigger, so I’d have to adjust her frame size, but it wouldn’t be that difficult.
I called buddies who did cabling to set up the security cameras and the alarm system. They all owed me favors and rushed to get it done before sunset.
I couldn’t work on her door until forensics took the tape down, so I left the supplies in the hall. The new locks were stronger and the door itself more solid. Since I had to get a wider frame anyway, I made sure it was sturdier with long screws to hold it in.
Without being able to actually install the door, I ran out of excuses to linger. I packed up to go home since I was a fucking zombie by then, but my phone rang. Danny’s name flashed across the screen, and I answered.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. She slept. We’re ordering dinner. She’s a little jumpy. I thought maybe if you stayed here, it might help. You know, a guy in a wheelchair isn’t very intimidating.” He laughed, one laced in something he didn’t have to explain because I understood. It frustrated the hell out of him he couldn’t do more. “I need her to feel safe, Ryker.”
“I’ll stay. I’m at the bar, so I’ll be right there.”
“We’ll order dinner for you. Thanks, Ryker. For everything.”
“Anything for you, Danny.”
Anything for her.
It took me less than five minutes to get to his place and find them on the couch. Scarlett sat next to Dan with her head on his shoulder, her feet up on the cushions, tucked in close so the space beside her was open. She gave me a small smile that confirmed my suspicions.
She wasn’t okay. That wasn’t her smile. She was trying to be strong, like always. I sat next to her, thankful she was in the middle and there was nowhere else for me to be except beside her.
Danny mouthedthanksover her head before resting his against it. From this angle, Danny couldn’t see her feet and legs. I wanted to hold her hand but that was too visible, so I adjusted and set my hand on her calf, caressing circles with my thumb.
Expression unreadable, her gaze flicked to me. Those eyes drooped every several seconds but snapped open like she was afraid to keep them closed too long. If it weren’t for Danny, I’d pull her into my chest and run my fingers through her hair until she fell asleep. Anytime I did that, she passed out within minutes. I didn’t get why she found it so comforting until Fourth of July when she’d done it to me.
For now, I’d have to settle for touching her at all.
She stretched, her hand drifting down and hooking around her leg. Then, after a few minutes, her fingers reached for mine.
Our fingers laced together, and for the first time since that panicked phone call, I could breathe.
Chapter thirty-two
I’ll Be That for You
Scarlett
Assoonaswegot off the phone, Mom raced over. Not alone. Her new boyfriend drove her. Lucky for her, I was in a tumultuous emotional limbo and didn’t have the energy to cyberstalk him.
Moms held magical power because when she arrived early in the morning and climbed into bed with me, her soothing voice gave me hope I’d be okay. Someday. Not anytime soon, butsomeday.
We stayed in bed most of the day while I tried to process what happened without falling apart. Individual aspects created a horrifying picture I hoped would recede into dark corners of my mind where I never had to remember the fragmented details. The dumbest things set off bursts of crying. Someone bumping into a wall. A glass clinking. A door opening.
At least I already had a therapist because I sure as fuck needed one.
Six days Mom and I stayed at Dan’s place. Six days, and every day, Ryker showed up to check on us. A couple times he brought food. Offered to go grocery shopping. Offered to fix things around the house and bar. Since forensics cleared access to the apartment, he’d already repaired and cleaned it, he said. After our sixth night at Dan’s, I decided to brave that space again.
Although it wasn’t true, I told Mom I wanted to face my apartment alone. I didn’t. I didn’t want her to go because I wanted a moment with Ryker. He’d saved my life. Slayed my demon and comforted me after, and I hadn’t had a spare second to properly thank him.
