Page 24 of Danger and Dominance
“We told her she didn’t have to and that we were happy to start a rotation.She said it gave her something to do and that she’d let us start taking turns once she got a job.”He grinned.“You know I don’t mind cooking.Though, I’m happy to eat her food.She’s a damn good cook.”
Somewhat mollified, David nodded, trying to figure out how to get more information out of Jensen without being obvious.
“How’s she doing?”Mason asked, looking up from his phone.He’d already taken over his favorite corner of the couch and likely would not budge until forced to.
David tried not to appear too eager to hear the answer, moving into the kitchen to get the popcorn started now that Jensen was here.He grabbed the bag of kernels, a bottle of oil, and the pot he used while Jensen moved to the armchair he favored.There was a thoughtful expression on his face, as though he was trying to decide how to answer, which was not reassuring.
“I think she’s good.She came out with me a few times this week to the store.Claudia has been training her in self-defense, and I told her I’d help out with that if she wanted.She was timid but motivated.But…” His voice trailed off.
“But what?”David asked from the kitchen before Mason did with the prompt, too impatient to pretend otherwise.
“But she listens to alotof true crime.And watches it.”Jensen shook his head in bewilderment.“Every time she’s alone, that’s what she has on.Sometimes, it’s just in the background.A lot of it is downright disturbing, man.There are cold cases, solved cases where the asshole who did it got away, missing persons, and way too many dead women.I don’t want to tell her what to watch or listen to, but I’m starting to get concerned.”
“Do you think she’s afraid we’re going to let something like that happen to her?”David asked, frowning.He didn’t like that idea at all.
Drew chuckled darkly, leaning back in the armchair opposite of Jensen, making it rock slightly under his body weight.Reaching up, he brushed one of his dreads out of his face.
“It might be something like that, but Naomi said there are some women at the shelter who also really enjoy true crime.Some of them like hearing about the survivors, some of them feel relief from the acknowledgment of ‘at least I didn’t end up like that’, some of them are trying to understand what makes people do the terrible things they do…and some of them just like to solve the mystery.I’m sure there’s a ton of other reasons, too.”Drew shrugged.“I don’t think we need to worry.Unless she seems really anxious?”
“No, that’s what’s disturbing; it’s almost like it calms her.”Jensen shook his head.“Mick and I arethe ones getting anxious hearing about all the things that could happen to her.Like, not that I didn’t know, but it’s different hearing all the graphic details and the after statements and shit.I’m getting jittery.I checked the locks and the security system five times last night.Mick had to go take a pot break when I got home because he was getting so wigged out.”
Looking over at Mason, feeling a bit concerned himself, David was slightly reassured that Mason didn’t seem bothered at all.
“It’s totally normal.It might be her way of coping, but it might just be what she’s naturally drawn to,” Mason reassured Jensen.“Nothing to worry about.Try to ignore it if you can.”
“Easier said than done,” Jensen muttered, rubbing his hand over his face.“At least she’s Claudia’s problem tonight.”
The first popcorn kernel popping in the pan meant David could focus on that rather than the conversation, which was a relief.He wasn’t sure what to make of Cassidy’s entertainment habits.Not that it was any of his business.
Once the first kernel popped, it only took a few minutes for the rest of them to go, quickly filling up the pot.David quickly heated some butter in another pan, melting it while the kernels finished.Talk had already moved onto the upcoming fundraiser and the smaller jobs everyone was doing, whether or not Jensen should challenge Drew to another push-up match or wait a little longer, and whether Lincoln might be hiring someone for their team soon.Especially with Marshall getting into the building when he shouldn’t have.
Abigail, their IT/hacker, had decided to stay active duty with the NSA rather than moving to the private sector with the rest of them.No one blamed her, she was happy with her job and was doing good work, but it had left an open spot on their team, which was why David had had to go to Jaxon for help.Before everything went down with Marshall, Jaxon and Marshall’s guy Zeus had split the duties, but now it was all on Jaxon.
They needed a replacement for Abi, but it wasn’t exactly easy, and Lincoln was busy with a lot of other things as well.
“Popcorn’s ready,” David said, causing a mass invasion of the kitchen as everyone came to collect their bowl and add the toppings they wanted.
Everyone steered clear of Jensen as he pulled out his own personal favorite, which David refused to store.He didn’t want the Trinidad scorpion powder anywhere near his food.He liked a bit of spicy as much as the next person, but that shit was lethal.
“Hey, careful,” Mason said, turning and hunching around his bowl protectively as Jensen carefully sprinkled a tiny amount of powder over his own bowl straight from the bag.
“Pussies,” Jensen said cheerfully, closing the bag, then putting it back in the Tupperware he carried it in.Both of which were necessary precautions because if that shit got in your face, you were going to be a seriously unhappy camper.
“If you won’t touch it with your bare hands, you can’t call me a pussy for not wanting it on my popcorn,” Mason retorted.Considering he also had a higher spice tolerance than the rest of them, his caution made the rest of them even more adamant about keeping it away from them.He’d been the only one to try it the first time Jensen had brought it around, and after his hacking reaction, complete with running nose and red eyes, no one else had been willing to try.
“That’s what she said,” Drew cracked, making them all laugh.
David grinned.As much as he wanted to know how Cassidy was doing and what she was feeling, he was happy to be hanging out with his guys tonight.
He’d ask Claudia how things went tomorrow.
Cassidy
A ladies’ game night.Not something she was used to doing.She’d had a few nights hanging out with some of the other Stronghold girls after being rescued, but there had always been at least one man in the house, too.And they’d never been like this.
Everyone had always tiptoed around her, avoiding certain topics, avoiding talking about their own happiness.Movies were up for discussion, and books, but any relationship news was stated with an apologetic look at her.The people who had seen her at the club hadn’t known how to treat her.
Cassidy wasn’t sure what they could have done differently.Nothing, probably.Especially when Don had started stalking her.She’d stopped going anywhere that she didn’t have to and stopped hanging out with her friends, always too worried about what might happen to them if she was with them.
