Page 20 of How to Hack a Hellhound
I reached forward and put my hand over his. “You couldn’t know. You don’t think like them. You’re not evil like they are,” I reassured him. “You can’t be blamed for not knowing what they’d do.”
He looked down at my hand, and I thought of moving it, but he flipped his hand over and held onto mine. It felt… nice.
“But you know,” he said, looking up at me again. “You know what they’d do.”
“Well, yes, I suppose I do. I’ve dealt with their kind for a very long time.” I hoped he didn’t think I was like them. I most certainly was not. “I’m not evil, though. I only kill evil people,” I added.
“God, you’re just like Dexter,” he chuckled, shaking his head.
“Well, yes, we both deal with evil people, but I assure you I have much more common sense and far better manners than Dexter,” I promised.
He hmm’d in response, but he didn’t look convinced. That was alright. I could convince him, especially if he was staying here.
“I’m going to hunt those fuckers down,” he said again. “Will you help me?”
“Of course,” I answered. Had he doubted I would? “I’ve already begun looking into things. I’d be happy to take care of it for you. You don’t need to be involved.”
He pulled his hand away, and I missed the warmth of it in mine. He began pacing the kitchen, looking agitated. Had I said something wrong? He didn’t seem angry at me, though, so perhaps he was thinking of his kidnapping.
I wasn’t used to feeling unsure, but I didn’t want to press and scare Quinton off. I almost chuckled at myself then. Not that Quintonwouldscare off. More likely he would unsheathe his claws and eviscerate me before strutting away. It was something I thoroughly enjoyed about him.
I felt a little more relaxed at that. If I had fucked up, I was sure Quinton would tell me exactly how. He wasn’t quiet and unsure. He spoke his mind. He was obviously thinking something through, and he’d no doubt tell me exactly what he needed from me.
He finally stopped and looked at me across the island again. “No,” he said.
I quirked my head, unsure what he meant.
”No, I donotwant you to do it without me. I know I don’t have experience, and I’m not… whatever you guys are. I know that. I know I’m just a weak human who got himself kidnapped and locked in a basement?—”
I cut him off. “You arenota weak human. You are a hellcat, all claws and explosiveness. You would have made life miserable for your captors.” I chuckled at the thought. “You would have at least maimed a few of them. You would have fought every step of the way, and I think you would’ve escaped. Don’teverunderestimate yourself, Quinton.”
He stared at me. I wasn’t sure if he was still upset, but eventually he smirked. “A hellcat, huh?”
“Yes,” I said. “And if you want to help, that is your right. Idohave experience and knowledge, and I would simply ask that you follow my lead for those reasons. But I will not stop you from getting your vengeance. You deserve it, and I would never stand in your way for anything.”
He nodded, still staring at me.
I pressed on while he seemed agreeable. “You can speak to Aiden after his shift. We’d be happy to drive you both to and from work, but if you’d rather have use of a car, that’s fine as well. You both have valid driver’s licenses, so either of you could drive. I would prefer if you drove together or got a ride, however. After you speak to Aiden, we can easily move the things from your apartment here.”
He smiled at me then, even if it seemed a little exasperated. “People usually like to pack up their own shit.”
“Why? We can do it much more quickly and easily,” I stated.
He just rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to Aiden. Is someone picking him up later?”
“Yes, Jude or Corbin, since he knows them best and they rescued him. We don’t want him to feel uncomfortable. I have no doubt that Toby will inevitably ingratiate himself as Aiden’s friend, and I’m sure he’ll insist on driving as well, but he does accept boundaries if they’re set.”
Quinton actually chuckled at that. “At least someone does,” he mumbled. I was unsure what he meant, but he continued on. “Ok. I’ll talk to Aiden and let you know. Or you’ll just listen in and find out when you go back to your batcave and watch me from your monitors.”
I didn’t deny it, and he didn’t seem upset about it. “I’ll start researching and seeing who’s looking for James. I haven’t had time to do a deep dive into his online presence yet, butI’m hopeful that it reveals some information. I’ll keep you informed,” I add.
“Good. At some point I want to see you work your hacker magic, but right now I’m gonna eat and relax. Being drugged leaves a shitty hangover,” Quinton said.
He did look tired again. It was probably best if I left him to relax, even though I was loath to leave his presence. Yes, I could watch him through the monitors, but really, it didn’t compare to seeing him in person. I sighed and got up.
“Can I get you anything?” I asked.
He just shook his head as he walked around the island toward the front door, and I followed him. I noticed his feet were bare, and I realized these floors were mostly hardwood. Humans got cold feet. I knew Quinton didn’t love wearing socks, since he never seemed to wear them at home. I’d have to see if he liked slippers, or else I’d have to get some carpeting for beside his bed and the common areas.
