Page 16 of Pitbull
He got Anke and they sat together in the front seat of his truck. “What in the hell have you gotten yourself into this time, Claudia and where are you?”
“What do you mean by this time?”
“You’re her friend. You should know.”
“It seems Claudia didn’t trust me much. She has a brother—that’s something you would tell your best friend, right?”
“I didn’t tell my guys about her,” Pitbull said. “It wasn’t something I set about hiding from them. She said I was dead to her, so I gave her what she wished for. It was nothing personal.”
“What’s the story between you and Claudia, really?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He turned on the ignition. “Let me take you home so you can pack a bag. Until we figure this out, I can’t leave you alone.”
“I’m pretty sure I don’t need round the clock bodyguards.”
“Well, we’re going to agree to disagree on that.”
He could tell she wanted to argue. But Anke clamped her mouth closed again as though she thought better of it.
Did I just win an argument with Anke Fischer?
Small victories Pitbull.
There was something about Anke—something incredibly intriguing. She seemed to have an independent spirit, a strong will he usually valued in a person. After all, she’d showed up at HQ for days, repeatedly until he stopped what he had been doing to focus on her.
As he followed her instructions to her place, he couldn’t help letting his mind wander back to the first time he’d seen her. With mocha skin, plump lips, brown eyes that looked as though the wrath of hell had passed through them toward him—she’d been furious with him. When he had her alone in the office, Pitbull remembered the way her dress hugged her curves, the swells of her breasts at the neck and the way they rose as she folded her arms across her chest.
There was no doubt about it. Anke Fischer was a gorgeous woman—just not his type.
And what is your type?
Shut up brain.
He turned the ignition off and was reaching for the door handle when she stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Electricity charged through him as he turned to look at her.
“Where are you going?”
“In with you.”
“Um…” She glanced around. “I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“Anke, we don’t have time for this.”
“And I don’t need a bodyguard to grab things in my apartment.”
“What exactly is your issue?”
“I’ve seen your place. This is a dump in comparison.”
Pitbull sighed. “That’s what you’re worried about? Anke, I’m not here to judge you. I need to make sure you’re safe. We can either go in or we could go back to my place and you can wear some of my clothes.”
She pushed air out her lips causing them to flutter before releasing him. Pitbull let himself out of the truck and followed her into the two story walk up. Her apartment was on the ground floor in the back. Sure, it wasn’t a palace, but it was warm, clean and welcoming. After clearing the interior, he sent a text to Beast about Ruby. Then while he waited for her to gather her things, Pitbull inspected the pictures on the wall.
One in particular drew his attention. It was with Anke and his sister. Claudia looked full of life as she laughed at something Anke must have said. She wasn’t all skin and bones anymore like he’d remember. Her hair was short but wasn’t anything new. After years of drug use, her flowing, sunlight hair had become coarse and damaged. The light in her green eyes had returned—something he never thought had been possible. He only assumed by the time Anke had met her, Claudia had cleaned herself up.
Lord knows he’d tried—but every rehab stint would bring about a relapse worse than the one before.
He loved her then and if he was to let himself think about it, he loved her still. Even with all the hell she put him through—the hurt, the hospital visits the constant worry, the gunshot—all of it didn’t rid him of how he felt for her. All that drama merely changed his feelings. But he couldn’t have stuck around and watch her kill herself and quite possibly take him with her. Pitbull hadn’t been ready to die.
