Page 25 of Degradation
I can’t help the way the corners of my mouth twitch.
‘Yeah, I know,’ I reply, a little puzzled by her priorities.
I move the shirt out of the way with the side of my foot and hang the robe on the nearby hook before I turn back around and keep my eyes on the tiles while I put some fresh towels within easy reach.
‘Do you need anything else?’ I ask.
‘No, thank you,’ she replies, getting under the spray.
‘When you’re done, just turn off the water and I’ll come back to help you out, okay?’
She nods in my periphery, and I turn, leaving the bathroom quickly.
Shade’s pacing in the hall and his eyes narrow when he sees me.
‘Is she okay in there?’
I snort. ‘Do you mean, does she want or need your help? No, bro. She doesn’t. Leave her alone, huh? She needs a little space.’
I see him tense before he moves, lunging at me. I laugh, sidestepping him easily.
‘Do you really want to do this?’ I half goad because I’m pissed and more than up for a skirmish in the hallway if he is.
I’ll win. I’m better, at least right now.
But, I freeze instinctively as I feel the barrel of a gun on my forehead.
‘Do I have your attention now, Blake?’
I glance up at the familiar weapon and then at my friend. ‘My bad. I brought my fists to a gun fight.’
The grin that cuts through my face is wide.
‘Been going through my stuff?’ I mutter when he doesn’t say a word. ‘Safety’s on, FYI, if you were thinking of following through.’
Shade’s jaw tics and he removes the weapon from my forehead very slowly. I laugh, taking my nine from his grasp. He lets me have it and I stow it in the waistband of my pants.
‘What’s on your mind?’ I ask.
‘Why are you always hanging around Daisy?’
I snort. ‘Maybe she likes me hanging around.’
‘Doesn’t matter what she likes,’ Shade mutters, glancing at the bathroom door.
I sneer at him, shaking my head. ‘She was right, you know. You do sound like your dad when you talk to her. That’s the kind of shit he would say, isn’t it?’
‘It’s not the same!’ he snarls. ‘I care about her. I don’t want to see her hurt, not like she was last night, and not the way you would hurt her.’
‘Yeah,’ I say, staring into his eyes. ‘You want to be the one who does it.’
He pushes me against the wall. ‘What the fuck does that mean?’
I retaliate, shoving him harder and making him take a couple of steps back.
‘Be careful,’ I say through clenched teeth as I stalk forward.
He draws himself up, standing toe to toe with me.
