Page 96 of EverGreene
“I think that means I want you to ask me out on an actual date.”
I sat up straighter on the bed to face her, wincing with pain. “Ever, will you go out with me sometime?”
“No.”
“What? Really?”
“When it comes to you, I won’t be responding favorably to requests using my government name.”
I nodded, holding back a chuckle at the insolent smile on her face. “Nevermore, do you want to go out to dinner with me sometime?”
“I think I may, actually. God help me.”
“Great, I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Your wheelchair or mine?”
She laughed. “I don’t think I really need this thing, but your mom insisted, and she kind of scares me.”
“You and me both.”
Ever sighed. “It’s going to be weird going back to the office after this.”
“Maybe for you. I’m not going back.”
“Why?”
“Do you really need to ask that?” I chuckled. “My uncle kind of stole money from the partners, and if the police find any evidence to support anything I’m sure he’s told them about my illegal fight club and revenge-for-hire nonprofit, I’ll probably be behind bars right along with him.”
“Yeah, about that,” Ever said, capturing my attention. “According to Malachi and some connection he has to law enforcement, they really aren’t paying too much attention to Conrad. Plus, he has nothing concrete he can peg on you. He was only using what he thought he knew to blackmail you because, you know, a felon is going to felon.”
“Well, either way, I tendered my resignation right before I left to find you. I won’t be working in law anymore.”
“What are you going to be doing? Thirst trap on MaskTok, perhaps?”
“Is that a thing? Huh. I guess I have a plan B now in case my actual plan doesn’t work.” Ever raised an eyebrow as if tosay, Get on with it. “A talent scout attended the fight you were at. He witnessed me getting my clock cleaned thanks to a certain someone.”
“My bad,” she muttered under her breath.
“But he also witnessed me putting up a pretty damn good fight beforehand. I’m being signed to fight with the Marauders. I’ll be making money. Legally.”
“That’s somehow less hot.”
I leaned back in the hospital bed, smiling the first genuine smile I’d had in a very long time. The kind of smile I’d admired on other people, wondering what they had that was so good in their lives. Never in that scenario had I ever thought I would be joining them in their unbridled happiness.
“Are you tired? I can leave and let you get some rest?”
I reached my hand out to Ever, who took it tightly in hers, winding her fingers around mine. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“I’m home now. I don’t need to run anymore.” She squeezed my hand. Still drowsy from the sedation, I closed my eyes and gave her hand a squeeze back. “I meant to tell you thank you for saving my life.”
I opened my eyes to see her, staring out the window at the light snow falling from the sky. “No, Ever. I didn’t save your life. You saved mine.”
Three weeks later,I walked into the law office of Harrison, Hawley, Haak, and Smith—now minus the Harrison—for the last time. The new receptionist they’d hired to replace Shelby, who was currently sitting in the county jail awaiting trial, looked up at me with confused eyes as I walked past her desk. “I’m Loche Greene,” I called back to her, noticing a change inher expression that told me she no doubt had heard more about me than I would ever know about her.
I walked down the hall on the way to my former office, passing Conrad’s office and the stacks of boxes inside it. The partners had already boxed up the evidence of his illicit deeds and turned them over to the prosecutor. What was left was the perfect embodiment of the man Conrad was: an empty space devoid of character.
The door to Ever’s and my office was open when I came to it, finding her inside working diligently as though she hadn’t just been released from the hospital a few weeks ago after being stabbed by her ex and stalked for over a year by the asshole leaning against her doorway right now. I don’t care what the misogynist pricks of the world said; there was no man out here who could match the strength of the women I’d known in my lifetime.
“Fucking hell, Loche.” Ever jumped, startled when she caught sight of me. “Did you miss stalking me so much that you decided to take the show on the road?”
