Page 112 of Bad Attitude
Mercer’s followed me, but I don’t care. I’m barely conscious of her taking the stairs, making her exit. My focus is on Raven.
“Letgoof me!” she cries.
“No.”
She takes a breath, chest rising and falling, coat shifting enough to show bare skin where the two sides overlap. Hinting more at what I already suspect.
“Let go of me.” She says it again, calmer, colder, and more resolute.
“There is no force in this world that will pry my hand from your arm right now,” I tell her. “Not until you’ve come into my apartment and let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain, is there?” she says. “I have eyes. I’m sorry I…interrupted.” The word carries all her hurt and disdain, but I barely notice.
Fuck me. She didn’thear, she onlysaw.This is still salvageable, and I’m the luckiest bastard that ever lived.
I shouldn’t feel relief, but I do. And she somehow senses it.
She tries to break my grip again, fighting against me. “Let go of meright now, Declan.”
“No. I told you—”
“Fuck you.”
Then Raven clenches one hand, and drives her fist right into my thigh.
Twenty-Two
Raven
Declan leaves by himself after the briefing session.
Not sure how I feel about that. I’ve almost got used to him being around, and he’s still injured. Stronger, yes, but… I feel responsible for his welfare. He got shot because of me.
But as I take an Uber back to my apartment, another realization insidiously sneaks its way into my mind. He was just getting well enough to be… fully mobile again. And now he’s left me.
Why does that feel like a rejection?
Damn Declan Hale. Damn my own hangups on abandonment.
Monday, I wake up to an empty bed. Putter around the apartment a bit, feeling out of sorts.
I text him to see how he’s doing, asking if he’s all right. He is, so that’s… good, I suppose.
At least he replied.
But why isn’t he here, then?
Anothertext comes in from him.
Took a shower this morning, all by myself. Totally clean, all over. If you needed to lick anywhere.
I know exactly what he’s referring to.
Bastard.
Yet it makes me smile—when I think back on it. After I’ve finished blushing.
Taking a run lets me work out some sexual frustration.That’snot something I ever had to do before Declan Hale came into my life. It helps a bit, but when I get back his bike is there. My heart stutters then beats more wildly, and it takes three or four seconds before I realize that ofcoursehis fucking bike is there. He didn’t take it with him, and it was there when Ileft.
