Page 92 of You Make Me Feel
ZACH
“Is it okay if I record this?” Hudson asks the next day, putting his phone down on the table, like we’re in a police interrogation and he’s using me for evidence.
I frown. “Why would you want to record us talking?”
Asher sniggers, like he already anticipated this.
“Because if I don’t get all the details right when Skyler asks me questions later, I’ll be in trouble,” Hudson says. “I figure if I can let her listen to the whole thing it’ll make my life easier.
“No you can’t fucking record it.” I shake my head.
I’m sitting in a private booth at the far end of the hotel bar with Asher, Hudson, and West.
Truth be told, I don’t want to be here. I want to be at the bookshop, watching her. Being with her.
But I also need to make sure she’s safe, which is why I’m here.
I’ve spent most of the day looking into Darien White, the man she lived with for three years. Growling at his mugshot, talking to my lawyer. Finding out that he has, indeed, been released on parole, and that he actually has a rap sheet as long as my fucking arm.
Both before and after he lived with Sadie. I fucking hate him for preying on her in her grief.
And I hate that she thinks this is her fault.
Which is why I called my brothers and West here. Because Asher runs a security company that can find out information a civilian never could, because Hudson knows people in high places and because West…
Well, West knows people in low places who can fuck Darien White up for a price. Which is what I’ll ask him to do if needed.
“Okay then, so what gives?” Hudson asks. “I’m guessing this has something to do with you walking out with Sadie last night?”
“Yeah, what’s with that?” Asher asks. “Are you two a thing now?” He has the look of a man who also knows he’s also going to be grilled when he gets home.
I take another sip of beer. After we woke up this morning, I drove Sadie back to the bookshop, walking in with her and making sure Romy knew to call me if anything happened.
“She’s staying at my place for a while,” I say, because that’s all I want them to know about us. I’m tired of hiding things from them. After this, I’ll be going to pick her up and bringing her home with me for the night.
Which she might think is over the top. But we’re friends and I’m taking care of her the way I know best.
“Staying,” Asher echoes. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
West sniggers. “Remember when Asher wasstayingwith Francie?” he asks. “Stayed all night. And all day. He looked constantly exhausted from all that staying.”
“Fuck off,” Asher says. “And let’s not talk about how youstayedwith our sister and pretended you weren’t.”
“Yeah,” Hudson says, looking suddenly uncomfortable. “Let’s really not talk about West and Eden. I still have damn nightmares about that situation.”
West just grins, because he’s completely under Eden’s thumb. “So back to Zach.” He lifts a brow at me. “You were holding her hand when you walked out of the bookshop. Do you know how long we analyzed that hand hold last night?”
I shake my head. “Haven’t you assholes got anything better to do than talk about me?”
“Nope,” Asher says. “You’re pretty much the main topic of conversation right now. I heard Skyler on the phone to Francie earlier, suggesting they go book shopping so they can grill Sadie.”
I rub the heel of my hands on my eyes. Jesus, they’re out of control.
“Nobody grills Sadie,” I say firmly.
“For somebody who’s not sure if he’s in a relationship with her, you’re pretty protective,” Hudson murmurs.
“I didn’t say we weren’t in a relationship,” I mutter, taking another sip of beer. God, I need a whiskey. But I need to drive and pick up Sadie more.
