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“Did she tell you her story?” I know the answer and it sounds something like…
“Nope and even if she had, I wouldn’t tell you, Bear. Again, I love you, but that’s shit Athena needs to tell you at her own pace.” Psycho growls—fucking growls like the psychopath I’m pretty sure he truly is—beside me and I just shake my head at how impossible he is on a daily basis. Good thing I love his crazy ass.
“Yeah, I know. Thought I’d try.” My mama is probably rolling around in her grave knowing I just asked someone to give me personal information about a battered woman. Fuck. I know better. Out of all of us, I know better. “How about we get her set up with your guy?” Back when shit went south, just over two years ago, Mac needed a fake identity and the guy she used did a pretty awesome job.
“That’s what I was thinking. I’ll give Graves a call and see what he can do.” We’re being vague on purpose, this whole conversation is already sounding way too sketchy.
“Sounds good. Thanks, Bear. And hand me back to Aleko before he comes home pouting.” At this, Psycho lifts his head and grabs the phone from my hand, throwing me a grin that shows off all his pearly whites contrasted with the ink on his face and neck.
“I’ll be home soon, Cherry baby. Make sure you’re ready for me.”
I don’t groan at his innuendo—and there’s nothing subtle about his meaning—because this is par for the course with these two.
That’s when a thought plants a seed inside my brain and begins growing instantly.
Psycho is my brother, my best friend, my confidant, but we are different on almost all levels and this only confirms it.
I don’t stalk. I don’t play games. I don’t need that much excitement in my life and I don’t need to know Athena’s story to feel confident that she’s probably had enough excitement to last a lifetime.
Decision made.
“Fuck this shit.” My words are muttered but Psycho hears them loud and clear as I hop off my bike, grab my keys, and point my index finger at my best friend. “Don’t move!”
With a grin that screams victory, Psycho holds up his free hand as if showing his surrender, and it’s only once I’ve stalked far enough away that coming back would be a pain in my ass that I hear his departing comment.
“Go get ‘er, big guy!” Fucking Psycho.
At Maribel’s door, I press the doorbell and take a step back, practicing in my mind all the things I want to say to Athena.
Hey, wanna grab a coffee sometime?
How about we go for a walk?
Tell me who put that fear in your eyes.
Let me take care of you.
Who am I?
The door swings open and I’m greeted with a tuft of blonde hair that comes up to the top of my stomach.
“Holy shit, you’re big.” Okay, so not who I was expecting but…
“‘Sup, son. Maribel around?” I try with everything in me to be casual and cool because this is not a place where men are welcome, even less when they’re as big as I am.
“You’re not supposed to be here. This is a safe space and I won’t let you in.”
At the kid’s words, I take a good look at him. His shaggy blonde hair is this side of brown, like he’s growing into it and leaving his childhood behind, but his brown eyes are light andsharp as a tack, ready to take me on no matter the consequences to him. Judging from his height and the way he just used the wordshit, I’d put him at the eleven, maybe twelve years old range. I mean, who the fuck knows? Maybe kids these days cuss up a fucking storm. I wouldn’t know.
What I do know is that this kid, who probably weighs as much as my thigh, is ready to take me on to protect the women in this house.
I instantly like him.
“No worries, little man. Not looking to come in, just wanted a word with Maribel.” Looking over his shoulder, I swing my gaze left then right, hoping to catch a glimpse of my girl.
No, not my girl.Athena.
“I ain’t little, mister. Do not underestimate me. I’m quick and my granny told me that the bigger they are, the harder they fall. I’m guessin’ you’ll cause an earthquake when you do.” I’m sure he’s right and in more ways than one.