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“Is now really the time for you to be lecturing me about this?” Darby demanded, softly.
“It could kill you.”
“Yeah well.” He put out the first cigarette and lit another. “We’re all gonna die of something at some point. Right now, death by cigarette seems better than whatever-the-fuck is coming down the pipeline.”
“We’re not going to let you die, Darby.” I sat beside him. “Don’t be such a drama queen.”
“Are you sure about that?” He turned to look at me. “Because with the tension in the room with that man, I’m thinking if it wouldn’t be preferable to take my chances with the gang.”
“He’s angry at me.” I explained.
“Is he your man or something?”
“Or something.”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” Darby asked.
“We aren’t dating.” I snapped. “Okay? Shit. He is too young and I’m sure I’m not his type. He’s angry because when I left, I didn’t tell him, and he thought I went missing.”
“So, you leave here to go let some Thai man put a leash on you?”
I slapped him hard across the face.
The sound of my palm connecting with his cheek echoed around us then silence.
Nothing moved.
I held my breath for as long as I could, then exhaled loudly.
“No one, has a leash on me—ever!” I growled. “Show some fucking respect!”
Darby took a long haul from the cigarette, allowed the smoke to kind of sit inside his mouth for a bit then blew it upward over our heads.
“Yeah.” He muttered.
“Darby.”
He stuffed out what was left of the cigarette, picked up his lighter and disappeared into the house.
I thought about the way I left Thailand—I thought Darby was in trouble. And going back into Australia with a red flag telling everyone I would be back didn’t seem like the best idea.
But why hadn’t I told Storm?
If I trusted anyone, it would have been him. He’d never given me a reason not to trust him, not to assume he’d do anything other than have my back.
A deep breath told me Darby’s bad habit had lingered in the air long after he’d left me. It swirled around my head thickly as if he was still beside me, puffing away.
While I wasn’t a fan of the smell, I remained where I’d been seated until it was as if Storm’s anger was now sitting on my chest.
Standing, I brushed my ass off with my palms and wandered back inside. The dishes Beam and Storm had used were now washed and sitting in the drainer along with the utensils and glassware.
Darby was lounging in one of the overstuffed chairs, papers strewn about him.
Storm and Beam were nowhere to be seen.
“What’s all this?” I asked.
“Research Clive left behind.” Darby responded.