Page 27 of Mimic

I swung around and asked, “Are you gonna tell him?”

“You know I won’t.”

“What about him?” I flicked my thumb over my shoulder, motioning to the asshole outside.

“I can’t answer that. I don’t tell Derek what to do.”

I lifted an eyebrow at her, and she grinned. “Only when it comes to the house.”

“Yeah, right.”

“You can’t break into her house and watch her sleep. It’s not the right way to begin a relationship.”

I wanted to unleash my temper and ask her what she knew about the right way to start a relationship, but I couldn’t bear the hurt I would see in her eyes. So I tamped it down and nodded.

With a heavy sigh that told me she knew I wasn’t listening, she said, “Go see Charlie’s room; she’s been dying to show it to you.”

I kissed her cheek and whispered, “I heard you.”

Her sad smile made me feel like an asshole, and her words drove the knife deeper. “I need you to do more than hear me.”

Four nights later, I was fucking glad I hadn’t listened to any of them. They were all fucking wrong.

A knock on the door had me checking my watch and then turning to see if Indie would wake up. When she didn’t, I rushed to the front door and yanked it open. Fucking Derek stood on the other side. Every time I saw him, I wanted to put my fist through his teeth.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Bikes pulled up outside. When I looked, they weren’t your brothers. But they sure are interested in yours. Wake her up; my apartment is at the end of the hall. Get her inside there and I’ll see if I can stall them coming upstairs. Lock the door; I have my keys.”

He was gone before I could ask another question. I shut the door and ran to Indie’s room. I grabbed the robe she hung on the back of the door and placed my hand over her mouth.

“Indie, wake up!”

Her eyes opened wide as she stared at me, fear engulfing her, and I felt her body trembling under my hand.

“It’s me, baby. We gotta go. Don’t scream, okay?”

Indie stared at me, her body rigid, but her eyes looked through me as though she wasn’t really here.

“Indie, baby, wake up!” I pulled my hand away, hoping she wouldn’t scream. She seemed to be in a trance. I sat her up and helped her put the robe on. When all she did was sit on the side of the bed, I picked her up and rushed through her apartment.

At the front door, I set her on her feet. She still hadn’t made a sound, and I was beginning to worry. Opening the door, I looked down the empty hall. I could hear Derek arguing with whoever was out there, but in that moment, I couldn’t worry about him getting his ass kicked.

I tugged her behind me, closing her door as quietly as I could, making sure it was locked. Then I pulled her down to the only door that was slightly open. I guided her to the couch and sat her down, while I went back to Derek’s door and locked it.

I pulled the curtain aside and looked out the window. Derek was looking up and moving toward his car. He tilted his head toward the entrance just as I heard footsteps coming down the hall.

I should have put a damn camera above her door. I heard banging on the door, but I didn’t move other than to check that Indie was still on the couch.

I pressed my forehead to the door as I heard a foot kick in her door. They were looking for her, and if I hadn’t been here, they would have gotten their hands on her.

“Where the fuck is she?”

“He probably heard the bikes and got her the fuck out of here. I told you, asshole, we should have parked down the fucking street.”

“How far could they have gotten?”

“Skinner’s gonna be pissed.”