Page 53 of Taste of Blood

“So what happened?”

“They ducked into a closed alley, and like idiots, we followed. That’s when we were jumped.”

“How many?”

He shrugs. “Eight, ten. It was hard to tell. They weren’t like the others. These guys were trained. One of them had a fucking sword, for Christ’s sake. He…took off Alexei’s head.”

“Jesus. How did you get away?”

“We managed to kill two of them. Well, Zeke did. He’s kind of a monster with a pipe. Knocked their heads clean off. They scattered after that, but we were in bad shape. Zeke grabbed Joshua and I guess headed back toward the warehouse. I ran in the opposite direction in case we were followed. I was losing blood, so things are kind of fuzzy after that.”

And he came here. I don’t know what that says about us, but it makes me feel good that he thought of me when he needed someone. I just hate that he’s going to go back out there with people trying to kill him. What if it had been him the Outlier beheaded? I probably never would have found out. He just would have disappeared from my life.

The thought almost causes the closest thing to a panic attack I could have.

I know it’s useless to ask him not to go back. This is what he does, and as he so often used to tell me, he knew the risks when he signed up to work with Dante. Most times though, he’s the one doling out the punishment.

“What’s wrong?” he asks me now.

“What do you mean?”

“Your face just got even paler, if that’s possible.”

I know Cord dislikes the mushy stuff, but he’s the most important person in my life and I refuse to pretend otherwise. “I’m worried about you.”

Surprisingly, he doesn’t brush it off. “I’ll be more careful.”

“That’s not good enough. What if that had been you who died? Cord, I can’t…I wouldn’t be able to handle it if something happened to you.”

He’s quiet for several minutes. “Look, we both know there are no guarantees, even in this life we chose.”

“That’s not good enough. We’re a team, you and me. Whether you want to admit it or not. We’ve always been there for each other.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? Because you sure don’t act like it.”

He sighs and leans his head back against the couch. “What do you want me to do, Ash? This is my job. And don’t tell me to change it. Ilikewhat I do.”

The last thing I want to do right now is argue with him. “I know that.”

He looks over at me. “Do you? I mean, really?”

It’s my turn to sigh. “Yes. This is who you are. And really, Cord, I accept that. Just don’t ask me to like it, especially when you show up beaten half to death.”

“I promise if I get beaten up again I won’t come here.”

“No. I want you to come to me. I want to be there for you. I want you to trust me.”

“I do trust you, Ash.” He looks down, his voice barely audible. “Probably more than anyone else.”

You’ve got a damned funny way of showing it.

“Can I have a drink?” he asks. “Might help with the pain.”

I get up and pour him a glass of vodka, handing it to him before perching across from him. He takes a sip and hisses as it passes the cut on his lip. “Were you talking to someone before I woke up?”

Shit. He heard that. “Yeah. Dante called. Wanted to know if you were all right.”