Page 118 of The Bronze Garza

“Is there any way I can bribe you to keep your mouth shut?”

“I don’t take br—” I stop as something else rears its head. “Well, yes. There is something.”

His eyes flash, almost as if he knows what I’m going to say.

Tipping up on my toes, I whisper against his ear, “Eight.”

“Deal,” he agrees without hesitation. He lowers my hands down to my sides, but he doesn’t let them go. “I’ve gotta head to the station for a bit. You wanna come with me or you wanna go back to the house?”

I narrow my eyes. “You’re fine with me going back to the house by myself, huh? Why is that? Oh, I know, because you’ve had men on us theentire time.”

“You’re priority,” he says simply. As if to remind me that although he’s fucking me ten ways from Sunday, at the end of the day, I’m still a job.

“You can take me back to the house,” I say glumly.

“Oryou could come with me for the time being,” Holly buts in, reminding me that we’re not alone. “Mom would love to see you!”

“You wanna do that?” Torin asks me. “Their house is just a couple blocks down the beach from us.”

“It is?” I frown. “How do you even kn—never mind. Yeah, I’ll go with Holly.”

He looks off to the side, no doubt to Mr. Linebacker who’s been shadowing me, and jerks his chin. When his attention comes back to me, he releases his vice grip on me, and tells me, “I’ll try not to be long.”

“Do you think she’s okay?” I ask, wringing my fingers.

“I’ll find out for you.”

I’ve been trying not to dwell on the image of the girl’s unconscious body and dangling limbs as she was carried away. The entire thing is triggering at best, and I’ve spent the last half-hour channeling all my anxious energy into being angry at Torin instead of granting permission of entry to the feelings of fear and terror that have been pounding at my mind’s door.

I never,everwant to feel like that again, so if I have to fight it with anger, or distancing myself from triggering incidents, then I will.

My methods of coping vary.

That said, this bit I can’t block out, because it might help keep that bastard behind bars. “There’s…something,” I wrestle out through the protective wall against my anxiety. “But I don’t want to go into the station and talk about this again, so please don’t make me.”

Torin frowns. “What is it?”

“I’m not going in,” I repeat. “This is...it’s hard. Triggering. I’m sorry but—”

When his hands settle on my upper arms, it’s with warm reassurance, rubbing soothingly up and down. “It’s okay. You don’t have to go anywhere.”

Jerkily, I nod. “When the cops were taking that scumbag away, his hoodie slid down his arms and...his tattoo. I’ve seen it before,” I say. “Things are all a little hazy in my mind, and I can’t say for sure that I’ve seen him before, but the tattoo I’m sure of. When I came to after being drugged that night, I saw that tattoo.”

With a nod, he squeezes my arm. “Probably gang related. I’ll pass it on. Don’t worry, you don’t have to talk to anyone, I promise.”

Expelling a breath of relief, I hang my head. Maybe I’m an asshole for not going in and doing what I can to help this girl’s case, but as tough as I think I am, I’m just not there yet.

“Keep your phone on you,” he tells me. “I’ll come straight to Holly’s when I’m done.”

“Okay.”

Letting me go, he turns and starts to leave. But then he pivots, takes hold of my face between his palms, and kisses me. It’s deep and possessive, and so forceful I have to grab onto his biceps for support.

Too soon, he parts, leaving me breathless. “Stay out of trouble,” he whispers. Then turns and leaves me staring after him.

“Friend, huh?” Holly steps into my line of vision, arms crossed, a huge grin on her face. “Good thing you’re coming with me. Because you’re telling meeverything, you dirty little sneak.”

~