Page 36 of Moros

Leaving, I wandered slowly down the hall until I dumped the trash. I realized then my bag was still in the truck and I had his blood on me.

I went back to the room and knocked.

“Come in.” Khadri called.

When I opened the door to ask him to borrow his keys, Pasha climbed from his lap after fixing back the bandage at his shoulder.

I blinked, straightened my spin and lifted my chin.

“I need to get my bag from the truck.” I told him, proud my voice was as strong sounding as it needed to be. “Can I borrow your keys?”

Khadri nodded and rose to hand them to me.

Without another word, I kept my back straight, knowing he was watching after me until I’d descended the stairs. There, the power left my body and I all but crawled out the door to the truck. I leaned heavily against the vehicle.

I liked Khadri—the kind of like that would normally lead to a normal woman in a normal situation to flirt with him.

To shoot her shot.

And while I was shy and probably wouldn’t flirt openly, I would try in my own way.

But not with him—not with this man.

After getting my bag from the truck, I sat on the front porch to call my work. When my boss answered, he was his usual asshole-self. But he didn’t sugar-coat anything. He suggested I find a new job.

“What?” I demanded. “You can’t fire me! I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“And I know that.” Greg told me. “But we were barely staying open as is. I have no money for the repairs and the owner of the building is blaming me for the damage.”

“Tell him it’s one of your waitresses crazy ex.”

“Was it one of my waitresses crazy ex?” Greg wanted to know.

“No.” I sighed. “Sorry. I need this job.”

“Sorry Ryanne. It is what it is.” Greg paused. “I have to cut my losses or this will bankrupt me.”

He hung up and I sat there and cried.

“You okay?” Pasha’s voice was soft.

“Leave me alone.” I told her, wiping my tears. “I don’t have the petty in me to deal with you right. Khadri got hurt and I’m sorry. But he’s a grown man and knew the risks. So just leave me alone.”

“I didn’t want?—”

“I don’t care what you want!” I barked. “Okay? I don’t want to be here anymore than you want me here so just keep your shit to yourself. I will stay in my room while you’re here. That’s the best I can do for now.”

“Ryanne, I?—”

I was about to tell her to kiss my ass when Khadri appeared at the door to see what the yelling was about.

“You can call your girlfriend off. I get it.” I told him, lifting my chin. “I get it.”

“Shorty I?—”

“Don’t call me that!”

Shoving by him, I jogged up the stairs even though my knees were now hurting from all the up and down.

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