Page 248 of The Sidekick

Look who’s dedicated to his job. Must be good pay.

“This trip is Matthias approved, Shade. We might not come back either. Now that the little princess is safe there isn’t much of a need for us.” The threat is given by twin one.

He just tossed that gauntlet down with a smile.

Douchebag.

“I thought we were going to talk? Clear the air,” Shade doesn’t sound moved by anything they’re saying and I silently applaud him. They aren’t worth heartbreak. They’re worth broken bones and blood.

“Something you wrote up with Tera? I’m sure it would move us all to tears now that she has you trained.” Twin one crosses his arms over his chest with a mocking sneer.

“Whipped,” twin two scoffs.

What is with the Tera hate? Even if these guys weren’t on Tera’s enemy number one list they’ve definitely made mine. So she wants to teach a block of marble how to talk about his feelings, who gives a shit? She’s getting a redo because it didn’t work for me. Hopefully he’s more receptive to it.

Shade looks down at his hand and uncurls a fist to reveal a folded piece of paper. He stares at it for what feels like eternity as they talk around him. It’s like he’s not really there. They talk at him. Everything about this is all wrong.

Get out of there.

“No.”

Yes. Good little statue.

They stop joking around and turn to face him again.

“I’m not leaving.”

Very good.

“Are you sure? This might be last call Shade. You’ve made a lot of mistakes but we’ve overlooked them. Would Tera do that if she knew everything?”

Of course she would. It doesn’t matter what he’s broken or done. She will forgive anything. Especially since she considers him family. It’s unheard of.

This leader is a lot of gaslighting. He’s not even good at it.

“She will.” Shade’s hand curls into a fist as he faces them again. At least one of them knows how loyal Tera is.

“That solves that,” twin one turns to walk away as he gives his parting shot. “You’re still going to be hearing from us. I don’t know why you’re bothering with this shit.”

“When you come to your senses, call us. We might be back for you,” Ira tosses out.

Shade stands in that same stiff stance while they load back up in their vehicle and take their time pulling away.

That was pointless. He gave them an opportunity to tear him down and didn’t respond. I don’t like that.

I wait for him to get back in his car to drive away, wiping his hands of this situation.

He doesn’t.

He stands there as an undetermined amount of time passes. I’m starting to think he’s stuck there. What is he thinking? Without expressions I can’t tell. I want to walk up and ask him but I’m on a no contact ban.

I take Tera’s rules for behavior very seriously. Mostly to avoid jail. Not that I care but Tera is very adamant that I not get arrested.

He suddenly tilts his head back, the first move he’s made in a long time, and starts screaming.

The agonized sound startles me and several birds get shocked into flight. I’ve never heard something so hopeless and broken before.

I never want to hear it again.

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