Page 2 of Run From Me

“Rylee, take that look and bury it real deep. No more matchmaking. I asked for a favor and she asked for one back. Who am I to judge that she doesn’t want to show up to a reception all alone and whatever?”

She was about to open that adorable little mouth of hers, the one that seemed to have Cas so fucking whipped, but then he did something I couldn’t see and it had her nearly jumping out of his arms.

“Right, short stuff. You take care of my boy, and I’ll deal with biz.” I winked at her and headed in the direction of the Escalade. Winnie followed them. Good. Anyone important to me was safe for now.

Cas was off tonight, and that meant I would make sure he didn’t need to worry about a damn thing. How many damn years in the making had this been? Too many. Zeid and I had known from the start Rylee was his kryptonite. Who the fuck knew who ours would be? Probably for the best, and, a little, I hoped we never found out.

I did have a thing for hazel eyes right now, though.

Zeid’s hand landed on my shoulder.

“Any word on the mayor?”

I turned back and shook my head. I was so distracted I hadn’t even heard Zeid come up behind me.

He didn’t say much, but the muscle in his cheek twitched as he turned back to where Cas was helping Rylee in the SUV.

“Lucky SOB, isn’t he?” I said, pulling out a toothpick and putting it in my mouth. I had my own addictions and none of them would ever be drugs. I would never fall prey to that shit. For now, the toothpick kept my mouth busy from running it or trying to smoke something.

Zeid was quiet, but then again, when wasn’t he?

“Yeah. It’s going to be strange having a girl at the apartment. Thank god we sprang for that noise proofing insulation between floors.” I chuckled at my own joke that really wasn’t funny. We didn’t exactly welcome change, not when it came to our inner circle.

The silence was deafening, and that said a lot in the city.

“Yeah. Well, I’m going to grab Rylee’s friend Cali. See you in ten.”

“I’ll take them to Enigma, and then I should go check for any night drops before the party. I’d hate to let evidence just chill where we sleep.”

He gave me a nod and headed back toward them. I took a step back toward my car.

“Xander, wait for me.”

I stopped and watched as Winnie ran her little old lady ass toward me.

“Xander, be a dear. Will you take me back to the Dove on your way home? I’d like to pretend the years aren’t catching up to me, but, well, one never knows how long they really have. Trip used to have a car like yours, and I’d love a good drive down memory lane.”

She held my hand as I helped her into the classic Mustang. The one thing I’d kept through the years, and the one thing I refused to get rid of. She—the Mustang—reminded me of just how bad shit could get.

“Anything for you, Miss Winnie. We owe you more than can be paid back in a lifetime.”

She smiled up at me and patted my face as she got in.

“If you boys can all look as happy as my Caspian, I think that would be thanks enough. Now, get me home before I turn into a pumpkin.”

I ran to the other side and started the engine.

“You aren’t coming to the reception?” I asked her as I settled into the driver’s seat.

She shook her head, and it was the first time I noticed just how tired she looked.

“You feeling okay, Miss Winnie?”

She sighed. “I’m fine. I’m just too old for parties that the Spectors put on. You go and enjoy and celebrate for me. I got to see the part that matters.”

I headed back toward our territory, still not loving city hall sitting far too close to anyone but us, really. It had been over an hour, and Cali still hadn’t sent me her address. Maybe she just lived at the morgue. I imagine with anyone crazy enough to enjoy putting hearts in jars, anything was possible. I guess I could just head back over there.

I got lost in my head as Winnie let the breeze from the open windows fill the car. If only life were always this simple.

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