Page 70 of Run From Me

I wanted to be pissed off, but the fact I was where her mind went to?

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

Her voice stopped the loop running through my mind.

“What? Does what hurt?” I asked her. My fucking ego? The damn organ in my chest?

“The bruise? I wish I had seen you fight,” she said as her fingers feathered over my ribs.

I followed her touch, and sure enough there was a large welt of purple.

“I hadn’t noticed it, not until now. Guess not?” I responded, trying not to let her touch go to my damn head or my damn cock.

This was already far too complicated. What was I going to do about it?

I needed to stop and focus. Everyone was talking, trying to make sure all the Spectors out tonight were accounted for.

“Sir, everyone’s checked in and accounted for,” said one of our guys. Cas nodded.

“Alright. Everyone can go in a little while; grab some waters from the break room. All that matters is that our family is safe and going home tonight. We have a bigger problem that will be addressed later. If you hear anything about tonight, report back to the shop. Stay away from Viper territory for now. If they step foot on anything we own? It’s their death wish.”

“Xander?”

It seemed like second nature or maybe some kind of nervous tick to make sure she was there, but I hugged her tightly and looked down into those beautiful big eyes of hers.

“Yeah, Sparky?”

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could ignore what was under the T-shirt. I thought I’d lost my ability to feel fear. Lost the ability of self-preservation. But seeing her helpless? Fuck, my chest burned, and I didn’t want to think about why.

“What is this place?”

Guys chilled around the room. A few of the female members hung around together. This was family, and for the first time, I felt content.

“The building is a recycling storage facility. One of our safe houses. It’s legit if cops find it. It also has lots of places to escape or hide.” I nodded toward a red button on a post that looked unassuming. “You ever need us? You find a safe house and hit that button, and it lights up the network. No one burns alone here.”

She wasn’t saying much.

“You okay, Calliope?”

Maybe she was a hard-ass woman when it came to dead bodies, but there was something vulnerable in her.

“What, no Sparky comment?” she asked and tried to pull away. She wasn’t getting away unless I let her though.

“Nah. Not when I just saw someone try and kill you.”

Her head jerked up and she was no longer fighting me. Her eyes clouded, and fuck. Was she going to cry?

I pulled her closer and just hugged her because I didn’t really know what else to do.

“Hey, follow me.”

She did as I asked and I pulled her into the corner.

“What are those two doing?” she asked as she watched guns being pulled apart and parts being tossed into the chemical bath.

“Getting the Masked Alchemist some more metal for his art.”

I squeezed her hand and stopped by the boys.

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