Page 81 of Run From Me

“Wine. Definitely wine.”

She mumbled something, but a few seconds later, two glasses clinked on the coffee table and she poured the wine.

“Girl, I think there’s a proper way to pour that and it’s not to fill it to the brim.”

She glanced over at me as the last drop fell.

“Don’t tell me you suddenly care about what’s proper, Cali. Besides, we have nowhere to go. We’re in a fortress. Thosewindows? Bomb proof. The doors? Well, we can leave but not before every Spector in a five mile radius is alerted and would show up. The boys are up to god knows what, and we’re about to have girl talk and a movie. The movie I get to pick, because we need mindless chick flicks. Besides, I really like not drinking alone,” Rylee said, letting the bottle clink as she left it to decorate the table.

I don’t think it was a thing to think the universe sighed in relief, but for some reason, whatever she was saying had me feeling lighter. I didn’t have another word for any of it. But I really did feel lighter. Maybe it was the fortress. Maybe it was the idea no one but the one person I had some stupid obsession over knew where I was. Maybe it was having a friend. Maybe it was all the sex.

“Cali, I’m really glad X picked you. I needed you on nights like tonight,” she said and flipped on a projector for the massive screen.

I took a huge gulp and nearly choked. It was better than letting myself get caught up in her sincerity.

“Yeah. Me too. But what do you mean picked? We’re just friends with benefits. Hell, I don’t even know if that’s accurate. Does Xander have friends besides the goon crew? We hadn’t even gotten to booty call stage.”

The way Rylee smiled against her glass as she had the sense to sip instead of chug told me I was missing something.

“You do realize the boys don’t share their space with anyone, right? Ever. Like even their own crew doesn’t know where they actually live. Some think they wake from the cemetery at dusk.”

Share their space.

Rylee was busy flicking through the options on TV. I didn’t have a clue what was out. The only TV I had was my phone.

“Oh shit. I don’t have a phone, it was left at my place when I was basically kidnapped to go to the stupid fight. Think Xanderwill grab it? It had all my work contacts, and it’s the only way they can reach me.”

That got her attention.

“You were at the fight? That explains a whole lot. I wasn’t sure what had happened. Cas came home and grabbed me on the way to the safe house. He knows I really hate being left in the dark. Too bad I’m still in the dark.”

I took another gulp. I needed my nerves to chill the fuck out right now.

“Yeah. I got dragged there by the Vipers. So I think it’s safe to say whatever did happen, they didn’t know about it either. I’ve never been to a fight, let alone a raid, and that was a raid.”

I took another gulp as I thought about it. I didn’t like that this bothered me. So what if I had been expected to parade around like a porn star? So what if they had wanted to use me? So what if they held a knife and guns to my neck? Up until a few days ago, I hadn’t cared much for this life.

Up until Xander.

I finished off the wine, and Rylee thrust a licorice in my face.

“Cali, have you eaten today?”

Had I?

I took a bite of the flaccid little stick and chewed.

“I don’t know. I found O and that distracted me. Then the whole kidnapping thing happened.”

Rylee reached over and pinched me.

“What are you not telling me in between those two things? You’re blushing hard. What did you and X do when Cas dragged me away like we had somewhere to be?”

I groaned and laid my head back.

“I’m not admitting anything. All I know is Xander doesn’t seem to really want me, but he does, and he runs hot and cold, and I don’t know where we stand. He’s possessive and dark ashell. But the two days of no contact? I swear I’m not needy, and I sure as hell sound needy.”

She never had a chance to respond because at that moment, the alley echoed with the roar of engines.

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