Page 87 of Run From Me

“Look, that’s his story to tell. But let me just say that your little mommy issues hit home with him. And your lack of a father? Well, he isn’t fond of father types.”

My lips were in an O shape because I didn’t know what else to say or ask. Not yet anyway. But I felt I was right in thinking that most of those scars hadn’t been from fights or gang violence.

“Shall we?” Zeid asked after a moment of me being too quiet.

I skipped forward.

“We shall. Thanks for the pep talk.”

His boots made a little clunk as he followed me down the stairs. As we neared the bottom, I watched Xander come into view. If I wasn’t totally sold on this man before, this moment might have been one when I realized I’d just lost the heart I thought I’d buried deeper than even the deepest of graves.

“O, this is where you scratch and shit. That? That there is your parkour course. Now stay off my head.”

He placed O on top of one of several shelves with carpet, where the cat immediately sprang from one to the next and then to a circular sort of cave thing. Then he proceeded to settle in and clean himself.

I refused to cry. I refused, and I hated the warble in my next words.

“Is it done?”

Xander looked over from where he watched O and smiled. It was a real smile, one that showed he had dimples I’d somehow never seen.

“That’s the look, little X,” Zeid said as he walked by.

Little X?

I had a nickname, and it wasn’t from Xander. Why did that feel like it meant something?

Why did it feel like this cat tree meant something? Why did it feel like Xander had gone from hating me, to owning me, to… I stopped myself.

“It’s done, Sparky. What do you think? It’s like the cat parkour course that all the other alley cats will be jealous of. Even Rylee here tossed that stupid little electronic Tamagotchi now that she can snuggle up to stinky here.”

O looked up like he knew he was being talked about but went right back to licking a moment later.

The main floor was one massive great room, and over the past twenty-four hours, I’d realized it was the center of everything. Rylee and I had watched several movies while the guys worked on stuff for the art show. I wanted to go over to the shop and watch, but something felt too real about seeing whatever their creative process was. Like seeing them not killing someone made them more human?

“Thanks for building this, you guys. Xander, that reminds me. If I am staying here any longer, I really need some of my own clothes. Can you take me to my apartment?”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug.

“Sparky, no can do. But place an order online, and I’ll get everything picked up from the mall.”

My brow furrowed.

“Xander. One, I can’t afford the mall or a whole new wardrobe. Two, you can’t just keep me locked up here.”

His fingers marched up my neck and booped me on my nose, making me blink and then glare.

“Sparky, I can and I will do whatever I please. Keeping you safe? That pleases me.”

I filled my lungs short of exploding and slowly let the air out.

“You don’t own me, Xander. That’s not a thing. Unless you are trafficking me.” I tried to pull his fingers off me and remove his arm at the same time. I grunted when he just grabbed me up in his arms.

“Xander, put me the hell down. I have a real life to get back to. Things to do. A job to show up at.”

We were halfway up the stairs at this point.

“Your cat is here. Your job thinks you have food poisoning and will be out for a few days with a doctor's note and everything. That life you talk about? I watched your cameras. For two days, you didn’t leave. You didn’t even order food. Something tells me your life is right here,” he said, somehow opening the door and slamming it.

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