Page 71 of Time to Bounce

Doubtful.

But instead of calling her on it, I chose to set my bakery box off to the side and lean against the wall by the door. “What’s going on?”

Tyrone launched right into it.

“Darryl Horton’s lawyer is trying to get him out on a technicality,” he said. “One that might actually work.”

My brows rose. “What do you mean?”

“Darryl wasn’t listed on the original arrest warrant,” he started, explaining everything.

“What are you fucking talking about?” I said when he was finished. “Madman was listed.”

“Madman, not Darryl Horton.” He rubbed the spot between his eyes. “That’s not his legal name. The legal names of Wizard, Hybrid, Time Lord, and a few others were all listed. But not Darryl’s.”

“Fuck,” I hissed. “Now what?”

“Now we hope we can fill in that loophole before he’s let out,” Tyrone answered.

“Dammit, dammit, dammit,” I grumbled.

“Once I get any information on this, I’ll give you a call. I know he’s obsessed with Athena,” he said.

I sighed. “At least it’ll give her a reason to have to stay with me.”

“You have to force her?” Callena laughed.

It sounded wrong.

I frowned at her.

“She’s gun shy,” I admitted. “You scared her away with showing up at my house this morning.”

“What?” Tyrone asked. “Why did you go there?”

I chose not to get into the middle of whatever argument was brewing between the two.

Instead, I grabbed my stuff, said my goodbyes, and headed to the communications building where Athena worked. A building I’d avoided at all costs until now.

Until I’d decided that I was done denying myself what I wanted most—Athena Murphy.

I headed into the building, my brows rising when I saw the rows of desks, and a man waving his hands in the air as he talked about climate change, the full moon, and multiple other things that I was lost about.

Maybe if I’d been in on the beginning of this conversation…

“Don’t mind Petey,” a woman said from the desk beside me. “He’s a little rough because he had a full night with lots of calls.”

I looked over at the older black woman and said, “Got it. Hey, do you mind helping me?”

She smiled at me, her red lipstick making her white teeth pop, and said, “Let me guess, Athena?”

I blinked. “How did you know?”

“She came in here in a bad mood, and she’s never in a bad mood. And you have apology pastries,” she answered.

I looked down at the box.

“Oh, and she loves chocolate milk,” she continued.

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