Page 98 of Skeletons in the Closet

“I stress you out that much, huh?”

“I didn’t open them.” He stared at the package. “I’ve caved four times since I quit. Each time, I smoked for two days or so before tossing the pack and starting from ground zero.”

“Are you going to cave again?”

“Probably.” A pause. “Not today.”

“I’m sorry I pushed myself on you.”

Diem stayed quiet, gaze locked on the cars moving up and down the busy street.

I wanted to tell him there would be no more pressure from me. I wasn’t aiming for a relationship, and he was free to tell me to fuck off if he wanted, but I sat with him in silence instead while he worked through whatever he needed to work through.

“Do you still want to help me?” he asked after a long silence.

“Your job is far more entertaining than mine.” And if coming on too strong had scared him off and jeopardized my position as his, what had he called me? Assistant? Then I would have been devastated.

“We should chat with Natalia Shore.”

“Okay.”

“Tomorrow. Catch her first thing.”

“Can’t. I’m back at work, and Kitty won’t be in since she’s covered for me for two days now.”

“Shit. Okay. We can go when you’re off.”

“Maybe I’ll learn something at work.”

Diem nodded, only half with me, still peering into the distance.

I stood, and when he finally broke from his daze and his attention turned to me, I brought my hand to his head. Gently, I ran my fingers over his scalp, through his shorn hair. He closed his eyes, but the tension in his jaw never went away.

“My nana wants me to grow my hair,” he said. “Boone never shaved his head, and half the time, she thinks I’m him, so it bothers her.”

“You’d be handsome either way.”

He huffed. It was more a noise of dejection than humor. “I’ll never be handsome.”

I continued the massage for a minute, watching the complicated man as he suffered in silence.

“I’m going to take off.”

He nodded, and when I dropped my hand, he held out the pack of cigarettes. “Take these. Please. I don’t want them. Having them on me is too tempting.”

I took them. “I’ll be here by six tomorrow. Is that okay?”

Another nod.

“And, D?” I swung a finger between us. “No pressure with this, okay? It doesn’t need to be anything more than what it is. Two guys dueling swords on occasion. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, they say.”

A strangled noise left Diem’s throat—the same almost laugh I’d heard a rare handful of times. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I chuckled. “Blame Kitty. See you tomorrow.”

I dodged traffic crossing the street and tossed the cigarettes into a nearby garbage bin before entering the parking structure where I’d left my car. I didn’t look back but knew Diem watched me walk away. I knew he was beating himself up.

For everything.

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