Page 5 of One Step Sideways

It was my turn to scoff. “Like that makes any difference.”

“Is that what happened with your dad?” he asked.

“You ask a lot of questions.” My heart picked up. This was bullshit, and I was sick of being interrogated.

“You’re asking us to trust you,” Danny taunted.

“No, I’m fucking not,” I spat out and rose. “I didn’t ask for shit from any of you. You turned up when I was released. I don’t know either of you.” I glared at Rawlings. “I’m leaving.”

Rawlings raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. “You’re absolutely right. Now is not the time or the place to ask anything. I’ll show you to your bedroom and—”

“You said I was getting an apartment.” The fucker never said I had to share.

Diesel huffed. “I’m having the other two remodeled, but you get your own bedroom and bathroom here. The fourth we use as storage. This unit has three bedrooms, plus an office area for Danny.”

“Yeah and we both know he’s as enthusiastic about me being here as I am.” I was sick of this shit.

Danny took a step toward me and I whirled, putting my back to the wall and scanning for exits. The dog immediately rose to her feet and put herself between Danny and me. She didn’t growl, but it was enough to make my stomach want to expel the little it had consumed.

“Don’t leave,” Danny said and looked apologetic. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve treated you like shit because I don’t react well to surprises.” He swallowed. “I have issues with anything out of the norm. I don’t do well with change, and”—he gestured to me— “you’re a big change. None of that gives me the rightto make assumptions or be an ass. Sadie is my support dog and I’ve never seen her bite anything other than the biscuits the team gives her.”

He paused in front of me. “Sadie, stay,” Danny commanded, and the dog immediately sat. She didn’t take her eyes off me, though. “Let me show you to your room,” he added and walked from the kitchen. Should I follow? I supposed it was either that or spend the night on a park bench, assuming I could even find a park seeing as I’d never been to Marrietta in my life. Scooping my bag up, I followed Danny.

Danny headed across the living room area and toward a small corridor that had three doors. “The one at the end is my room. Sadie sleeps with me. If you hear the main door open, it’s just me taking her out before we turn in. I have a secure area I can take her.”

Secure? That was a little odd. Who needed a secure area to take a dog to pee? That question distracted me enough that we were in the room to the right before I noticed. And fuck, it was nice. Gray and cream walls. Dark gray carpet and matching furniture, and I immediately toed my ratty sneakers off, feeling guilty I hadn’t done so when I arrived. I stared at what looked like the comfiest looking bed I’d ever slept on in my entire life.

Even before prison, no,especiallybefore prison.

Danny carried on and opened another door. “Your bathroom. Supplies under the sink. I don’t know what you prefer shaving wise, but there’s just generic-type stuff in here which we can change later if you stay.” He paused. “Sadie won’t come out once we go to bed, so if you need to go into the kitchen at all, for water or food, which you can help yourself to, she won’t be there.” He paused. “Unless I get up for anything, but then I’ll be there as well.”

I felt my face flame as I realized he knew the dog scared me. It was embarrassing as shit and something I should really be over now. Even though there had been plenty of guard dogs, sniffer dogs, etcetera in prison, I’d managed to hide it there. The guards always assumed everyone would be scared of something that could rip your throat out. They never knew it was personal. And no one else would either.

I pushed the memory away of the time I’d seen that almost happen, and managed not to gag as the remembered smell of blood invaded my nostrils. I blinked, and while Danny was still talking, I hoped he hadn’t seen my reaction.

Because I knew as far as Danny was concerned, I was weird enough.

And somehow in my screwed-up life, I really didn’t want to be, or not to him, anyway.

And I wasn’t sure why.

Chapter Three

Kane

I heard every sound because it was so damn quiet. After dozing on and off for four hours, I eventually gave up and went to make myself a cup of coffee, pretty sure everyone else was asleep.

It wasn’t the first wrong assumption I’d made in my life, but one I might come to regret as Danny and his fucking shadow came into the kitchen. I glanced at him in annoyance, as he’d said he would be in his room, but he completely ignored me and filled the kettle, eyeing my coffee.

“If you can’t sleep, caffeine’s hardly gonna help.”

Irritated, I snapped. “What are you, the sleep police?”

Danny met my gaze. “No,” he said softly. “And I’m sorry. I imagine you’ve had your fill of other people’s opinions.”

Which made me feel like crap, and I tried to think of a safe topic while I sipped my coffee. “How come you work for Rawlings?”

Danny chuckled and made his tea. “Well, if you discount the US government as a go-between, you could say I’ve worked for Diesel for nearly ten years.”

---