Page 18 of Rage's Heart

My head tilted slightly, eyes locked on her. “You didn’t have to do all this, you know.”

She considered me for a moment, then whispered, “I know.”

My tongue swiped across my bottom lip. “So, why’d you do it?”

She swept her gaze over me, and something changed in her eyes. She might not have answered the question out loud, but I saw the answer clear as day.

She felt the same pull that I did and wasn’t sure what to make of it.

The air between us thickened. Her cheeks flushed pink, and I had the sudden urge to step closer, to find out if her skin was as soft as it looked.

Just as I leaned forward, a sharp ping broke the moment.

Mac jumped, fumbling for her phone. “Sorry,” she muttered, glancing at the screen.

“Important?” I asked, voice rougher than before.

“No, just—” She sighed, shoving the phone back into her pocket. “Just an email from a realtor.”

My brow furrowed. “You leaving Jacksonville?”

“No.” She shook her head, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Just looking for a new place.”

“Something wrong with your current one?”

Mac hesitated, something darker crossing her expression. “My roommate’s boyfriend gives me the creeps.”

Her roommates boyfriend gives her the creeps. That didn’t sit right with me. “Creeps how?”

“It’s nothing,” she said, waving it off like it wasn’t shit. “He just... Okay, it’s not nothing. He makes comments sometimes when Sarah’s not around. And sometimes he looks at me in a way that makes my skin crawl.”

The muscle in my jaw twitched. I didn’t like the sound of that. Not one fucking bit. “What comments?”

Mac shifted uncomfortably. “Just... inappropriate ones. I’ve told him to stop, but he doesn’t seem to get the hint.”

A slow burning anger started building in my chest. “And your roommate?”

“Doesn’t believe me.” She sighed, looking down at Diesel, who’d dozed off again. “Or doesn’t want to. Either way, it’s easier if I find a place of my own.”

“That’s fucked up,” I said flatly.

She shrugged like she was used to dismissing her own discomfort. I didn’t like that either. She should feel comfortable and safe in her own home. “It is what it is.”

“Where are you looking at?”

“A few places. Nothing special.“ She glanced at her watch and visibly winced. “Shoot, I should get going. I have an early shift tomorrow.”

Part of me wanted to ask her to stay, but I knew better. “Yeah, alright.”

She knelt to give Diesel one last scratch behind his ears before standing up and brushing dog hair from her jeans. “Thanks for letting me come by.”

I reached into my back pocket for my wallet and pulled out two crisp one-hundred dollar bills. “Thanks for the dog shit.”

A small smile crept across her face as she took the cash and shoved it in her pocket. “Can I... check on him again sometime?”

I was a little surprised she’d want to come back, but I wasn’t going to tell her no. “Yeah. Anytime.”

She nodded, a hint of relief in her eyes as she headed for the door. I followed, holding it open for her.

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