Page 93 of Gambler's Fallacy

I don’t understand what that’s supposed to mean. “Is it safer in my back?” I ask timidly.

Vortex elbows him. “No, he means that he’d be a controllingbastard with anyone else and make it impossible for you to take it out on your own.”

“Have you done that with anyone else?” I ask, unsure of whether I’m curious or jealous — or both.

Caleb chuckles. “You got me. I never cared enough about anyone else to want to track them twenty-four seven. Even when we had business reasons for stalking somebody, we put a tracker on their car.”

I bite my lip, but I can tell they’ve already made up their minds. Maybe if I pushed hard enough, I could get them to change their minds, but at the same time, I’m not sure I want them to. I’m so torn.

“All right,” I finally say. “Is it going to hurt?”

Vortex shakes his head. “It shouldn’t.”

Shouldn’t.

That’s not nearly as much comfort as I think he intends for it to be, but I don’t argue.

“All you need to do is relax,” Vortex says, and he gently removes Nacho from my lap. Nacho meows in protest, but Vortex shoos him off when he tries to get right back to where he’d been.

I roll my pants up, my heart hammering in my chest as Vortex pulls a few things I don’t quite look at from a small bag.

I don’t watch, even as he cleans the spot with an alcohol wipe.

Caleb takes my hand, and I squeeze it for comfort.

“Ready?” Vortex asks, and while I nod, I don’t know if I actually am.

In the end, it doesn’t hurt more than any other shot I’ve ever gotten, and I breathe out slowly. Just like that, I’m trapped all over again, stuck with the three of them whether I want to be or not. Even if I was to leave on my own, they’d find me and bring me back here.

I guess I should be glad thatshenever thought about this.

But then, of course she hadn’t.

I’d always been so good.

I don’t think for a second that she won’t do worse than a tracker when she gets her hands on me again.

A shudder runs through me, and I turn my head so I can look atCaleb. “Are they going to keep coming after you like this to try to get to me?” I ask quietly.

“They can’t do much right now,” Caleb assures me. “My grandfather is a pain in my ass, but he also won’t tolerate anyone interfering with his business. Rest assured, I’m going to inform him this happened.” He tugs on my hair. “Do you want to keep talking about this? Or do you want Daddy Vortex to take care of you?”

I don’t know what I want.

“Choose for me,” I whisper.

Caleb and Vortex exchange a look, but it’s Vortex who says, “I’ll take care of you.”

I’m neither relieved nor disappointed, and I realize that it doesn’t really matter. I should be angry at them for forcing this on me.

I’m not.

“Okay.” I let Vortex take my hand and urge me to my feet.

He pulls me in for a hug. “How about some tea and some cuddles? I’ll watch that new show you keep talking about with you.”

I know he doesn’t actually like anime very much, but he’s always willing to pretend for me. I let out a weak laugh. “You don’t have to pretend you want to,” I tell him.

Caleb gets up, holding his phone. “I’ll be in the office taking care of a few things if you need me. Have fun.” He walks off, and I wonder if I should have told him to come with us, that I wanted him, too.

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