Page 50 of Lucifer's Hounds

“I don’t really know, just riding around,” he says.

“All right.”

“Have you talked to my brother lately?” he asks. I shrug my shoulders at him as my only response. Two can play this game.

“I haven’t checked my phone since we were at the bar.” I pull my phone from my pocket. Four unread messages.

Cass: One day.

Cass: How’s the bar?

Cass: Lilly where did you go?

Cass: I guess I’ll text you in a little while.

I laugh and respond before he has a come apart.

Lilly: Sorry, Scott and I went for a Taco Bell run. It now seems I have a babysitter.

I smile at myself, entertained by my reference to having a babysitter.

“What you smiling about over there?” Scott asks.

“I told him that I now have a babysitter.”

“I’m not your babysitter, I’m just making sure you’re safe. There’s a difference,” Scott says matter-of-factly. I nod my head in understanding.

“There are people around here that will fuck with you when they find out that you’re Cass’s girl.”

“But no one knows that I’m Cass’s girl. I mean, I haven’t even been in public with him around here, yet. There is literally nothing tying me to Cass other than the fact that I work for him.”

“I get that, but you never know. So, just in case, I’m here. I’d do anything for him and right now what he needs me to do is look out for the woman that he’s involved with. That’s what I’m doing.”

My phone buzzes. Saved by the bell.

Cass: Lol you don’t have a babysitter. He’s just doing me a favor. I can’t be there to protect you, so he is taking my place.

His words give me a warm, fuzzy feeling. I smile at the stupid rectangle in my hand as another text comes through.

Cass: I’m missing you today.

Lilly: I was thinking the same thing.

This man will be the death of me, I swear it.

Scott crumples the wrapper of his burrito, dragging me out of Lala land and back to the present. He looks at me as if whatever I have to say is the only thing to be heard. I have his undivided attention, and I am not sure why.

“What?” I ask, unable to wipe the smile from my face.

“Nothing,” Scott shakes his head.

I reach over and punch his arm lightly.

“Where to now, babysitter?”

“Let’s go back to Creek’s. You need to practice your pool game and I’m sure it’s pretty dead right now anyway.”

“Sounds like a plan. Is there anything else I need to know?” I ask, pulling out onto the highway.

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