Page 2 of Patching Over

“What do you think about the driver?” he asks, the small grin on his face telling me he’s considering options to get Jayne talking.

“I say we knock him out and work on him later,” I answer with a shrug. “If we don’t need him to verify some information, you can just have fun with him.”

“Too bad we can’t bring Percy and Jayne back here and really go to town on them.” Wolfman sounds wistful as he rifles through his cabinets, selecting various tools. “Let’s take my truck then. We can stow the bodies in the drawers under the truck bed and dispose of the parts on the way home.”

“I’m going to run by Talia’s firehouse to let her know I’ll be gone a few days, then pack a bag,” I let him know. I’ll also have to stop by my studio since there are things I won’t ever stash at Talia’s house. “I’ll swing by your place in a couple of hours.”

“She’s back at work already?” Wolfman asks. The concerned look on his face is massively at odds with the serrated blade he’s holding.

“Not active duty, but yes, she insisted so they put her on a desk,” I say and the look that passes between us tells him how she feels about restricted duty.

*

I felt like a bit of a coward telling Talia about the trip in the temporary office she’s saddled with. We both knew no details would be exchanged at the firehouse, but it’s not like I could tell her much about club business anyway.

“No,” she resolutely answers my request, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Baby, please? Just let your mom spoil you for a few days, a week tops,” I plead with her, knowing that she’ll be safer staying at her parents’ house while I’m gone.

“I’m fine, Tarak. I don’t need the three of them fussing over me,” she insists. I all but throw in the towel when she narrows her eyes, that’s hertellfor ‘hell no’.

Gripping the frame of the chair in front of me, I squeeze it helplessly as I try to figure out how I can get her to accept some help. After a tense moment or two, her eyes soften as she steps toward me.

“I love you,” she whispers when I fold her into my embrace; deeply inhaling her scent, wanting to take that piece of her with me for the days ahead.

“I love you more than you’ll ever know,” I tell her, before slamming my lips down on hers.

After that, I go intoautopilotmode. It’s not so much that I’m going to be revisiting a part of myself that I had put long behind me. It’s how much I’m looking forward to it.

I’m upstairs grabbing my toothbrush and clean underwear when I hear the front door open. Checking my piece, I make sure there’s a round chambered and head downstairs as quietly as I’m able to. Slowly peering into the living room, I focus my hearing since I don’t see anyone.

Just then, there’s a low grunt in the den, telling me which direction I need to head. With my gun pointed toward the ceiling, I don’t see anyone in the room, so I cross to the bathroom and peer in past the semi-opened door.

“Fuck!” the man on the toilet lets out more of a yelp than a scream, just before I hear a plop in the bowl he’s sitting on and a look of horror crosses over his features.

“Goddamn,” I growl, taking a step backward as the smell hits me. “Shit.”

He slams the door as I head out to the kitchen, tucking my gun into my waistband, leaning against the counter as I wait to officially meet Talia’s older brother.

Once he finishes taking a dump, I think, chuckling a little. I don’t think I’ve ever physically scared the shit out of someone before.

Luckily, Talia’s brothers are nearly carbon copies of each other, so there was no mistaking that I was face-to-face with Rick for the first time.

“Hey,” Rick says, raising a hand in greeting as he walks into the kitchen. “Road food didn’t hit me right and I’m not used to anyone else being around here.”

“I hear ya,” I grunt in response, giving him a nod. “Name’s Tarak.”

“Yeah, the family chat has been buzzing about you. I don’t have your number, or I would have let you know I was coming to town. I kind of wanted to surprise the family,” he tells me, barely able to meet my eyes.

“I’m actually heading out for a few days, maybe a week,” I reply. “Talia should be home in a few hours.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Better than you’d expect considering your cousin’s husband is still in the hospital. It was too fucking close,” I answer him honestly. Surprised at how comfortable I feel with him and pleased to have someone to vent to about what happened. “I’m glad you’ll be around to keep an eye on things.”

“You expecting more trouble?” he asks, finally making full eye contact with me.

“We’re hoping it doesn’t come to that, but I’m not taking any chances with Talia’s life. I’ve spoken to your dad, and a buddy of mine will be watching out for her until I get back,” I let him know, neglecting to mention the cameras that have been added to the utility poles on either end of the street and in the alley.

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