Page 155 of The Reluctant Hero

34

Conflict

Amanda

Last night Shade listened to my rehashing of events without a change of expression. He even took notes. It felt more like a therapy session with a light dusting of questions in a cold voice. I cringed every time he spoke. He seemed to notice, especially after I explained Gabriel’s part in this farce. The notes he took for that got ripped out of the book and handed to South. She took a picture and wandered to the couch to play on her phone.

I’m thanking God she left the vicinity because I can’t watch them constantly touching each other. Even though they’re mostly emotionless, their love is obvious enough to hurt.

Shade spent a little time explaining that there was no way Gabriel had anything to do with Blake. I listened, but inside, his words fell on deaf ears. His assurance could be the hopes of a brother.Ihope Gabriel magically happens to stab himself in the eye. Between South and I, reality has taken a vacation so it could happen.

When he noticed I wasn’t really listening, he sent me to bed with a grim promise that everything would be looked into.

Even though I stayed up late, I didn’t sleep. My eyelids are heavy, and the circles under them aren’t pretty. I shower again to get that gritty dirt sensation that’s lingering off of me. Use a first aid kit on the cuts, bumps, and bruises. Then I pull on my only set of clean clothes and throw the borrowed pajamas in the wash.

Neither of them is up yet, so it gives me some time to figure out what’s next. Visiting good old Blake for sure. Closing my bank account. After that, I’m kind of lost. I do want those files from Matthias’ office. After my rage purge all over their vehicles, something tells me they won’t hand them over with a smile. Not that I expect to have anything to do with them ever again in the first place.

Maybe I can convince Shade to get it for me? Do I want them any more involved? No, I don’t. But they seem to have both feet firmly planted on my side and I can’t overlook it.

South appears and goes into the kitchen to start some tea. Her teal locks are in wild disarray, and my eyebrow rises at the obvious sex hair. I also spotted two brand-new hickeys when she passed. A sinking feeling pulls my eyes away from her. It pisses me off that I’m even affected by it.

She turns to face me and is all business. “Bank. Blake. Lunch.”

Why did I make a plan again? I have a psycho drill instructor for that now.

“Sure,” I don’t bother arguing. “Can Shade get those files from Gabriel or do I need to figure out if I’m any good at breaking and entering.”

“Tera will be upset if you take over that skillset,” she assures me. She finishes making the tea while I stare at her in disbelief and takes it back into the bedroom.

That sweet, innocent puppy of a woman has a history of breaking and entering?How?

South re-emerges dressed and ready to go. Shade follows her, sipping his tea with a smugly satisfied look. I’m jealous and sad at the same time. I can’t look at them, focusing on the table in front of me.

“I cut a few holes in your pants and left an escape card for you,” South says blithely.

I blink at her in confusion.

“Around your waist,” she glances at me. “A metal card filled with tools to help you escape if you’re taken against your will. Small. Subtle. Useful. You should do the same to any other pair you wear. Have it with you always.”

My blank stare makes her shake her head. She refocuses on Shade.

They’re all over each other, only separating when South says she’s going. The look on his face when his hands fall away from her says he misses her already.

I think I officially hate happy couples.

I follow her without saying anything, putting on my gloves and grabbing the baton on my way. I practice a few spins on my way out before Shade’s voice stops me.

“Hey, Amanda,” Shade stops me. “Here’s your phone. I have a copy of the video, just in case. And I put our numbers back in. I didn’t think my joke would backfire like that. It won’t happen again.”

I glance down at the phone’s cracked screen and take it from his hand. It’s fully charged.

“I’m getting the files,” he adds with a slight frown. “I’ll dig through them and come up with something.”

“Thanks,” I mutter without looking at him. One problem down, hopefully. I’m already focused on what I need to accomplish today to care about anything else.

The bank is happy to close the account and give me cash. A little over one thousand is left, which surprises me. I was afraid my account was negative about 3 million dollars. They see the strip keeping the cut on my eyebrow closed and my bruised-up face but don’t comment.

The trip to Blake’s office is made in silence, my fingers tensing and relaxing over the baton as I stare out the passenger window. I don’t have as many pointed questions as I’d like, but Ifigure I’ll wing it and South can chime in if something comes to her.

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