Page 55 of The Last Call
A cautious step forward, and she glances at me. Double checking my reaction or lack thereof. I keep my ass pinned to the seat, and she seems to trust that I’m not going to attack her. Walking forward until she’s near enough to pat Syd’s calf. As close as she’ll dare with me sitting a foot away.
“What happened to her?”
“She was shot. Took a bullet meant for me.”
I hate saying the fucking words. Loathe to admit the disgusting truth. Livid at Syd for doing it and myself for allowing it.
Val’s hand flies to her mouth unable to conceal her gasp or horror. Neither of us have to pretend I’m not who I am nor deny the criminal aspect of my reputation. That’s not what this is about. “I need her to be okay.”
Kind of declaring the obvious since Syd’s recovery is the only reason she’s here. But I need her to understand my desperation. My fear. My weakness.
Luckily, it’s also obvious that she understands them completely and nods. Her eyes full of sympathy I don’t deserve as she stares at my huge hand coupled with her friend’s.
“Okay, I’ll try.”
That’s all I can ask.
Taking a deep breath, she keeps her focus on my woman. “I’ve missed you. I’m sorry this happened to you. But when you get better we can catch up.” She looks at me. Uncertainty pinching her face. Seeking my approval. When I nod, she offers a tentative smile and sits down in the chair beside mine. Encouraged enough to go all in.
Grateful, I keep my mouth shut. Listening to her tell lion about her pregnancy, the names she and her husband, who’s an accountant by the way, are considering, that Kristi is going to be the godmother but they haven’t picked a godfather yet since her brother-in-law is a jack wagon.
A slight blush warms her cheeks from my chuckle. No wonder Syd likes this lady. I don’t comment beyond my laugh, unwilling to stifle her, and she keeps going. Filling her in on her job that she loves as a creative director for a small public relations firm but might quit after the baby is born. Detailing some of the campaigns she’s worked on. Did Syd see the billboards for the new organic supermarket? Maybe she could work part-time. But she’s worried then she’ll fail at both.
After twenty minutes she finally peters out. As disappointed as I am that Sydney hasn’t responded to any of her stories.
“I’m sorry.”
Me too. “I appreciate you trying. Thank you.”
This time she directs her comments to me. “She’s still so beautiful. I really have missed her.”
“What happened between the two of you?”
“I don’t really know. We didn’t have a fight or anything like that. Our weekends were busy with clients. I…” Some realization seems to hit her and her face pales. “My husband…he doesn’t know I worked for Belle’s.”
While blackmail and coercion are my specialties, I’d never use the tactics on her. Lion would never forgive me. I shake my head with an absolute conviction. “I will never tell him. You have my word.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She does that weird nervous thing girls with long hair do where they shake the hair over their scalp and then flip the strands to the other side. Looking exactly the same as they did before. “We still hung out through the week but it just seemed like she drifted away. I don’t think she ever really recovered from what happened with her Dad.”
She sighs with regret that I don’t understand and begins to stand. I wrap my free hand around her wrist. Preventing her from moving. Scaring her as bad as when she first got here. Being a fucking bastard but I have to know. “Please. Tell me about her parents.”
I let go. Well aware if she tries to run Phillip will stop her. But I don’t want to chase her down. I just want her to explain to me why Sydney doesn’t speak to her family since she never would.
I allow her to stand this time. Aware she needs to feel free. To reassure herself she’s safe. Her hand returns to her belly, and she strokes absentmindedly. Grounding herself before she speaks. “She told them what happened…that she was raped.” Her voice cracks along with my knuckles. An involuntary habit that makes her startle. “He blamed her. He said she must have done something that made him do it. He called her a whore and told her he never wanted to see her again.”
Son of a fucking bitch. What a god damn asshole.
“I never understood why he treated her like that. My father would never do that no matter what.”
Mine would but that’s to be expected in my world. These girls should be treated like princesses. Undeserving of that bullshit. “I don’t understand either.”
She sighs and glances down at the slim silver watch on her wrist. “It’s getting late and I need to go. But I can come back tomorrow after work, if that’s okay. I want to help her if I can.”
“Thank you.”
I should say more. Display more gratitude and appreciation. But my mind’s already moved on to what I need to do to keep my earlier promise to lion. Another man who hurt her is going to die.
With an awkward wave, she scurries back to the hallway, and I pick up Sydney’s hand again. Entwining her fingers in mine while we wait for Phillip to check in. Anxious to give him his next assignment.
