Page 144 of Cry For Mercy

“You can sleep wherever you want. I… that decision is yours, and yours alone. You know that, right?” She sighed.

“What if I don’t know what I want?”

I sat back in the armchair with a small sigh. “Nothing is going to be assumed, Julie. You’ll tell me when you know. You don’t have to decide now.”

Lenore sat forward on the sofa. “Adam has my number, Julie, so if you need me, I’m just a call away, okay?”

Julie nodded, still staring at her drink.

“Julie, if you want to talk to someone other than me, there’s Cass, or I can put you in touch with people I know. People who helped me. It’ll all be confidential. Just say the word.”

**********

JULIE

They were all being so nice. Tiptoeing around me. Trying not to upset me, or overwhelm me. I hated it. Every second of it. I wanted normal. I wanted chit chat and silliness, dumb stories, and the guys digging at each other. This stilted atmosphere was almost unbearable.

I really liked Lenore. She was feisty and fierce, and I wanted to be like her. And Marco? Big and scary as shit, but so nice. So gentle. I was sure he had a side that was the exact opposite, based on what Adam had told me, but the only side he was letting me see was one that I didn’t fear.

I stared at the three of them, as the silence became awkward.

“Uh… so Adam told me about when you all met for the first time. Something about handing his ass to him?” I finally blurted, just to get someone to talk.

They all stared at me in shock for a moment, and then Marco let out this booming laugh, while Lenore giggled. I glanced at Adam, and saw him smiling at me. Yes, this is better.

Marco glanced at Lenore proudly. “I mean, you could have probably taken him, Julie, he was such a wuss, but yeah… he took a bit of a beating. Courtesy of my lovely lady here.”

Adam flipped him off again, while Lenore blew on her fingernails, and pretended to buff them on her t-shirt. “Easy peasy. I’m surprised he didn’t cry.”

Adam groaned. “Come on, guys. I wasn’t that bad. I just didn’t expect to get caught.”

Marco looked at me. “Dickhead here breaks into the Bennett loan office, and wonders why we figured out he was there. It’s called a silent alarm, but clearly he thought he’d get away with it.”

Lenore set her coffee down, and leaned her elbows on her knees.

“And he had a gun. Did he tell you that part? A bloody gun! Like he’s some kind of hard man. Actually, on that subject, Teller, where the hell did you even get a gun? You’d have had to go down some dark alley, risking your life, just to meet the kind of lowlife who would sell you an illegal handgun.” She smirked at him, while Adam sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

“You know what? You guys know enough about me. I need some secrets. And besides, I’d never have used it. If you hadn’t jumped me, it never would have been fired at all.”

I gasped, looking at him in shock. “You fired a gun at them?”

He laughed. “Nah, I think I shot the wall, when she jumped me.”

Marco cleared his throat. “She hardly jumped you, Teller. She only jumps me, got it?”

Lenore swatted at him, and he shot her a dark look, which made her blush ever so slightly. They were so comfortable with each other. So together. I wanted that with Adam, but I was afraid he’d always look at me like I’m damaged goods now. Maybe he wanted me to sleep in that other room, because he really didn’t want me near him anymore.

Marco suddenly flinched on the sofa, and then laughed, reaching into his pocket.

“Sorry. It was on vibrate.”

“Oooh… did it feel good, baby?” Lenore muttered at him, as he read the message.

“Bugger. Sorry guys, we’re needed. Bennett business. Do you need anything before we go?”

Marco was standing up as he asked. Adam glanced at me, and I shook my head.

“Thanks for bringing us back, but yeah, we’re good.”

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