Page 51 of Boss Level

“I’m okay. Cold. I’m at a gas station. Ninth West and Thirteenth South.”

What? Why? “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

A billion thoughts raced through my suddenly-working-again brain as I headed to the address Claire gave me. The primary two notions were distinct and loud—Dom was right, we shouldn’t have let her go, and he needed to end this business relationship.

I should wait to judge until I heard the story from Claire, but it was twenty degrees out, and when I pulled up to the closed convenience store, she was huddled in a lightweight jacket, under the sole working light near the building.

Fucking asshole Dale.

I cranked the heat in the car as I parked, and climbed out. “In the car, now.” Opening the trunk, I pulled out the blanket I kept in my emergency kit, and handed it to her.

“Thank you.” She sounded so meek.

When I got back in the car, I pointed us toward the nearest late-night coffee drive-thru. “Do you want to tell me why you’re out here alone in the cold, miles from home?”

“I don’t know.”

She didn’t know if she wanted to tell me or she didn’t know why she was here? If I asked, would she tell meI don’t knowagain? I’d try again after her teeth stopped chattering.

I pulled up to a little shack with a large menu next to a small window.

The guy working gave us a warm smile. “What can I get for you ladies?”

“Two large hot chocolates, extra whipped cream.” Did I pull a Dale? Fuck me. I shook my head. “Actually, one of those and,” I looked at Claire, “What would you like?”

“Can I have coffee?”

At ten at night? To each their own. “Sure. What kind?”

“I don’t know.”

And now we were back to that. I tucked aside any frustration.

“I’m sorry,” Claire said. “I’ve never had coffee before. But I don’t want to go to sleep tonight.”

That ought to make things interesting. “Do you like candy bars and nuts?”

“Yes.” Claire blew on her fingers and rubbed them together.

I turned back to Coffee Shop guy. “And a small Almond Joy.” Which had basically been my gateway drug to coffee twenty years ago.

Xander introduced me. The soft memory pinged hard in my chest.

I had more important things to focus on.

The barista handed over our drinks, and I set mine in the cup holder and gave Claire hers. “Hold onto this to warm your fingers, but don’t drink it until we get home. It’ll be too hot.”

She nodded.

We finished the ride home in silence, while my curiosity screamed in my head to have its questions answered.

When we got back to my condo, I sat us both at the kitchen table, drinks between us. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, but I’d prefer it, so I know how to react if Dale is looking for you.”

“He won’t be.” Claire sounded so certain. So wounded. She sipped her drink, and made a bitter face. “It tastes burnt.”

“That’s the coffee. You don’t have to finish it if you don’t want to.”

She took another taste, and then another. “No. It’s okay. It does taste like a candy bar.”

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