Page 25 of Dark Knight

“Tell her we’re thinking about her, and Bianca said she'll call her later.”

“I'll let her know.” I end the call, surprised when she stops with the door halfway open and looks over her shoulder like someone caught her attention. It's the guy in the suit, and he's standing much too close to her for my liking. I'm on my way before I know it, crossing the paved lot in seconds, almost throwing the door open.

I'm in time to hear him say, “Give it some thought. I could use a pretty face in the office. People like to see a girl like you when they first walk in.”

“What's going on?” I ask, standing close to her while I glare at him.

His overly bright, hard smile doesn't do much to soothe my suspicions, and I can’t help noticing the hardening of his dark eyes. Like he can tone down the charm now that I’m here. “Hi, there. Chaz Drummond. I'm handling a few projects in the area and could use some administrative help. I overheard your girlfriend asking about a job.”

I don't bother correcting him, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. It's better if he thinks she's taken. “Come on, babe. We better get going.” She nods, looking overwhelmed with her pale face and eyes as wide as saucers.He got too close to her. Only now do I notice her trembling body against me.

“Here, take my card.” He holds it out, and she snatches it away before tucking it in her pocket without a word. It doesn't seem like he’s put off by her behavior or that he even notices. I steer her out of the store and wait until we're outside to speak.

“It's okay.”

“He was, like, on top of me all of a sudden. I almost hit him.”

“I know. I’m sorry I didn't get to you sooner.”

“No.” She's breathing hard, her face twisted into a mask of rage that only intensifies with every step. “No, damn it. I refuse to spend the rest of my life afraid to go out in public or be around people. I need to get over this, and that's only going to happen by exposing myself to people. Right?”

I want so much to tell her she's wrong, but that would be unfair. And I am the one who told her she needs to start healing. “Right. You're right. And you handled it well.”

“Well? I almost peed my pants.”

“I couldn't tell.” She releases something close to a giggle, and it's only once we're halfway down the block that I realize I still have my arm wrapped around her. As soon as I realized it I let her go, but there’s reluctance in my muscles. This is what she needs. She needs to remember how strong she is, and that's not going to happen if I baby her.

“What are you going to do with the card?” I ask once we’re a few houses down from mine. By now, the late afternoon sun paints everything in shades of amber and gold. Leaves blow past our feet, and it smells like someone's burning them somewhere in the neighborhood. It's damn near idyllic.

“I don't know. I'll think about his offer for a little while. Mull it over in my mind.”

I hate the defensive way my words come out. “What’s there to think about? The guy was a total sleaze.”

“You don't know that. Maybe he’s just straightforward.”

“Yes, I do. It was written across his forehead with a permanent marker.”

“Well, he wouldn't be the first sleaze bag I ever dealt with.” And because I know the more I fight, the harder she'll dig her heels in, I have no choice but to let the conversation go.

Besides, the less we talk about it, the easier it will be for her to forget about this crazy job idea.

CHAPTER10

TATUM

I’m not sure what sparked me to believe it would be easy to find a job, or even something to do in this damn town.I really don't. False hope, maybe? Or maybe I was thinking God would give me a break from Romero to spare his life, but even that was too good to be true. Don’t get me wrong – it’s not like I wanted to get a job. It was more to give myself something to do, but it’s been a letdown every step of the way.

That's not entirely true.There is the offer from that Chaz Drummond guy, but something tells me Romero’s right about him. Now that I’ve had a few days to reflect on our interaction, I can see it. The guy should’ve been wearing a name tag that saidAsshole.There was no reason for him to stand close to me—but at least he backed up when Romero inserted himself like the typical caveman he is. I’m thankful he stepped in, even if I am a bit annoyed. He won’t always be there, and I’ll need to learn to handle situations like that on my own.

Which leads me to wonder if I could handle that guy hanging over me all the time.

Somehow, I need to overcome this paralyzing fear of being around people. It is incredible how much he broke me, not just Kristoff. Getting kidnapped and thrown into a van in the garage of Bianca's office building didn't help things, nor did waking up in a hospital bed afterward.

Still, life isn’t always roses, and I need to learn to deal with the pain and trauma that occurred so I can move on with my life.

My days have started to fall into a pattern. I force myself out of bed right away before the temptation to pull the covers over my head and pretend I don't exist wins out. I go to the windows and open the blinds to find dark clouds in the sky, waiting to be released. It rained at some point overnight, and it's probably going to rain again. It would be one thing if a rainy day meant an excuse to curl up with a book or watch a movie or two, but when that's all your life has consisted of for a while, it isn't a treat anymore.

The fact that the tub is wet before I enter the shower tells me Romero’s already up, even if his bedroom door is closed. That’s no way to determine anything since it’s always closed, even when he’s awake.

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