Page 175 of Anger

Luca’s eyes widen a touch. “That’s not what we’re doing. We’re checking in on you.”

Okay. Now I’m confused.

“Why would you need to check on me?”

For the third time, they look at each other before their attention is on me. This is getting aggravating.

“Listen, can you two just spit out whatever it is you want to ask? It’s really early. I’m still half-asleep, and I need to think through everything that’s happened in the last few days.”

Luca’s lips pull into a funny twist, but she blows out a breath in surrender.

“Okay, we just want to know why Damon has a new bruise on his jaw and if you’re the one who put it there.”

I nod my head.

“I’ll take credit for that bruise and the one he had a few weeks ago. He’s got the wrong one if he thinks he can insult me or order me around. He decided to break into my apartment, and I punched him for it.”

Again, they look at each other. What is with these two? Do they share a brain?

Both sets of eyes are back on me. “Yep. You’re one of us. Consider yourself officially part of the Inferno.”

What?

No.

I’m not a joiner, and once all this bullshit is figured out, I’m not planning on sticking around.

Damon is too much of a loose cannon.

On top of that, he has a habit of saying one thing and doing another. I’m not sure why I even got involved with him in the first place. I recognized he was damaged from day one.

Damn my bleeding heart.

I don’t usually have a habit of picking up strays, but my curiosity lowered my usual defenses, and Damon slipped right in.

“I’m not part of anything. I’m not sure what you have been told, but once this stuff with the governor is figured out—“

“So you’re telling us you have no feelings for Damon?”

Emily stares at me with expectant eyes. Unfortunately for her, I have nothing interesting to tell her. Not that I’m one to kiss and tell in the first place.

“You care because?”

“Because Damon has been through,” Emily pauses, carefully choosing her words. “A lot.”

She’s right about that, but I won’t nod in agreement. What Damon told me is in a locked vault. He confided in me, and those stories are his to tell. I’ll never betray that.

“Okay.”

Eyeing me like she’s attempting to figure me out, Emily eventually nods her head and speaks with a gentle voice.

“I just thought you should know that. He’s a great guy. One of the best. He just has some issues and we worry about him—“

“Let me stop you there. I’m here because of Brinley and all this governor stuff. Once that’s resolved, I’m out. You don’t have anything to worry about between Damon and me.”

It hurts to admit.

A hell of a lot more than it should.

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