He raked a frustrated hand over his face, words grit. “She’s unbelievable.”
I glanced over at Ash, who still had his back to us, then I turned my attention back on Anthony. “I don’t know what the hell to do. Veronica might be a bitch, but the one thing I could always do was trust her to take good care of him.”
Anthony tensed. “What you need to do is get him out of there.”
“You think I don’t want that?” Fear pounded at my chest. “But you know if I push for it, she’s gonna run. You were the one who told me all along I don’t have any rights.”
Anthony threaded his fingers through his hair. “If you could prove she’s neglecting him, you might have a chance, but I’m not sure moving him into an area you don’t approve of is going to qualify as that.”
A frustrated sigh filtered out. “Never should have put that house in her name.”
I could feel him struggling not to give me a look that screamed I told you so. “She’s a pro at manipulating you, Zee. She’s been from the beginning.”
Emotion throbbed in my throat. “I just can’t take the chance of her running. Losing him would kill me.”
His tongue darted across his lips as he processed. “You’re in town for a while. Keep tabs on her while you’re here. Find out what’s going on with her. Document it. That way, we have evidence if you decide to make a move.”
“I’d do it in a second, Anthony….but this life? Traveling? On the road? I don’t want that for him. Besides for that, he loves his mom. Wouldn’t think about taking him away from her unless he was in danger.”
“I understand that.” He set a hand on my shoulder. “You’re a good man, Zee. I know you don’t think it, but you’ve sacrificed yourself for everyone else. Last night, you did it again, as stupid as it was.” He sent me a half grin.
“You know that’s not true. But what happened last night…I’d do it all over again. Wouldn’t even think twice about it.”
“If I were in your place, I would’ve done the same damn thing.” He squeezed my shoulder tighter. “There’s no shame in helping someone, but you’ve got to know with being in the spotlight the way you are, people are going to talk. You’ve got to be prepared for that and what it might mean. How Veronica is going to react to it.”
“I can’t be ashamed about what I chose to do.”
Ash was suddenly there, picking up on the last bit of the conversation. He slung his arm around my neck and started hauling me toward the door, smirking over at me as he did.
“So, now that we’ve got all the heavy shit out of the way, why don’t you tell me just who it was you were visiting in the middle of the night. Time to fess it up, man. Tell me my boy here is finally getting some action, because that shit’s just not normal. All the lovely ladies throwing themselves at you at every turn, and you shooting down every advance? I’ve been thinking it’s about time to stage an intervention. Hell…last time I saw you with a girl you were just a kid…bet you didn’t even shave.”
I tried not to flinch.
I’d been deflecting this same thing for years. The constant razzing from the guys. All of them assumed I was some kind of freak since I didn’t hook up. I’d always just let it slide right off my back, because in the end, it didn’t matter. They didn’t know any better because they had no clue what I’d lost.
“Not like that,” I told him.
“That’s a shame, man. A damn shame. The whole fighting thing? No shame. The no getting laid thing? Shame. Kick ass? No shame. No ass? Shame. Are you sensing a pattern here?” Ash’s eyes were wide with the ribbing.
I chuckled under my breath. Only Ash. “Always such an asshole,” I muttered.
Ash squeezed my neck tighter. “But you know you love me.”
His voice dropped. “Seriously, though. I’m glad you’re okay, man. Don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. You need to be careful.”
“I know, I will.”
Anthony held the door open for us and we stepped out into the day. Sunlight held fast to the sky, the air warm and thick.
I froze as a fresh pulse of that protectiveness I couldn’t shake slid through my senses, twisting my guts and tightening my chest.
Ash stopped at my side, and Anthony finally slowed and turned when he realized neither of us were moving. I could feel their questions swirling through the air while I stood there staring like some kind of fool.
Because I knew that was exactly what this made me.
But I couldn’t focus on anything but the girl who was walking my way. Couldn’t feel anything but that tremor of energy that had flamed at my insides and spurred me forward last night.
In the light of day, it was just as strong, but somehow different. Muted to a slow burn that churned in my spirit as my gaze roamed her body. Desperate to find her whole and unbroken.
Felt like the ground shook below me when her head jerked up and she found me standing there.
My breaths came harder and harsher with every timid step that brought her in my direction. Her bottom lip was held captive between her teeth, and lines pinched between her brow as she watched me like I might be a figment of her imagination.
She came to a stop two feet away.
The space between us was alive, rippling and shivering and searching. Like maybe our souls recognized the gravity of what’d gone down last night.
Paths had been shifted. Fate deflected.
I knew I was a bastard for even letting myself think it after what had happened.
But fuck.
She was pretty.
So goddamned pretty with her red cupid mouth and her little crinkled nose. Her hair was long and almost white, piled in a messy knot high on her head. Wild pieces fell out like they refused to be contained.
My eyes traced every inch of that heart-shaped face, and something shocked through my senses when I let my gaze slowly glide down her body.
The girl was tight and tiny and sweet.
Delicate and strong.
Curved and soft and brave.
My fingers twitched and those knots in my stomach twisted in an entirely different way—attraction, lust, and curiosity.
Shit.
I couldn’t feel any of those things, but there they were, thriving in that space between us.
But it was the bruise marring the hollow beneath one of those smoky eyes that sent a crackle of anger pulsing through the frenzy already lighting up my veins. The tiny cut on her lip that nearly sent me into a tailspin.
I ground my teeth, hit with the overpowering need to track the bastard down.
Awareness spun, and her teeth released her lip, both of them parting on a breath as she stared up at me.
And there was absolutely not a goddamned thing in the world I could do but let my fingers flutter out, not quite touching as they drummed over the spot where he’d hurt her.
I wanted to erase it.
But this girl—this girl who hadn’t left my mind for even a second since they’d closed those ambulance doors and they’d taken her away—she smiled.