said mockingly, “is that you take my word for it.”
“We’ll see about that,” Ian said, having regained some of his composure.
“You will.”
Demon handed Ian an envelope.
“There’s nothing left for you here, so you’ll probably want a fresh start somewhere new. This should help you on your way.”
“Oh, and now you wanna run me out of town, too?”
“I’m just laying out your options. Stay if you want, but you’re unemployable in this city.”
“Well, you seem to forget I have family here, people who love me, who’ll do anything to help me.”
“Not anymore.”
Demon thought he saw the tiniest crack in Ian’s exterior, but he recovered quickly. “Thanks for the free money.”
He’d had enough Ian for one day and frankly couldn’t see why Shayla felt so compelled to help him. Then again, Ian wasn’t Demon’s family.
“Do what you want. But you’re out. And Shayla is too.” He said the last in a tone that brooked no argument.
And then he got into his car and left Ian standing in the sun.
Chapter Ten
Please .
No .
Please! One last time!
No.
Please…
And on it went all during her shift two days later. Ian texting, begging for her help, her saying no, him begging even harder. There was a new message every time she had a spare minute to check her phone, and during that day’s sleepy shift, there were far too many spare minutes for her comfort.
Shayla was absolutely disgusted. For God’s sake, could he not even have the decency to pick up the phone to call and ask for her help? And what kind of moron sent text messages about a fucking illegal criminal enterprise!
Probably the same kind that responds to them, Shayla , she thought.
And, in the spirit of being honest, she had to admit that Demon’s voice was again whispering in her brain, confirming what she already knew. The situation was untenable. She’d been able to help that woman last week, help the man through his panic attack, but there were no such assurances for the future. Things could get out of hand—more out of hand—in an instant. Someone could die. Add the fact the she could lose her license, go to prison, or God knew what else… She pressed her eyes closed tight to chase away the thought.
Even still, she had a hard time accepting what she knew she must do. She’d always had Nana, and, despite whatever trouble he brought, she’d always had Ian too, the three of them a little family. But that was dying, was probably already dead, in fact, its members falling one by one, Nana from time and disease, Ian from himself, Shayla from the stress of trying to keep it all together. She’d known it, her attempts at trying to lie to herself of little success. But she’d also known or could now at least acknowledge that it’d been gone a long time. She’d tried so hard to hold onto Ian, to that boy she’d loved so much, that she’d ignored the man he had become.
The stab at her heart at the thought proved that the pain of her realization hadn’t faded, likely wouldn’t for a long time, but that was no matter. She’d heal. Eventually. And in the meantime, she had to regain control of her life.
Resolve stiffened her spine. She’d do this one last time, and then she was done for good.
••••
The rest of the day passed in a strange mix of slow and fast. Each moment felt excruciating and slow, but at the end of the day it was as if the hours had passed in an instant. Just another sign that she was making the right choice.
She headed to the warehouse straight from the hospital without stopping home to change, unwilling to put this off for another moment and anxious for this day to be over. She was surprised to discover the parking lot was mostly full. She supposed the crowd couldn’t wait to get their fix. A thought of the picture she presented in her scrubs and clogs—she’d ditched the white coat—idly floated through her mind before she dismissed it. She’d seen full formal attire down
“We’ll see about that,” Ian said, having regained some of his composure.
“You will.”
Demon handed Ian an envelope.
“There’s nothing left for you here, so you’ll probably want a fresh start somewhere new. This should help you on your way.”
“Oh, and now you wanna run me out of town, too?”
“I’m just laying out your options. Stay if you want, but you’re unemployable in this city.”
“Well, you seem to forget I have family here, people who love me, who’ll do anything to help me.”
“Not anymore.”
Demon thought he saw the tiniest crack in Ian’s exterior, but he recovered quickly. “Thanks for the free money.”
He’d had enough Ian for one day and frankly couldn’t see why Shayla felt so compelled to help him. Then again, Ian wasn’t Demon’s family.
“Do what you want. But you’re out. And Shayla is too.” He said the last in a tone that brooked no argument.
And then he got into his car and left Ian standing in the sun.
Chapter Ten
Please .
No .
Please! One last time!
No.
Please…
And on it went all during her shift two days later. Ian texting, begging for her help, her saying no, him begging even harder. There was a new message every time she had a spare minute to check her phone, and during that day’s sleepy shift, there were far too many spare minutes for her comfort.
Shayla was absolutely disgusted. For God’s sake, could he not even have the decency to pick up the phone to call and ask for her help? And what kind of moron sent text messages about a fucking illegal criminal enterprise!
Probably the same kind that responds to them, Shayla , she thought.
And, in the spirit of being honest, she had to admit that Demon’s voice was again whispering in her brain, confirming what she already knew. The situation was untenable. She’d been able to help that woman last week, help the man through his panic attack, but there were no such assurances for the future. Things could get out of hand—more out of hand—in an instant. Someone could die. Add the fact the she could lose her license, go to prison, or God knew what else… She pressed her eyes closed tight to chase away the thought.
Even still, she had a hard time accepting what she knew she must do. She’d always had Nana, and, despite whatever trouble he brought, she’d always had Ian too, the three of them a little family. But that was dying, was probably already dead, in fact, its members falling one by one, Nana from time and disease, Ian from himself, Shayla from the stress of trying to keep it all together. She’d known it, her attempts at trying to lie to herself of little success. But she’d also known or could now at least acknowledge that it’d been gone a long time. She’d tried so hard to hold onto Ian, to that boy she’d loved so much, that she’d ignored the man he had become.
The stab at her heart at the thought proved that the pain of her realization hadn’t faded, likely wouldn’t for a long time, but that was no matter. She’d heal. Eventually. And in the meantime, she had to regain control of her life.
Resolve stiffened her spine. She’d do this one last time, and then she was done for good.
••••
The rest of the day passed in a strange mix of slow and fast. Each moment felt excruciating and slow, but at the end of the day it was as if the hours had passed in an instant. Just another sign that she was making the right choice.
She headed to the warehouse straight from the hospital without stopping home to change, unwilling to put this off for another moment and anxious for this day to be over. She was surprised to discover the parking lot was mostly full. She supposed the crowd couldn’t wait to get their fix. A thought of the picture she presented in her scrubs and clogs—she’d ditched the white coat—idly floated through her mind before she dismissed it. She’d seen full formal attire down
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