street.
From somewhere behind me, Bishop spoke. "You'll be glad you did that."
I turned, and there he was, watching me with those sharp eyes of his. I didn't want anyone studying me, and I sure as hell didn't feel like talking.
"Glad?" I made a scoffing sound. "There's nothing to be glad about here."
Yeah, I'd given Amber another chance. But it was more for my own sake than for hers. Karma – I wasn't a big believer in that sort of thing. But desperately, I wanted another chance with Chloe. And maybe, just maybe, if I gave a chance to someone else, Chloe would do the same for me.
It was worth a shot, right?
I strode past Bishop and made for the stairway. I needed a shower, and to crash for a few hours. It was Sunday, and for once, I didn't have anything planned.
Over my shoulder I said, "When the tow-truck comes, open the garage, will ya?"
I didn't wait for his answer. Instead, I went upstairs and made for the master bathroom, where I turned on the shower and then stripped out of my clothes. Waiting for the water to warm, I stood naked, looking into the full-length mirror.
I didn't look like a monster. My face, my body, it all looked the same as yesterday. There was the same dark hair, the same dark eyes, the same body that was famous for more than fighting.
I recalled the words of some famous blogger. I had the face of an angel and a body for sin. I'd sinned, alright. Against Chloe.
In front of the mirror, I peeled off the wrist-bands and studied the raw skin underneath. I lifted my wrists for a closer look. The wounds went beyond simple rope burns. There was dried blood and damage so deep, it looked more like cuts than superficial scrapes from old-fashioned friction.
I thought of Chloe's wrists. My handcuffs. My fault.
I hadn't meant for her to get hurt. I hadn't even known. But I should have.
With a heavy sigh, I turned and headed into the shower, where I tried to scrub away the filth of the last twenty-four hours. But when the water ran cold however long later, I still felt dirty.
Chapter 21
Something was ringing. My cell phone. Instantly awake, I jerked upright in the bed. It was Chloe's ringtone. I grabbed the phone from the nearby nightstand and hit the button. "Chloe?"
Her voice, soft and sweet, was music to my ears. "So, I've got this mysterious car in the driveway."
I knew which car she meant. Hers, obviously. Last night, or more accurately, this morning, between my two conversations with Amber, I'd driven to the restaurant where Chloe worked.
Sure enough, I'd found her car parked in the same spot as before. And sure enough, just like she'd told me on my own doorstep, the thing didn't want to start.
"Yeah?" I said into the phone. "How mysterious?"
"Well, it looks like mine. But apparently, it can drive all by itself."
"Hmm."
"Even when it's broken down."
"Or maybe," I said, "it was just a dead battery."
One quick jump with my jumper cables, and the engine was up and running. I'd left my sedan in the restaurant parking lot, and then, I'd driven Chloe's little Fiesta back to her place.
I'd parked it in her driveway, and then I'd walked back home. A peace offering? Maybe. But I'd have done it regardless.
"Aha!" she said. "You went and got it, didn't you?"
The smile in her voice warmed me to the core. "It depends," I said. "If I did, is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?"
She hesitated. "What if it is a good thing?"
"Then it was all me."
"And if it's a bad thing?" she asked.
"In that case," I told her, "blame Bishop."
"Your brother?" she laughed. "Why him?"
"Because he's already on your list, so I figure, eh, what's the difference?"
"Heeeey," she said, " you're on my list too."
"I know. And I’m trying like hell to get off it."
"So, that's why you did it?"
"Nope. I'd have done it anyway."
"I've gotta ask," she said, "how'd you do it? It's not like you had my keys."
Who needed keys? Not me. "Long story," I said.
"Yeah, I just bet." Her voice warmed. "Still, thanks for the help.
From somewhere behind me, Bishop spoke. "You'll be glad you did that."
I turned, and there he was, watching me with those sharp eyes of his. I didn't want anyone studying me, and I sure as hell didn't feel like talking.
"Glad?" I made a scoffing sound. "There's nothing to be glad about here."
Yeah, I'd given Amber another chance. But it was more for my own sake than for hers. Karma – I wasn't a big believer in that sort of thing. But desperately, I wanted another chance with Chloe. And maybe, just maybe, if I gave a chance to someone else, Chloe would do the same for me.
It was worth a shot, right?
I strode past Bishop and made for the stairway. I needed a shower, and to crash for a few hours. It was Sunday, and for once, I didn't have anything planned.
Over my shoulder I said, "When the tow-truck comes, open the garage, will ya?"
I didn't wait for his answer. Instead, I went upstairs and made for the master bathroom, where I turned on the shower and then stripped out of my clothes. Waiting for the water to warm, I stood naked, looking into the full-length mirror.
I didn't look like a monster. My face, my body, it all looked the same as yesterday. There was the same dark hair, the same dark eyes, the same body that was famous for more than fighting.
I recalled the words of some famous blogger. I had the face of an angel and a body for sin. I'd sinned, alright. Against Chloe.
In front of the mirror, I peeled off the wrist-bands and studied the raw skin underneath. I lifted my wrists for a closer look. The wounds went beyond simple rope burns. There was dried blood and damage so deep, it looked more like cuts than superficial scrapes from old-fashioned friction.
I thought of Chloe's wrists. My handcuffs. My fault.
I hadn't meant for her to get hurt. I hadn't even known. But I should have.
With a heavy sigh, I turned and headed into the shower, where I tried to scrub away the filth of the last twenty-four hours. But when the water ran cold however long later, I still felt dirty.
Chapter 21
Something was ringing. My cell phone. Instantly awake, I jerked upright in the bed. It was Chloe's ringtone. I grabbed the phone from the nearby nightstand and hit the button. "Chloe?"
Her voice, soft and sweet, was music to my ears. "So, I've got this mysterious car in the driveway."
I knew which car she meant. Hers, obviously. Last night, or more accurately, this morning, between my two conversations with Amber, I'd driven to the restaurant where Chloe worked.
Sure enough, I'd found her car parked in the same spot as before. And sure enough, just like she'd told me on my own doorstep, the thing didn't want to start.
"Yeah?" I said into the phone. "How mysterious?"
"Well, it looks like mine. But apparently, it can drive all by itself."
"Hmm."
"Even when it's broken down."
"Or maybe," I said, "it was just a dead battery."
One quick jump with my jumper cables, and the engine was up and running. I'd left my sedan in the restaurant parking lot, and then, I'd driven Chloe's little Fiesta back to her place.
I'd parked it in her driveway, and then I'd walked back home. A peace offering? Maybe. But I'd have done it regardless.
"Aha!" she said. "You went and got it, didn't you?"
The smile in her voice warmed me to the core. "It depends," I said. "If I did, is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?"
She hesitated. "What if it is a good thing?"
"Then it was all me."
"And if it's a bad thing?" she asked.
"In that case," I told her, "blame Bishop."
"Your brother?" she laughed. "Why him?"
"Because he's already on your list, so I figure, eh, what's the difference?"
"Heeeey," she said, " you're on my list too."
"I know. And I’m trying like hell to get off it."
"So, that's why you did it?"
"Nope. I'd have done it anyway."
"I've gotta ask," she said, "how'd you do it? It's not like you had my keys."
Who needed keys? Not me. "Long story," I said.
"Yeah, I just bet." Her voice warmed. "Still, thanks for the help.
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