She got up quietly and I groaned at the sight of her, fully dressed. Marisol had gone out of her way to hide her body from me over the past few days which only heightened my suspicions about what that fucktard had done to her. She must’ve gotten dressed while I was out getting food from downstairs, dammit.
“Thank you,” she whispered again when got settled at the small kitchen table. At first she ate hesitantly, like she was waiting for something bad to happen, which only made me more curious to know what that bastard had done to her.
I was happy to see her appetite return as she tucked into half of a big ass steak and egg burrito, pouring a healthy serving of Jana’s habanero salsa over the top of it. “Damn girl, I love to watch you eat.”
“Stitch,” she said with that faint hint of annoyance blended with affection.
“What? I’ve missed you Marisol and now that you’re eating again, it reminds me how much I love your appetite.” All of her appetites but I didn’t want to go there. It was too soon. “Are you ready to talk?”
She froze and shook her head. “No, not now.”
I couldn’t deny that it hurt like hell that she didn’t want to talk to me, but I also couldn’t blame her. She’d been stuck with that bastard for a week of hell, probably unsure if I would keep my word to her. “Okay. But please, if you don’t want to talk to me then talk to someone else. Moon is a good listener and she’s all into that yoga and Zen shit that’s supposed to help center you, or whatever. Please, babe?”
She grinned and slowly it spread and became the smile I’d seen on her beautiful face so many times. “You’re a good man, Stitch.”
“Don’t sound so surprised, babe. I told you, I’m a catch.” I patted my chest and a small laugh erupted out of her, making me feel about a thousand feet tall. But I was a good guy and I needed her to know that. “I want to help you, Marisol, in any way I can, but that doesn’t mean we have to be together or sleep together if you don’t want. I mean that.”
I pushed back from the table and stood because what I had to say was important. “I like you, a lot, and I do want you, but if you don’t want that, I’ll still be here for you. You’ll have to stay here until we’re sure Carlito is gone but that’s it.”
I wanted her bad and hadn’t realized it until Carlito had dragged her into that church basement, beaten and scared. But I couldn’t be another man who wanted what she didn’t want to give.
I wouldn’t be that guy.
Ever.
She looked at me, her sad brown eyes trying their damnedest not to look it. I dropped back into my seat. Gutted. “Thank you, Stitch.” She placed a hand on top of mine and I sighed at the warmth, the evidence she was coming back to life. “It’s not that I don’t want you, I’m just…I don’t know, exhausted.”
“Okay, I get it.” That much I could deal with. “I’ll sleep downstairs and have Jana and Moon check on you from time to time to make sure you’re okay, yeah?”
She shook her head, eyes welling up with tears. “Can…can’t you stay?”
Fuck yeah, I could stay. “If you want me to, Marisol, I’m here.” When she looked at me this time, her whole face lit up and some of the color had come back. I had to fight the urge to crash my lips down on hers, but fuck me, I wanted to. “Whatever you need, babe.”
She stood and rounded the table before she climbed on my lap and rested her head on my shoulder with her arms wrapped tight around me. “Right now, Stitch, I just need you to hold me.”
So I did. I held on tight and let her soft curves lean into me. We sat like that for so long that my legs went numb and my ass began to tingle from being pressed into the scrawny wood kitchen chair but I didn’t say a damn word. Not one fucking peep. I didn’t move one inch unless Marisol needed to readjust. I may not have been the best bet for most of my life but right now she needed my warmth. My protection. My comfort. And I was damn well gonna give it to her.
That and so much more.
When she was ready.
Chapter Twenty-Six - Golden Boy
Two weeks had passed since the shit had gone down with the cartel. Lockdown ended and life was finally getting back to normal. Sort of. Everyone was still on high alert, including myself, but so far things had been quiet. Thanksgiving was right around the corner and I hoped to have a holiday without blood and without bullets. Without any fucking drama.
“Hey, Golden Boy, phone’s ringing!” Lasso’s voice pulled me from my thoughts that had interrupted the boring ass work of bookkeeping. Despite the money I’d gotten from my lawsuit against the State of Nevada, I ran a small business and that meant a lot of fucking paperwork. All of the fucking time.
“Yeah, I hear it,” I grumbled and rubbed my eyes while the phone continued to ring. “GET INK’D, what can I do for you today?”
“You can tell me what you’re wearing, Tate.” Teddy’s husky voice was a purr over the phone, making me smile but when she used my given name, fuck that sound got me hot and ready to fuck.
“You first, Cover Girl.” The silence on the line extended long enough to put me on edge. “What’s up, babe?”
She sighed and I was already on my feet, scanning the office for my keys. “I need you to come home. Now.”
I snatched the keys off the ring Jag had installed right by the door. “Is this a sex thing or something else?”
“Something else,” she answered with a smile in her voice.