“Then why are you placing the blame on your shoulders?”
“Because I should’ve been faster and stronger, dammit. It was drilled in my head for as long as I can remember to protect my mother and keep my brother safe. I failed.” His voice shook. He closed his mouth and shook his head, unwilling to speak any more on the touchy subject.
“I think we’re both a little warped and worn, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change, right?”
It was an olive branch he grabbed with both hands. “Right.”
An understanding passed between them. They were kindred. Despite the fear and tendency to be gun-shy, what they’d discovered was rare.
She opened her mouth to speak and paused, shaking her head.
For now, it was enough that she remained here with him at this moment. The rest they would figure out as they went.
“Speak now or forever hold your peace, Symone. ‘Cause from here on out, I’m placing you under my protection.”
“With conditions.” Her voice fell so low, he had to strain to hear it.
“I’ll bend as much as I can, but if it comes down to keeping you safe and we disagree, I’m not going to back down.”
She frowned.
Don’t backpedal now, babe.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
The words were all the green light he needed.
CHAPTER FIVE
The jingle of the telephone drew her attention to the end table beside the couch. The name Monster flashed in bold black and she snickered. Leave it to him to program something into my phone. She answered, “Hello.”
“What are you doing, babe?”
His laid-back approach made her smile. The man was persistent. She had to give him that. “Watching television. What are you doing?”
A knock sounded on her door.
“Answer the door and find out.”
“What?” She stood from the couch and walked over to the door. She peered out the peephole.
Monster stood outside in a black t-shirt, his cut, and a tattered pair of jeans that hugged his legs.
She licked her lips.
“You debating whether or not you’re going to let me in?”
“Maybe,” she leveled.
He chuckled. “How about you make it easy on both of us and let me inside?”
Symone unlocked the chain and pulled open the door.
Monster hung up his cell and shoved it into the pocket of his vest. “You ready to come away with me?”
“Where to?”
“Wherever you want.”