Hilary bowed her head. “Of course. I know I’m in over my head, but I hate the feeling.”
“That’s understandable, babe,” Joey said.
“Come on, let’s get you a seat. We’ll make you some tea and you can relax,” Evonne said.
Hil surrendered herself into their care, walking to the couch and allowing them bundle her in a blanket that smelled like Hawk. Wedged into the corner, she clung to the calm that settled over her.
“Here you are, love; it’s chamomile,” Evonne said handing her a mug.
“Thank you,” Hil said accepting it and bringing it to her lips. These women had always been there for her when she needed them most. They piled onto the couch beside her and she soaked up their silent support. Today I stared death in the face. They say your life flashes before your eyes before you die. What stretched before her wasn’t the success she’d gained in her career or the time she’d spent with family and friends. It was a darkness. A vast emptiness. The unfulfilled dreams she had given up due to circumstances out of her control. At some point, she’d let the chance of pain outweigh the possibility of greatness. Life was too short to allow the chains of fear to bind her.
Chapter Three
Hawk studied the silent woman in the passenger seat carefully. She’d been subdued as they made their way to the police station. The cage made his skin crawl, but it was necessary to accomplish their goals today.
“Everything okay?” he asked as they headed toward her home to start phase one of their plan.
“Yes, I don’t know why they brought me in when they clearly already made up their mind I brought this on myself.”
“People judge and treat you as they see fit whether they want to admit it or not.”
“Yeah,” she said.
“You think about your plan?”
“I drafted an email this morning and let everyone know I’m planning to take a research trip for an upcoming book. Once I hit my parents with a round of phone calls we’ll be set.”
“Good. What about your car?”
“The insurance people are working on it. There’s no protection plan against getting shot up. I’m sure I’ll pay a deductible and they’ll fix the damage, if they can. I’m still not convinced it wasn’t totaled.”
“After you get a few of your things and take out some money, your education will begin.”
He could feel her eyes on him.
“Education?” she said.
“How to be a proper house mouse, remember?”
“Who’s going to be um…instructing me?”
He laughed. “No need to be so formal. Just a few of the girls I trust to steer you in the right direction. They’ll get you hooked up with appointments and shit for your hair and shopping. I draw the line there.” He pulled his ball cap down over his head. He was dressed down in a pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a black pullover hoodie. He’d left his cut at the complex and waited in the car while she spoke to the police. To anyone else, he was just a friend giving her a ride to where she needed to be today. He followed her directions to the brownstone townhouse in an affluent area.
“My space is number twenty-one.”
“You like rules, don’t you?” he asked.
“They keep things orderly.”
“You still believe that?” he asked.
“I have to,” she whispered.
“All we can control is ourselves. The sooner you realize that, the better your life will be.”
“Why? Because then I can live in mayhem?”
“No, you can live in peace because you won’t be trying to regulate every aspect of life instead of living.”