“But none of hers were malevolent.”
She shook her head. “No, she didn’t need one that was malevolent.”
I jerked my head up. “Why not?”
She smiled a sickly-sweet smile. “She had me.” She shrugged. “I’d do whatever it took to protect Lynn and she knew it. In Lynn’s case, her alters allowed her to share things she needed to share, things that were too painful for Lynn herself to share. Ash allowed her to be sweet and playful but kick ass at the same time. Charlie allowed her to give up control. Jamie allowed her to wear her scars out in the open. And then there was me. I’d kill to keep Lynn safe.”
I took my coffee and went back to my desk, sinking into the chair. “And did you kill for Lynn?”
She hummed a quick, jaunty little tune. “Only once, but I’d do it again.” She stared at me, waiting. Then she blurted out the question. “Which one did you meet first?”
I smiled at the memory of it. “Marley. She worked as a waitress at a deli I liked to eat at around the corner. I went for lunch every day.”
“Love at first sight?”
I let out a breath. “She was smart and funny and kind.”
“You married her.”
I nodded. “Bu
t then she disappeared.”
“For how long?”
“Just a couple of days. That’s when I met Megan.”
Shelly sat down on the edge of my desk. “What was that like?”
“Terrifying.” I bit back a shiver. “She was the opposite of Marley. Where Marley was soft, Megan was hard. Where Marley was kind, Megan was a menace. Where Marley loved me, Megan wanted me. But I couldn’t do it. I still don’t know how Mason kept them all separate in his head, how he had sex with more than one of them on a regular basis. I had no attraction to Megan. None whatsoever.”
“Did Marley know about Megan?”
“No.”
“Did Megan know about Marley?”
“Yes. Megan knew everything.”
“And Megan wanted you.”
I shook my head. “I’m pretty sure she just wanted what Marley and I had. I don’t think she wanted me in particular. She wanted the love story. She wanted the happily ever after, but then at the same time she didn’t. It’s hard to explain.”
“She knows that I’ve been working here. And that we spent the day together in your car. She told me right before she tried to kick my ass.” She reached up to absently touch the eye that looked pretty tender to the touch. “For a lefty, she packs a hell of a punch.” She pulled her phone out of her purse and queued up a video. I watched as they grappled on the mat at the rec center. And I saw the moment that Shelly realized who she was dealing with. What she was dealing with. I saw the moment when she realized that she was up against someone who truly wanted to harm her. And I saw her rally.
“Where did you learn to fight like that?”
She shrugged. “I was born this way.” Her cheeks turned pink, as if her ability to kick ass was something to be embarrassed about.
“I think you’re pretty fucking amazing,” I admitted, heat creeping up my own face.
“I’m not easy to love, so don’t go falling in love with me, PI guy.” She snickered, and I knew she was deflecting.
“Have you ever been in love, Shelly?” I suddenly asked. I didn’t even know the question was there until it shot from my brain to the tip of my tongue.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes at me. “I’m not made for love, I told you.”
“Why not?”