Fuck, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
She’d been embedded in me since the first time I saw her that day in the school infirmary. I’d never looked in there. Didn’t care who was in there or why.
But her long red curls had been a beacon and I’d been the lost ship looking for a way out of the angry, stormy sea of emotions.
So, I’d looked, had stopped walking and stared at her. She’d been sitting on the edge of a chair, her hands resting quietly in Daniel Hennessey’s as tears streamed down his face. There’d been a tissue in his lap with blood on it and a smear still visible under his nostrils.
Savvy had spoken quietly to him, but I hadn’t heard her. I hadn’t needed to though. I’d seen it on her face. The compassion. Not pity. No, she didn’t have the puppy-dog sad eyes. Instead, there had been determination on her face mixed with understanding.
Daniel had been new at school, like Savvy, although at the time I hadn’t known her name. Daniel had a stutter as I’d heard a few kids talk about him. I’d known what was coming for Daniel as I’d known better than anyone how cruel kids could be.
As I’d watched them, she’d plucked a new tissue from the box and handed it to him. He’d wiped his tears and then she’d drawn him into her arms, and it was like all the tension drained from Daniel as he’d sagged within her cocoon of warmth and kindness.
I’d been unable to look away—from her. This girl with the red curls and warmth radiating from her.
When she’d pulled back, there hadn’t been sadness in her eyes, there had been strength and she’d offered it to Daniel.
I’d noticed him struggling to get his words out, and she’d listened, nodding. No frustration. No interruption. No attempting to finish sentences for him.
She’d just listened.
My chest had swelled.
When I’d finally broken away from the scene, I didn’t go to class where I’d been headed. Instead, I’d walked down to the river and skipped pebbles across the smooth surface.
I hadn’t known her name. But it was the first time I’d ever wanted to know more about someone since my brother’s death.
And that was when I began to watch her. It hadn’t taken me long to realize her soothing quiet eased the anger in me.
As weeks turned to months, I’d liked her even more. She didn’t conform to fit in with the other girls. She simply was herself. There’d been forgiveness in her. Kindness and sympathy.
She became that beautiful, coveted orchid that I could never have.
Logan slapped me on the shoulder. “Hey. If you need to fight, let me know.”
He knew playing the drums helped with my anger, but even more was the punching bag or when we sparred together. The most recent being after my father had called.
I nodded. “Thanks. Might take you up on that.”
Normally, I had control. Steady. Easygoing. Nothing unsettled me. But this shit with my father and now Savvy brought back everything I’d buried a long time ago.
The dog swam after Ream, paws scratching his back as he paddled away from him. “Shit. Tear. Fuckin’ Kat will break my balls if she sees scratches all over my back.”
Logan chuckled.
I didn’t. I was thinking about the thank-you note Savvy had left on the steps for me under the rock. Some of the words had been smudged from the rain, and it was crinkled and torn, but I still had it. The only personal thing I’d kept from back then. Now, it sat in the nightstand drawer with the same rock.
“Name?”
“Savvy. Bree, one of the dancers, told me to see Frankie, but I never told her my name.”
The security guy smiled. “Right. Hijack.”
“Hijack?”
“You hijacked the cage.”
I offered a tentative smile. “That would be me.”
“I’m Jacob.” He opened the club door. “Piece of advice,” he said before I disappeared inside. I turned to look at the bulky guy. He looked to be about twenty and had tattoos covering every visible inch of skin showing, except his face. “Don’t let Greg see you. He’s still pissed you deaked out on him Saturday night.” He chuckled. “Doesn’t help that we roosted him on it. Boss man wasn’t too happy with him though.”
I felt bad about that. I didn’t want Greg to get in trouble. I’d have to apologize.
“Thanks for the advice, Jacob.”
“Sure thing,” he replied and shut the door behind me.
I stood in the foyer of the club, expecting it to be dirty and unattractive without the nighttime glow from all the blue lights. But the place was spotless, with clean stone floors and charcoal gray walls that had a shimmery effect on them. As I walked into the bar and dance floor area, I saw the four ornate floor-to-ceiling columns standing in a circular display around the dance floor, reminding me of a Greek arena. The cages were beside each column on pedestals and my skin heated thinking about dancing in there.