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It was something that was confirmed when I felt a hot breath on my ear and a voice that was way, way too familiar growled into my ear.
"Where the fuck have you been, Beth?" he hissed. "I don't know what the fuck you are up to," he went on as I violently yanked my arm away, turning to face him.
Chris was one of the bad guys I had gotten myself involved with. Not the worst of them, mind you, but up there.
"Frate," Edison's voice said suddenly, making me stiffen the same time that Chris pulled away to look at the man who had interrupted. "I think you need to take a mother fucking step back before I break your fucking hand for putting a bruise on her arm," he added, shocking me more than I could have thought possible. He was... defending me? I felt my guts twist with the worry of whether he knew who Chris really was or not. "Don't make me move you," he added on an even deeper growl, the sound more threatening than maybe any I had ever heard. It was enough to make Chris take a couple steps back, giving me a hard look that said he was going to find me and figure out what I was up to. "Dick," Edison said when he turned and moved away, reaching out for my arm and touching the small little finger-sized purple skin there.
"I, ah, thank you," I said, reaching up to rub the spot with my other hand.
"No thanks," he said, looking almost offended. "That's what we do," he added, shrugging and moving off. I got the distinct impression he would be keeping an eye on me until Lazarus found me again.
Which he did several minutes later, immediately reaching out to pull my hand off my arm and look at the damage. "Where the fuck is he?" he asked, body coiled for another fight.
"Gone, I think," I said, having lost sight of him after Edison scared him off.
"Fucking lucky," he said, shaking his head. "Shouldn't have to fucking worry about your safety here. Of all fucking places," he added, shaking his head. "You alright?"
He had no idea.
That was what I realized right that second.
Edison didn't know who Chris was and he hadn't heard anything he said to me.
They just thought he was some handsy asshole.
And as much as I knew I shouldn't have been keeping secrets, I wasn't ready. I didn't want to ruin anything.
So I didn't explain.
I didn't let him in on my trouble.
I reached down, took his hand, and gave it a squeeze.
"Let's get out of here," I demanded.
And then we did.EIGHTLazarusSomething was off.
I couldn't tell you what it was exactly, but she was different. I was trying to not harp on it. She was still actively detoxing. She could have just been up and down mood-wise. Plus she was on her feet in heels when I knew all her muscles were screaming in fatigue.
Also, some asshole put his hand on her when she should have been having a good time.
Thank God for Edison.
I couldn't fucking imagine she could have been any safer at Hex. Everyone knew me there. They also knew Ross and I were close. And Ross Ward didn't have the reputation as someone not to be fucked with for no reason.
She was probably just a little overwhelmed.
So when we pulled up to the mostly-empty clubhouse, only Lo's guys at the gates and she climbed off, went into my room, kicked off her shoes, and climbed in the bed, while I showered, I figured she was just tired.
I hadn't gone out aside from getting essentials like food for weeks during my detox. She was a real fucking trooper to manage it just four days after her last hit.
I decided sometime after slipping under the hot water and taking things into my own hands to keep the desire at bay, that as much as I wanted to continue what we had started earlier that day, that she likely needed time.
I could wait.
In fact, it was probably smart to wait.
I didn't want her confusing what we had for some bullshit surge of emotions brought on by withdrawing. I wanted her to be sure that what she was feeling toward me was real.
I didn't want her to regret me, I realized as I toweled off and slipped into pajama bottoms and a tee, checking out the damage to my body. I got off even easier than usual, not bothering to drag out the fight like I did at times to create more suspense for the betters. I just wanted it over with so I could get back to Bethany, knowing that Hex was a hotspot for just about every big and bad in town- not the least of which were dealers. I had spotted Richard Lyon and some of his people around, no doubt handing out cocaine to their highbrow clientele. I had seen a guy or two from Third Street hanging around too, likely with their heroin or the small amount of meth they still managed to make, despite their supply of cold medicine getting mostly cut-off years before.
