CHAPTER 18
Grant
Leaving Hazel by herself wasn’t the best option, but she needed freedom. I compromised by meeting Zaid at Pretty Lush. At the bar, I would be a short distance away, but far enough that Hazel could have a moment to herself. To pretend like things were normal. And I could check the surveillance footage on my phone.
Standing on the sidewalk, I craned my neck, trying to figure out which window would have a view into our apartment. I had a good guess, but the blinding sun made it difficult to see much else. I knew what Hazel was doing. She was working on a plan for how she wanted to proceed with opening her own shelter. A lot went into creating a nonprofit. It wasn’t easy.
After a few minutes, I checked the footage on my phone, confirming what I presumed. Hazel lay on her stomach on the couch, in shorts and a thin tank top, her bruises no longer visible. I had the urge to run my hand along her bare thighs again.
Zaid came around the corner. He motioned towards the bar. “Here?” he asked. I nodded and followed him inside.
Despite the blue sky and the late afternoon sun, it was dark inside of Pretty Lush. Many of the tables were occupied with groups of what I assumed were social influencers. Zaid was dressed in black, his ragged hair matching his attire, complemented by his scarred face. He drew some curious glances. My casual leather jacket and bodybuilder physique drew attention as well. A few remained gawking, but most turned away. After we ordered drinks and the server left, we settled in.
“How’s Hazel?” Zaid asked.
“Good,” I said. And it was the truth. Now that we had an actual goal, one that she wanted for herself and no one else, I was confident that she would make a concentrated effort towards making it come true. Even if she learned later that she wanted something else, as long as she was focused on her goal,thatis what would help her move on.
We.We had an actual goal? That should have beenshe. Now thatshehad a goal.
“And the stalker?”
“Still an issue,” I said. The vaguer I kept it, the less likely Heather would find out the crucial details. Zaid understood that, and knew I would ask for his advice, should I need it.
“And Kiley is working on narrowing down the list of suspects?” he asked. I nodded. “Good.”
The server brought two whiskeys, and we ordered lunch. Though the two of us had been friends for a long time, we didn’t talk much. We were both men who kept to ourselves. And now that Zaid had Heather and he had sold his company, there was little to discuss.
“I have a favor to ask,” Zaid said, interrupting the silence. “We’re getting married.”
I had known for a long time that he was planning to propose to Heather.
“The wedding will be done at a drive-thru, but the collaring will be done at the house,” he explained. That made sense. A collaring in the leather community was a commitment by both parties to take care of one another, to be bound to one another for life. Knowing Zaid, he didn’t make a commitment like that lightly. What did Hazel think of her sister committing to Zaid like that? Did she still despise Zaid? She had hated me at first. Could her feelings for her future brother-in-law change too? “We need a formal host to conduct the collaring ceremony.”
Was he asking me to emcee? To be the informal officiant?
“We both thought of you,” he continued. “You’re family to us. You were there for Heather when she went to visit Hazel in the clinic.” My instructions had been to make sure that Heather safely made it to Arizona. But I had escorted her, driving her by car, most of the way there. “And you know how I feel.” Zaid hadn’t given me the position of second in command of his company without reason. I had earned his trust, much like he had earned mine. “And we both appreciate that you are caring for Hazel.”
Though the words were true, the wording sounded off. Iwascaring for Hazel. But Hazel had surprised me. She had shown me that protection meant more than keeping someone safe. It meant listening. Knowing them. Seeing them for who they truly were on the inside.
It had taken a long time, but Hazel had eventually seen that when it came to her, I wanted more than to simply complete a job. She finally trusted me.
Did that mean she was letting her guard down?
“Will you be the officiant of the collaring ceremony?” Zaid asked.
I held out a hand to shake his. Of course, I would. Did he have to ask? He gripped my hand. “I’ll be there,” I said. I couldn’t say the same for Hazel. “Let me know what to do.”
After we finished and paid, we walked out of the bar and Zaid turned to me. “I gave your number to Jones,” he said in a low voice. He waited to see my reaction; I stayed stoic. Jones was not one of the pro bono clients we chose to help. He was one of the clients we used to fund cases of necessity. “One of his card dealers is causing problems with the working women. He was adamant that he needed it fixed. Doesn’t trust the new director of the company.”
Now, it was clear. I understood why Zaid had given Jones my name. Both of us felt strongly when it came to protecting those who were preyed upon. “I’ll be ready,” I said.
Zaid walked to his car, and I waited outside of the bar. It was time for an update on the list of Afterglow attendees, but I didn’t want Hazel to hear the conversation. I looked up at the window again. But it wasn’t like I could see anything forty stories up. Then I checked the footage; Hazel was now lying on her back, her laptop lying on her chest as she typed. The image made me smile. I closed the app, then dialed Kiley.
“What?” Kiley asked.
“Any progress?”
“You gave me how many names, and you expect me to have it narrowed down by now?”
