Forcing myself to get it under control, I said, "Okay. You don't have to tell me. But at least let me walk you back to the house.”
For a moment, I thought she was about to argue some more, but then she glanced over her shoulder before turning back to me. I looked over her head into the room behind her, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Yet, when her eyes returned to me, there was something new there. Just a quick flash. So quick I almost didn't catch it. Fear?
“Let me get my phone and my coat. And I need to run by my place and get a few things.”
My eyes swept the back room one more time as she got her things. There was nothing out of place. Nowhere anyone could hide. Yet something was definitely off. I felt it crawling over my skin, making my gums tingle, my barely hidden fangs itching to come out and play.
"I'm ready." Esme squeezed past me and out into the shop with her coat and purse.
With one last look around, I turned off the light and let the curtain fall back into place. “Since when do you have a phone?”
“I’ve always had it.”
“Then how come I don’t have your number?”
“Because you’ve never asked.”
I locked the front door behind us after eyeing a few groups of humans still roaming up and down the street. There weren’t many people out tonight, the usual hum of life muted by the threat of bad weather, and a quick glance was all it took to confirm they weren't a threat. The air was still damp and heavy, but the rain was holding off and the unease that had pricked my skin inside the shop started to fade as we stepped onto the sidewalk.
Esme was already walking a few steps ahead of me, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.
I caught up to her in two long strides, gently grabbed her arm, pulling her to a halt. She spun to face me, her dark eyes haunted, but she didn’t pull away.
“Please tell me what's happening with you, Es.”
She looked away, her chest rising and falling with a shaky breath as she steadied herself. “I told you, it’s complicated.”
“Then uncomplicate it,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I took a breath and tried again. “You’re freaking me out. What are you doing?”
She hesitated, her gaze darting to the side like she was debating something. Finally, she let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s... it’s just something I had to do. For me. Okay? Please drop it.”
I wanted to push, to demand answers, but the way she was looking at me—like she was bracing for a fight—made me back off. For now. I didn't want to fight. Not tonight. “At least tell me that you're safe."
She let out a breath. "I'm safe," she repeated. "I'm here, aren't I?" She made a grand gesture with her arms, taking in her entire body from her head to her feet.
Wrapping an arm around her, I pulled her in close, and she let me do it without a fuss. I didn't know if it was the cold or if she just needed the physical comfort as much as I did, but I honestly didn't care about the why. Only that she was with me, and for now, I was content to walk the few blocks to her apartment in silence.
“So, do you want my number?”
She looked up at me, frowning. "Why?"
"So you can call me if you need me."
"Oh." She snuggled in a little closer, slipping her arm beneath my black jacket so I could feel the softness of her breast against my side. I could also feel the slight tremble of her body. "No," she told me.
"I'd feel better if you had it.” I kept my tone easy and casual.
“I don’t need it.”
“You might someday.”
“I won’t.”
I glanced down at her in surprise as she scratched the tip of her nose with her injured hand, revealing the tissue gripped in her fist. "How bad is the cut on your hand?"
"Not as bad as last time," she said softly. "I'll put something on it when I get home."
It worried me that she wasn't arguing. Or teasing me. Or pushing me away. Or trying to distract me with kisses.
