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Eric speaks as if he, too, is having trouble breathing. “Make your move, my brother. But if you do, you better kill me because you will not like my retaliation. ”
Lifetimes stretch as Isaiah stares into Eric’s eyes. With a final push, Isaiah releases him. “Stay away from her. ”
Eric smooths out his shirt and readjusts his coat. He leans into Isaiah. “I am not your enemy. That girl—” he points at me “—stole what’s mine. Stop thinking with your dick and get your head in the game. That was your money, too. ”
The staring continues and Eric glances away first. Isaiah rounds on me, and I fall back onto my bottom in terror. This isn’t the guy who protected me in the bar and kissed me in his apartment. Like a thundercloud racing across the sky, he’s massive, strong, and he’s moving my way. The muscles in his arms ripple as he stalks.
My breath continues to pump in and out in shall
ow intervals. Isaiah crouches next to me. His eyes a gray storm; his expression cold, flat. “Rachel. ”
I don’t remember his voice sounding gruff. I don’t remember him being this frightening.
He lifts his hand and hesitates when I shudder. His lips press together in a line. “He will pay for touching you. ”
Several feet behind Isaiah, Eric calls out, “Whenever you’re ready to discuss this situation, I’ll be standing right here. ”
My eyes dart behind Isaiah’s shoulder, but Isaiah shifts so that he fills my line of sight. “I’ve got you, Rachel. You need to trust me. ”
Trust him. His eyes soften to liquid silver, and for the first time I can inhale a lungful of air. And I smell him: his calming scent of spices. Isaiah did scare me before—when I first met him, but then he saved me, like he’s doing now.
I nod and Isaiah caresses my cheek. His fingers are warm against my freezing skin.
“I need you strong, okay?” he whispers. “Eric thrives off of weakness. I need you to stand and let me handle this. ”
I lick my dry lips and test my voice. “He said I have his money. ” He said he’s going to hurt me. “I don’t understand. ”
Isaiah places his finger over my lips. My heart stutters. It’s a calming touch, yet equally strong. “I know. I’ll fix everything. ”
He didn’t call. It’s what I want to say, but for now, I accept Isaiah’s offered hand and rise on trembling legs.
Isaiah partially obstructs Eric’s view of me and crosses his arms over his chest. I let the fingers of my right hand rest on his left shoulder blade. Isaiah peeks at me and tilts his head to let me know that my touch is welcomed. I exhale in relief. I need this connection. I need his strength.
“You want to talk, Eric,” says Isaiah. “Let’s talk. ”
In a sloppy posture, Eric leans to the left with his hands in his jeans pockets. “Her boys fingered her yesterday. They said she was involved in the robbery and that she has my money. ”
I open my mouth to protest, but a glare from Isaiah instills silence. “Those weren’t her boys and she wasn’t involved. ”
“She showed with them. ”
“And they abandoned her when the cops came. Rachel and I had to fly through the back alleys to keep from getting caught. She stuck her neck out for me. I owe her a debt. ”
That obviously wasn’t news Eric was prepared to hear. He scratches his jaw. “You owe her a debt?”
“Yes,” says Isaiah simply.
A wan smile slants Eric’s lips. “You never owe people. ”
Becoming a statue, Isaiah says nothing in return. My fingers relax so that my palm connects with his back. Even through his shirt, my hand soaks in his warmth and energy. I focus on the steady movement of his breathing. In. . . and out. In. . . and out. A rhythm that shows no fear.
“They stole five thousand dollars from me,” says Eric. “And I want it back. I don’t care who pays for it or how. No one steals from me, and that message needs to be public. ”
“Send a message all you want, but leave Rachel out of it. ”
Eric advances on Isaiah. Isaiah never moves as Eric shoves a finger in his face. “She showed with them, and they made me look like a fool! No one makes me look like a fool!”
The finger slowly descends, but Eric stays in Isaiah’s face. Isaiah’s expression never changes: one long, continuous stone-cold glare. “No one looks at you as a fool. Everyone on the street has heard how you put those college boys in the hospital. No one doubts your strength. ”
