His eyes pleading with me, and all I can do is stare back, unable to move from suffocating in them.
1
“Elias.” My supervisor walks up to me, holding out a phone.
“What’s this?”
“You know theAndersongirl, right?”
“What d’you mean?” I ask him as he shakes his head.
“Like you were friends with her brothers… you know her?”
“I knew her when we were kids.”
Truth is, I hadn’t so much as seen Drew, except for occasionally in passing, for years until yesterday when I showed up at the scene of an accident. I never expected to pull up to see Z and most of the guys from the MC surrounding the cars. Axe had already gotten Drew out. Z was trying to pull Tate from the other car, and the guy who was driving Drew was gone, along with key members of the club.
I shouldn’t have hidden the fact that they went after him, but I did. My fucking loyalty to people who hate me is going to end up being my downfall, but I knew that from the start.
“Found her phone in Tate’s car. Said she had gotten it to call Z. The Anderson girl got released this morning; she’s back at her apartment. Figure everything she’s been through, send a familiar face over.”
I can’t help but laugh as I shake my head. “I said I knew her, not that we liked one another.” Shaking my head, I look over, seeing his irritation with me before reaching over and grabbing it. “Fine.”
* * *
Walking out of the station, finally out of uniform, I move over to my truck and slide into the front seat. Exhaling a deep breath as I get ready for the trek across the city to the university district.
Pulling up at the converted apartment building. What was once an old home is now a six-unit building.
Hers is the top-right unit.
Honestly, I’m almost surprised not to see every bike parked outside of the building, but I’m sure there’s probably some stipulation in the lease regarding that. All a landlord would need is to see her name on the application, and they would know who her family is.
Opening the front door, I walk up the stairs and stop at apartment ‘3B’. Knocking on the door, I pause, waiting for someone to answer, but I’m only met with silence.
Knocking a second time. Silence. Trying once more.
I wait for a minute before turning and moving back towards the stairs when I hear the lock turn and the door open, just enough for the chain to catch.
The sliver of the opening the door creates is enough for me to see how she’s holding up.
I shake my head. “Jesus.”
“Thanks,” she spits out. “What do you want? I already gave a statement.”
“It’s not that.” I shake my head as I look at her again. Trying to hide my reaction this time. I say nothing else, just hold the phone up next to my face so she can see it.
“Oh.” She nods again. “Hold on.” Shutting the door, I hear the chain sliding from the lock before she pulls the door open again. “Uh…” she trails off, looking around her apartment. “Come in.” She steps aside and lets me in.
I feel awkward as I stand in the foyer and just look around the room. I don’t realize she’s looking at me as I survey her home until my eyes land back on her.
“It’s not much, but it’s mine, alright.” She snaps at me again as she slides the chain back into place.
Like I said, we’ve never liked one another. I guess I should feel better knowing that she feels safer with me than whatever she’s worried about coming through that door.
“Not that.” I shake my head. “I was just thinking I’m surprised the club isn’t here watching your every move.”
She laughs. “Please, my brother has more important things to tend to.” She’s rolling her eyes now as she grabs the phone from my hands and walks into the kitchen. “You want anything to drink?”
