Page 116 of Pretty Lies

This man was kind of magical.

In his own way.

The vehicles had started to thin out of the parking lot, but there were still quite a few. They had to keep all eyes peeled lately. Chances were, they weren’t the only people watching. Cory wanted to be ready if that was the case. Della didn’t blame him.

“Any news on Luis?” she asked.

He was still MIA.

Della didn’t trust that at all.

Cory’s attention came back to her in an instant. “Not yet, but that’s okay.”

“Oh?”

“None of this is ever random, babe. Remember that.”

She would.

Or try.

•••

The two weeks following J’s funeral passed faster than Della expected during the moments she thought would be the hardest after burying her brother. She contributed it to the fact her family and their friends rallied in their own way. Late dinners. Coffee runs. Random check-ins just because. Phone calls that lasted longer than they normally would.

She saw it all for what it was.

The way someone asked are you okay?

She wasn’t.

Neither were her parents.

It was getting better.

“I’ll take Mace for a walk around the block,” Cory said in her ear as she stepped out of her car in the driveway of her townhouse. “And then I’ll be in.”

He was back working with his uncle now but he was never too far from Della’s mind considering her new best friend just happened to be an enforcer Cory handpicked. She didn’t breathe sideways without that man knowing about it. Harry was his name—the guy was old enough to be her dad, but he certainly wouldn’t put up with her shit like her father would.

He was there to keep her safe.

Not to be her friend.

Della didn’t forget it.

“How far away are you?” she asked, following the pathway that led up to the front door of her place.

“Less than two minutes. Last-minute Starbucks run for a certain someone, you know. Saw the fucking sign as I was driving by and Mace jumped into my lap at a red light, for fuck’s sake.”

Her, that was.

She needed her caffeine before bed, plus she managed to get Cory’s pup hooked on pumpkin bread. Now, he expected a piece at least a couple of times a week.

Della laughed. “Oh?”

“I’m not far behind. Don’t worry, babe. All’s good.”

Right.