Page 121 of The Woman with the Handcuffs

“Did you hear that?” I asked the kitten, snatching him up and bringing him to my face to feel his fur on my cheek. “You get to live with us. That has to be better than wherever you came from.”

“Dumped in a box in Central Park with no food or water,” Brio explained. “No mom, either.”

“Did those mean people dump you like trash? Well, don’t you worry. I’m going to spend every spare dollar I have on you.”

“Every one?” Gav asked. “What about all the books out there who also need homes?”

“Okay. Well, listen. I will spend half of all my spare dollars on you. And then Gav will spend half of his spare dollars on you, too. And he has more of them. So you’re going to have it made.”

“I’ll grab his stuff and set it up. He’s good with the litter box. And he loves toys. And treats,” Brio said.

“Then you will have all the toys and treats you want. Yes, you will.”

“That cat’s gonna be eighty pounds,” Gav said, shaking his head.

“Don’t listen to him. You are going to be perfect. Yes, you will. Oh, look at those cute little murder mittens!” I said when he spread his little toe beans. “He needs a name,” I told Gav as he dropped down with me after helping Brio then escorting him out.

“Yeah, he does.”

“Something bookish?”

“Seems appropriate.”

“Atticus?” I asked.

“Probably too long. Poe?”

“Works better for a black cat. Heathcliff? Heath for short?”

“An abusive asshole is probably not the best character to name our cat after.”

Our.

My heart did a squeeze at that.

“Gatsby?” he asked, teasing because he knew how much I hated that book.

We rolled over character names until our minds went blank. Bingley, Bennet, Dorian, Pip, Byron, Huck, Watson, Sherlock, Darcy.

“What about something bookish but not a character?” I suggested. “Quill, Folio, Verse, Story, Fable…”

“Plot Twist,” Gav said with a smirk.

“I know you’re joking, but I kind of like it. Aren’t cats supposed to have the most ridiculous cat names? Like Sergeant Fuzzyboots or Bartholomew Mulling Spice.”

“Where the fuck are you coming up with these names?” he asked, reaching over to pet the cat. “I like Plot Twist. Seems kind of fitting. You busting in here and handcuffing me to a chair was the biggest fucking plot twist in my life.”

And mine.

Gavino - 2 weeks

Despite what Leo said, I actually did get a little grace period when it came to family dinner. Everyone seemed to understand how much Caitlin had just been through and that she might not want to meet the family while still rocking a black eye so dark that no amount of makeup could make it disappear.

So we got two weeks to ourselves.

We did nothing but eat, sleep, read, and play with PT. It was something we both needed. To be able to settle into the relationship without the worries about the mystery surrounding her father or the Family.

We just got to be a couple.