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“She was trapped in the townhouse for too long. She was becoming stir crazy. After this latest escape attempt out the bathroom window… I decided to give her some fresh air.”
“So you took her to Lucky Tails?” His tone is neutral, but I can tell there is a smirk in there.
“She actually chose it. I offered her the option of any one of your protected properties. Compound, which I wouldn’t have done. Bar or strip club. I don’t think she really expected me to take her to the club, but I figured I could kill two birds with one stone. Check on Lucky Tails and then look at a couple of clubs you wanted buy. She didn’t have to know you didn’t own the other ones.”
Finally, he lets out a chuckle. “She will pick out the most uncomfortable thing every time, Simon. She was born to push the buttons of all who surround her.”
“I’m quite aware of that,” I say and pick up the phone as I head out of the bathroom and make my way to my office.
I’m naked, but the blood has stopped enough on my shoulder that I won’t drip. Picking up my black bag, I walk back to the bathroom.
“Where is she now?” he asks.
Fuck. I knew that this question was coming. I knew it from the moment we left the strip club in our hurry for safety. I knew this question would come and the answer I have could be very bad for both her and I.
“Here at my home. I’ll be able to keep her… secure here. No more threats of ripping her wrist open with her teeth.”
“Simon,” he says simply. “What are you doing right now?”
Unzipping my black bag, I pull out the small suture kit I keep inside of it. This is my personal medical supply bag. It has everything I need to take care of myself. Doctors can be useful, but I find I trust myself more than them.
“Preparing to give myself eight to ten stitches on my shoulder.”
“Should I send Andrew over? He can do that for you.” He says it more as of a statement than a question.
“No. I’d rather grow gangrenous than have that caveman try to give me stitches.”
Pulling out a fresh packaged syringe and then a small bottle of numbing agent, I set them on the counter.
“Simon, why is my sister at your house?”
“Because she infuriates me so much she can’t be trusted by herself again.”
The laughter that comes out of the phone is shocking, just as shocking as it is for me to admit to anyone how much she gets under my skin.
“Truly, Simon?”
“Yes,” I say tersely.
“Simon, should I trust you with her? Or should I trust her with you?” There’s a small amount of humor in his voice, but it could easily be danger too.
“Lucifer, have I ever given you a reason to doubt my decisions?” I ask with a huff.
Numbing the surrounding area of the wound, I pull the suture kit open and thread the needle quickly.
Dumping two different disinfectants into the wound, I savor the burn as it cleanses the bite mark.
I look at my body in the mirror. She isn’t the first person to give me scars that will always be there as a reminder. I have many of them. Many of them I can’t easily see from my father. My back is a mess of his handiwork.
Lots of thin white lines; coat hangers were his favorite way to teach a lesson.
Then there’s the one on my thigh from a knife, and the one on my right hip from a stray bullet.
Lucifer has paused for so long that one might think he hung up, but I know better. He’s running everything he knows of me in his head. He’s trying to see into the future, to see all the possible outcomes of what I’ve said.
“Be careful, Simon. Her loyalties… She may never be trustworthy. She’s not the woman she pretends to be when she has to play nice.”
“Oh, I know that, Lucifer. She’s the reason I’m sewing my shoulder up. She bit me.”
“I…” Lucifer starts then stops.
I do believe he’s speechless.
“She’s in perfectly good hands then,” he finally finishes. “Come to the compound tomorrow, and if you can keep her secure enough, don’t bring her.”
“I’ll be in late in the morning. I need to stop by the office. I’m going to see if I can watch the feeds for the bomber. I should be able to see him on the cameras.”
“Good, I want this prick dead. Whoever ordered this hurt me personally. I want to return the favor.”
“Just a thought, Lucifer, but I would be surprised if it was the Russians directly.”
“Same here. Something seems off with that thought. We need to start pulling our men home, Simon. We’re spread too thin. Put a call out to Governor Norton and tell him we want paperwork done for a full pardon.”
