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“I will,” I promised, and I meant it.
She already knew about my back, and the physical trauma I’d endured but somehow, sharing the mental and emotional scars was much harder.
I should have been caring for her instead. This was her first night back at the Crossroads in my room after being discharged from the hospital. She was calm, but I was the one all fucked-up in the middle of the night. Mimi kept her hand on my arm and squeezed it before slipping her fingers away. I instantly missed her touch but would never stop her from doing what she wanted.
It was quiet so long that I was sure that she fell back asleep until she turned on her side, facing me with the innocent sweetness of an angel. Delicate features framed by her long hair made her seem much younger. I wanted to run my fingers along the soft contour of her cheek, but that wasn’t possible. Expressive eyes roamed my face as I rolled her way but kept my distance.
“What’s on your mind, sunshine?”
“We haven’t talked about this,” she began, and I wanted to groan since no sentence usually ended well with those words, “but should I stay in your room?”
Where else would she be staying?
“Why are you asking? Would you rather be in another room?”
Fuck. Please say no.
She shook her head. “No, but,” she paused and nibbled her bottom lip with her teeth, “I don’t want to keep you from, um, company,” she emphasized.
Aw shit. I didn’t know how to reply to that.
“You know,” she rushed on, “because it would be awkward to bring a girl in the room if I’m here. I’ve seen the other guys, uh sharing their rooms with the club girls.”
This was fuckin’ adorable.
The side of my mouth twitched in response. “If I want company of that kind, I’ll let you know.”
She visibly swallowed and then nodded. “Okay. That’s good.”
Sitting up, Mimi slid from the bed and headed toward the bathroom as if her feet were on fire. Once the door shut, I flopped back and chuckled. Little thing was unpredictable and surprising almost every damn day. She was sturdier than she realized and fierce in a way that my Reaper found irresistible.
Slipping from the bed, I headed toward my closet and a change of clothes, dressing as I heard the shower running. Good thing I kept extra deodorant in my dresser. I’d use one of the main bathrooms to brush my teeth, so I didn’t freak her out by barging in. Once my bandana was in place, and I slid my cut on, I knocked on the door.
“Gonna head to chow. Want me to bring you something back?”
Her muffled voice was low, but I heard her say she wasn’t hungry. Frowning, I wasn’t about to let her skip meals. Sure, she could do whatever the fuck she wanted, but Mimi couldn’t afford to keep losing weight. She needed to gain a few pounds after that coma. Didn’t affect how damn cute she was, but I didn’t want her unwell.
When I exited my room and entered the hall, I caught the prospect Shadow leaning against the wall, head down and hands in his pockets. Kid was borderline depressed, and all of us could see it. I knew he didn’t take Stefanie’s death well. He had a crush on Trish’s cousin and seemed withdrawn since hearing the news. Maybe it was more than a crush.
“Prospect,” I nearly shouted, catching him by surprise. “Got a job for you.”
His head snapped up. “Sure. What can I do for you, Mr. Dixon?”
Snorting with humor, I had to hide the fact that Grim had told the prospects to call us by our real last names. It was a joke that stuck. They didn’t do it outside of the Crossroads, but everyone got a kick out of it. Hazing these kids was a highlight of the club’s day.
We all put in our fair share of shit duty when we prospected. Only seemed fitting to pass the tradition along.
“Need you to stick close to Naomi. Don’t fucking call her anything else. Not Trixie or Mimi. Get her whatever she wants, and if she leaves this room, you’re her escort. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m getting her some breakfast, and I want you to knock and give the tray to her when I come back.”
He nodded, standing taller.
“Good. Don’t make me regret this.”
“You won’t.”
