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I let out a dry laugh. “So, was that before or after somebody turned her husband into a human pin cushion?”
“Before. But now…”
“She doesn’t have a choice,” I said, finishing that sentence for her. “Marcus. Safehouse?”
He shook his head. “Everything we have is either occupied or on reserve. We’re already in process of setting up a few others, but you know it takes time.”
“Yeah. It’s fine. She’ll stay with me then.” Marcus nodded, but Chloe made an odd sound in her throat that made the two of us turn in her direction. “Problem, Chlo?”
She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s just… don’t you think we should wait to speak to Monica before these decisions are made?”
“No. For what?”
Her eyes went wide. “Well, we could start with the fact that I was under the strong impression that you wanted nothing to do with Monica, and insisted that she stay away from you, which will likely be difficult if she’s taking temporary lodging in your home. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“And, that’s my cue to leave,” Marcus chuckled, giving Chloe a quick hug before he turned to me. “Listen… Sam says that Monica’s office was trashed, and it looked like whoever did this was after access to the safe. Monica just happened to be there.”
I nodded. “So she wasn’t the actual target?”
“Maybe not. But, we don’t want to count on that, and then…”
“Right. I’ve got her.”
Marcus grinned. “I know you do. I’ve been begging your ass to leaveTechand come toSecuritysince we started this shit, and you always told me no. I didn’t realize all you needed was the right damsel in distress to get your act together,” he teased, and I waved him off.
“Man, fuck that noise. I’ll get up with you later.”
“Uh huh. Bye Chloe,” he called, as he headed out the door.
“Goodbye Mr. Calloway. Always a pleasure.” Once Marcus was gone, Chloe’s attention came right back to me. “Please don’t think you’re going to get out of explaining exactly what the energy will be between you and Monicaifwe come to an agreement here. She has no family worth mentioning, so her girlfriends… we’reitfor her. So you get to talk to Mama-Bear Chloe tonight.”
I shrugged. “Well, Mama-Bear, there’s nothing to come to an agreement about. Until Monica is released from the hospital, I’ll be here. Keeping her secure. When she’s released, her temporary place of residence will be my – very comfortable – guest room, where I will continue to keep her secure. Until we know who is behind all of this, and the threat is eliminated, I will—”
“Keep her secure,” Chloe finished. “Yes, you said that, but you have to understand… it is very curious to me that you’ve gone from “Don’t come around anymore”, to fucking… Liam Neeson, or something. Explain yourself.”
“Shit changes.”
She huffed. “Oh, is that what’s happened?”
“Yes,” I nodded. “It is. Now that I have the full picture, and more and more shit keeps piling up, I’m approaching it differently. I was pissed, and now there’s no room for that. I feel bad that all of this is happening to her.”
“She doesn’t need your pity,” Chloe snapped, stepping closer. “She needs someone to give a damn!”
“Idogive a damn,” I shot right back, suddenly incensed at the suggestion that I didn’t. “Even before all of this, I gave a damn, back when she was crying and hurt because her “girlfriends” were too busy wrapped up in their men to really be there for her when that bitch-ass husband of hers really showed his ass last year. Remember that?”
Chloe’s tight jaw and lack of response let me know that I was right on the mark.
“I may have needed a few days to sulk and lick my wounds,” I told her, taking advantage of her silence, “but don’t you get this shit twisted – it didn’t take all of this for me to give a damn about Monica – I already did, before I saw a face or knew a name. I’m not about to go back and forth. I told you what the fuck I was doing, and I don’t particularly give a damn if you like it. I don’t particularly give a damn ifMonicalikes it. I said I would protect her, and that’s how it’s going to go. Are we clear?”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed at me – not in a scowl, but more like… scrutiny. She looked at me like that for several moments, until I raised an eyebrow at her. Then, she nodded. “Yes.”
“If she doesn’t have family, I guess you’re next of kin.”
“I’m her emergency contact.”
“Cool. Then, if you have questions or concerns, I’ll hear them.”
For some reason, that made her smile, which she quickly tried to hide by tucking in her lips. “Uh… no, no questions, Chadwick. I’m very clear now on where you stand, and I am very confident that Monica will be… uh…safe… in your hands.”
