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I turned away and saw Manny. Manny was awake and watching me; he was tired too. His thermal was rumpled, and his jeans appeared dirty and torn, but he was staring at me, and a small smile lifted the corner of his mouth.
“What day is it?” I croaked, hoping I didn’t wake Jett. My throat felt like it was on fire, and even swallowing hurt.
“Friday, honey.”
I pushed myself up, wincing, and Manny rose to his feet and helped support me.
“I need to leave. I’ve got to open the shop,” I told him.
Manny sent me a look that I couldn’t mistake.
“Apache has the Reading Nook covered; he’s opening it. You’re going nowhere,” he said firmly.
“I have the auction to do.”
Manny lent forward and put a finger over my lips. I winced as he touched them, and Manny lightened the pressure.
“You have to shut up and heal your throat. Asshole nearly fuckin’ crushed your trachea. You need a pad to write shit on. The cops will be here soon, and they’ll expect you to talk. The shop and auction are covered. One of your girls is calling your computer guy. He’ll deal with shit. Sit back and rest.”
Manny didn’t flinch as I glared at him out of my good eye, and his expression took on a soft edge as he stroked a finger down my cheek.
“Ah honey, your beautiful face, I’m so sorry. Rage will get him, I promise,” Manny promised.
“What do you remember, Sin?” a sleepy voice inquired. Painfully, I turned my head, and Jett sat up, rubbing his eyes, and staring at me. Concern and guilt were written all over Jett’s face. I pursed my lips, which stung a heck of a lot, and folded my arms as best as I could across my chest. Wincing, I twisted away from Jett and back to Manny. Manny smirked and offered me a wink, which led to a low growl from the guy I was ignoring.
“Want to tell me what you remember, honey?” Manny asked, and I nodded.
I tried shifting and winced. Manny reached out his arm, and I clung to it and shifted in bed, turning my back on Jett. When I looked at Manny, he was grinning and sent a shit-eating grin at Jett over my shoulder. The growl repeated, louder and more pissed off.
“You know who did this?” Manny asked, stretching a leg out and hooking his chair with his foot and pulling it closer. Manny sank down into it; I bent my head.
“You mentioned your attack was over some letters?”
I nodded, mimed writing, and Manny gave me a pad. I began scribbling memories down and then handed them to Manny. Manny read it and then passed the pad over me to Jett.
“I’ll get Hawthorne on this,” Jett muttered, and he left the room.
Manny lowered his head and looked me in the eye.
“Jett’s eating a shit load of guilt over this Sin. The prospect promised your brother you wouldn’t be alone, and the asshole left you alone. Jett fucked up twice, and this is the third fuck up. Man’s not sleeping too well.”
I cocked an eyebrow at him. Jett had been asleep when I woke up.
“Sleeping,” I whispered to Manny, and even that word hurt.
“Prospect closed his eyes an hour ago. Man’s running on fumes and caffeine. Jett’s a good man, my brother, but fucker’s stubborn and an idiot sometimes.”
I snorted at Manny, and damn it, that hurt my nose; I nodded instead.
“How much longer you gonna make him pay?”
I narrowed my eyes, telling Manny that Jett would pay through the nose before he got back in my good graces. I honestly didn’t wish for a relationship with Jett, not after what he’d said to me. Jett wasn’t what I thought he’d be, but I sensed there was good in him, so maybe we could be friends. I wrote this down and informed Manny, who grinned.
“Told him it was going to be fun,” Manny responded insanely; he touched my cheek again gently. “Honey, you like him a fuck load. Don’t deny it; you wanna make Jett pay, do it, but he’s got you locked in his sights. Fight all you want, but you’ll go down.”
I sent Manny a ‘we’ll see’ look, and he chuckled. A knock at the door interrupted us, and two strange men entered, who I didn’t know. I clung to Manny’s hand, shifting towards him as fear caught me unawares.
“Ramirez, Ben,” Manny said, sitting back.
