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“Relate?” I raise my eyebrows at her.
“My mom. You know I needed that money to pay for cancer treatments. It got close there for a while. I didn’t…”
Her words stumble as she swallows hard, and tears threaten to break free once more. But she shakes her head and forces a smile.
“She’s fine. Remission and everything. But it wouldn’t be that way without your help. You’re the reason she’s alive.”
I hear my heart in my ears as the gravity of her words settles over me. I’m no white knight, and the fact that Macy sees me as anything but the criminal I am prickles over my skin in a way it shouldn’t.
Altruism isn’t in my line of work. It’s reserved for violent bargaining and never-ending lies. But the gratitude burning through Macy’s eyes catches something in the empty pit that is my heart.
I want to tell her, tell her everything about how I kept dibs on her, paid her debt, and the immediate connection that drew me to her against all better judgment.
But I bite my tongue.
“I do know some of the details,” I say. “Part of loan sharking. I checked out my investments, and I’ll admit that I was hopeful that your mom would make it through. So, when I checked back in to see that she was doing okay, I was glad.”
The bravado in my voice comes from years of practice, the deception masking the vulnerability leaking through my established walls that Macy has so expertly started to bring down.
“Yeah, she’s okay… She’s okay…” Macy stares off into the distance, and I can feel the worry radiating off her.
“Macy?” I lay a hand on her shoulder.
“Sorry.” She clears her vision, wiping under her eyes. “Coming that close to losing her, it, it did some stuff. I still worry. So much. I can’t help but fear the worst, even when it’s just a routine checkup. She’s got that appointment I mentioned. It’s this coming Sunday. And every time I think about it, I start to panic.”
I take Macy’s face in both hands and look her directly in the eyes. “She’s fine. She’s beaten this thing, and she’s a strong fighter. You’re going to worry. That’s okay. Just don’t let the worry win. You need to fight, too.”
Her sweet, doe eyes go large like no one has talked to her like this. Helped her process. Macy needs that strength. If something does happen, she needs to know that she can handle it, not break apart.
That break is one you don’t come back from, and people capitalize on it.
I won’t let that happen to her. I’ll show Macy the strength already inside her. I’ll help her find the fire beneath all the stuff she has to wear on the outside and teach her to use her fear as an edge, sharpening her insights and ability to prepare for anything.
“Thank you, Jett. Everyone just brushes it off like I’m a worry wart. No one has taken me seriously.”
“If you tell me something, Macy, I’ll believe you. I’ll support you. But you don’t need me. You’re strong enough to do whatever you need to.”
My phone buzzes, and I can see the text saying that our food has arrived. I sigh, releasing some of the built-up tension worming its way through my bones.
“Looks like it’s time to eat. Shrimp or veggies?”
The smile I put on now isn’t about persuading her or getting Macy to forget. It’s a quiet assurance that I hope she can read in my eyes even as the words go unspoken.
She tips her head to the side, and a mournful smirk decorates her lips. There’s sorrow for our shared situation, but also a building connection that can only be made through mutual understanding and trust.
Macy nods and crosses her legs under the sheet. “Half and half, please. Got any beer?”
“I do. Would you like me to choose one for you?” I stand and move toward the door.
“Yeah.”
I look back, and we meet eyes.
Macy's eyes soften as she speaks. “I trust you.”
A feeling I’ve never experienced radiates through my chest and down my spine, like taking a hot bath. She shouldn’t trust me. I’ve done terrible things, and I might have to do them again. But…
I go get the takeout and grab two drinks from the fridge. Just before I go back into my bedroom, delivering a hot dinner to a woman who, by all rights, should not be in my home, I hesitate.
