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“If I agree to go shopping with you, will you stop staring at me like you want to jump me?” I ask sweetly.
“Sure,” she says, grinning slowly.
“Fine, we can go shopping,” I say, giving in.
“Yay,” she says, clapping her hands.
“Don’t get carried away. I don’t have tons of money to spare,” I remind her.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll invite Serenity, and she’ll bring Ryker’s black card. You know that man has more money than he knows what to do with.”
“Whatever,” I mumble. I pull on a tank and add another hoodie. I sit on the edge of the bed and put on my combat boots.
“Have you ever worn heels?” she asks, looking at my boots in disgust.
“No, and I don’t plan to,” I grumble. “I have to have my style, not yours.”
“Sorry, you’re right,” she says, hanging her head. “I just don’t want you to hide anymore. I want you to be happy.”
“Hey, I am,” I say. I can’t be mad at her. “At least I’m trying to be.”
“I will do whatever I can to help,” she says.
“Thank you for breakfast. I have to go,” I say, standing. “We can go out together.”
I clean up the table. Ava insisted I keep all the leftovers, and I try not to show how much the small kindness affects me. We part ways in the parking lot. She makes me swear to come out with her tonight and go shopping before leaving. At least I have someone that wants to spend time with me. I feel ungrateful for her friendship. I will do better.
***
I walk into the office and hear shouting. I quickly run into Quinn’s office to see him facing off with a man. Oh shit. I remember him. I followed him weeks ago. He cheated on his pregnant girlfriend with an older, more experienced woman. His girlfriend left him. His name is Jim, and he is pointing his finger at Quinn’s face. Quinn acts like Jim is talking to him about the weather.
“Where is that bitch?” Jim yells. “She ruined my life.”
That explains the origin of the bitch comment from this morning. “Calm down.” Quinn keeps his eyes on Jim, but I know he saw me. Shifters have a good sense of smell, too.
“What’s the problem?” I ask. Quinn and Jim glare at me for two different reasons. Jim finally has his eyes on the person that ruined his life, and I’m sure Quinn wishes I would have turned around and gone to my office.
“You’re the problem. You’re the one that gave my girl those pictures. You’re going to pay for it,” he says softly.
“That’s enough,” Quinn growls. He moves close to Jim’s side. “Back away.”
“It’s not my fault that you cheated. What did you expect?” I ask. My mom used to say my mouth got me into so much trouble. It’s so hard to keep in all the comments that cross my mind.
“Fuck you,” he spits. His hand comes up fast, backhanding me.
I gasp in pain and fall against the door frame, moaning as my back makes contact. Quinn takes him by the neck and pushes him out to the street. I touch my face, and my hand comes away bloody. He had a ring on his finger; it must have cut me. I go into my office and look in the mirror in my small bathroom. I clean it with water and study it. It shouldn’t need stitches, but I hate that it’s going to worry my friends when they see it.
I usually don’t wear makeup, but I might have to. I cringe thinking of trying to apply it.
“Are you alright?” Quinn sticks his head in the door.
“Yeah,” I sigh.
“You had to open your mouth,” he says, shaking his head.
“I know. I should have walked away,” I say, regretful. “Sometimes, it’s hard to keep my internal dialogue to myself.” I’ve done it for so long—I’m tired of it.
“Do better. These guys we expose lose everything. A guy loses everything he knows, and he gets angry and does stupid violent shit,” he lectures.
