AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I asked, but she said it was none of my business and walked out.”
“Just give her space. If she isn't back after an hour though, call me.”
“Okay, boss,” Tatum says, hanging up.
Going through my phone contacts. I quickly call her, hoping she'll be more talkative on the phone than face to face. We only seem to argue when in each other's presence, but I'm slowly starting to understand why.
“What, Valen?” she answers after the third ring. She sounds tired, her voice strained.
“Tatum said you left the apartment.”
“Zoe is there, I didn't leave him by himself. And I figured your friend would watch over him, unless there's a reason I shouldn't be leaving Valarian with him?”
“No, Tatum is fine. He's safe. I was just concerned about where you were going this late at night.”
“The reserve. However, I am now headed back home because someone fixed the damn fence again. I had it reopened yesterday afternoon and someone keeps fixing it,” Everly curses, and I hear her kick the mesh. I press my lips in a line, knowing it's my fault.
“Uh, that may be my fault. Marcus told me the fence was broken. I sent someone out to fix it.”
“Of course it was you,” she sighs.
“Well, I'll stay on the phone with you, make sure you get home okay. How was I supposed to know it was intentionally opened?”
“I am capable of getting home, Valen, and it's fine, a lot of us use it as a shortcut. Whatever. I can wait until tomorrow or something,” she says, though she sounds like she's almost breathless.
“Please, this doesn't have to be an argument; just don't hang up until I know you're back with Tatum. Do you always go running this late?”
She doesn't hang up on me, so I figure she's giving in.
“No.”
“Then why are you running so late?”
Everly doesn't answer straight away, and I glance at the phone to make sure it's still connected.
“Because I need to,” she finally says, though it sounds more like a murmur and like there's more meaning to it than that.
“What do you mean?”
“It doesn't matter, Valen. Anyway, I am at my door. Your bodyguard is staring at me because I look like a drowned rat from the rain. Can I go now?”
“I just want to make sure you're home safe.”
She groans, the noise sounding annoyed.
“Hey, BFG, tell your boss I'm home,” I hear her say before I hear Tatum.
I hear in the background, “She's home,” and sigh with relief.
“You might as well come in. It's pouring. I can't have you sleep out here; you can stay on the couch,” I hear her tell him.
“Uh, just one second,” I hear him murmur before I feel the mind-link open up.
“Are you for real right now? Are you seriously asking permission?” I vaguely hear Everly say through the phone. Tatum's voice flits through my head at the same time she snaps at me through the phone.
“Either he can come in, or he leaves. I won't be able to sleep knowing he's outside freezing on my doorstep.”
'I assume you got what she said?' Tatum asks through the mind-link.
