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“I doubt it,” I reply, “but it’s possible. Luckily, I don’t have any tattoos, and there was so much mayhem. I’d be surprised if the cops came knocking on my door. I’d be surprised if the cops cared enough to launch a full-scale investigation into this.”
“What will they do with the dogs?” she asks.
“Shelters. Those with chips will go back to their owners.”
Samantha stands up and paces nervously around the coffee table. Every movement of hers shows the aftershocks of what happened. It’s like she can still hear the gunshots. She sits next to me and shuffles close. I lift my arm and wrap it around her, holding her tightly, wondering what I would’ve done if I’d lost her.
“How’s my girlfriend feeling, hmm?” I whisper, kissing the top of her head.
When her laughter comes, it’s a gift, even if she sounds choked up and ready to burst into tears, scream, or get up and run again. “So that was serious, huh? I thought that might’ve been in-the-moment talk.”
“Is that a yes?” I ask.
She looks up at me, eyes sparkling with emotion, a soft smile on my woman’s face. “You didn’t ask me, but it’s a yes.” She frowns.
“What’s wrong?” I shake my head. “Sorry, stupid question.”
“I just… It’s just the way I reacted when all that stuff happened. I never thought about how I’d handle myself in a crisis like that. I guess I hoped I’d be a bit more useful.”
“You were useful. You drove Charles’ car.”
“Whoopee!”
“Don’t downplay it,” I growl. “You’re a civilian with no military training or experience in violence or gunfights. It’s different from the movies. People think they’ll behave a certain way, but they rarely do. It’s not your fault. Hell, it’s betternotto be experienced in that stuff.”
“Thank God you were there,” she says softly.
I always will be, I almost reply, but then Loki leaps down and starts running in anxious circles. He whines and moves toward the door.
“I think somebody needs the bathroom,” I say.
“Can I come?” she asks. “I don’t want to be alone.”
I think about it for a moment, not seeing any risks. I’m taking the pistol, just in case. After seeing my woman so close to the end, I know I can’t let her go. Hell, Iknewbefore, but this is a different type of knowing. This is destiny. This is love.
“What’s wrong?” she asks as we walk toward the door together, her hand in mine. She must’ve felt my hand go suddenly tight.
“Nothing’s wrong,” I tell her honestly. “You’re safe. Loki’s safe. Maybe everything’s going to work out.”
I probably shouldn’t add themaybe, but I can’t speak with the level of confidence I wish I could. My son and his so-called love for Samantha are still the issue. He watched her from afar, nursing his desire formywoman. I’ll never get over the confusing sensation of feeling protective of Samantha when it comes to my own son.
Leaving the apartment, we walk down the street. It’s quiet this late at night. We’re nowhere near the center of the city. Loki sniffs cautiously, walking far closer to me than he usually would.
“So,” she says, her voice laced with irony. “Did you have a fun date night?”
I laugh and squeeze her hand again. “I can honestly say it’s been the most eventful date of my life. Not that I’ve got much experience.”
She laughs again. It sounds slightly forced, but only a little. “You can’t talk about lack of experience. That’s my deal.”
“I didn’t date,” I tell her, “before I met you. I didn’t even really date Margot, and after her, I focused on my work.”
She hugs closer to me when two men walk toward us, both of them with their hoods pulled up. I’m in no mood for bullshit tonight, so I stare at both of them, letting them see I’m willing to do bad things if they force me. They cross the street.
“I keep waiting for the bullets to start flying again,” she whispers.
Welcome to my world, I almost say, but I don’t want to be weak and bitter.
“Is that what it’s like for you?” she asks, reading my mind in her uncanny way.
