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“Tell.Me.Who.Fucking.Touched.You,” he growls, like the warning snarl of a predator waiting in the bushes to rip your head off.Ican feel his heart going crazy in his chest.
I’mso shocked thatIalmost start laughing.I’llnever be able to date anyone;Beckwon’t let them within twenty feet of me.WhenIfind someoneI’mserious about,I’llhave to talk my best friend down and keep him very far away from them until he gets used to the idea.
Luckilyfor me, footsteps come bounding down the hall and skid to a stop in the doorway. “Whatthe fuck is going on in here?”Scoutblurts.
Beckjerks away and turns toward the silver-haired man, who is wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. “SomeoneattackedDallas.”Hisvoice grates harshly, and he still hasn’t let go of my sweater.
Scout’scool gray eyes widen when he sees my torn clothes. “Damn, are you okay?I’min the shower for six minutes and everything goes to shit.”
“I’vesaidIwas fine seventeen times and no one is listening to me.Aliteral child stole our groceries.That’sit.”Isound a little hysterical, dizzy with leftover shock andBeck’sfingers digging into my arm. “Makethis man let go of me, please.”
“Beck.”Scoutsnaps his fingers. “Takea deep breath, buddy.You’rescaring him.”
Beck’shead swivels toward me, and his grip pulls away reluctantly. “Areyou scared?”
“No,”Ilie, hugging myself and imagining how nice that bath would feel right now.
Thekitten screeches miserably, and we all turn toward the table, where it’s tottering around in the folds of the towel.
Beckcocks his head like he’s never seen an animal before, andScoutsighs. “Sixminutes and you manifest an entire cat?”
Groaning,Iclunk my head back against the fridge door. “Themuggers left it behind.Ididn’t want it to die.Doeither of you want to touch it?”
Scoutholds up his hands, andBecktakes a step back. “Roman?”Scouthollers at the top of his lungs. “Ihave a present for you.”
Aftera long pause, clunking footsteps give way to a sleepy-lookingRome, who must have just crawled out of a nap in his hoodie and boxers.Assoon as his golden eyes land on the table, he gasps, “Ohshit.”
“Doyou know how to take care of…”Iquit mid-sentence, because the man isn’t listening to me.Heshoves pastScout, scoops up the kitten with no hesitation, and cradles it to his chest with a series of gentle crooning noises.Scoutraises his eyebrows at me, likesee?
“What’shis name?”Romanasks, as if he thinksIadopted it from the local shelter.WhenIdon’t answer, he glances up and finally notices my injuries.Insteadof asking ifI’malright, he looks down at the kitten with solemn awe. “Yougot him good, didn’t you?You’rea fighter.”I’mpretty sure he’s making fun of me, but with him it’s always impossible to tell.
Ispread my hands indignantly, asScoutstifles a snort. “Whatdo we do with it?”
Romankisses the cat between its ears. “I’mgonna look up what to feed you,Rambo.”Itlooks comically tiny in his huge arms as he carries it out of the room and down the hall without another word.
“Rambo?”
Scoutwaves a finger up and down my disheveled body. “Becausehe can beat up people a hundred times his size.”
“Great.”Isigh, but being mocked feels like a relief after getting pinned against the fridge by a feral man. “Romanknows he can’t just keep it, right?Ithink it belongs to the muggers.”
Heshrugs, adjusts his towel, and wanders back down the hall toward the bathroom. “You’rewelcome to try taking it away from him.Goodluck.”
Worrytwists in my gut asIwalk gingerly through the living room and kneel on the water-damaged sill of the bay window.Ican’t even tell where on the roadIwas ambushed.Ifit weren’t for the very real headache throbbing in my temples,I’dwonder ifImade it up.
Ashoulder bumps mine, butIdon’t have to look around to know who it is.Itap the dirty glass thoughtfully. “Idon’t see anyone looking for the cat.”
“Good.”
Iglance up atBeck. “Becauseyou’d go down there, rip out all their fingernails, set them on fire, and bury them in a shallow grave.”
“Yep.”Hishand brushes my lower back as he squints flatly out into the bright glare of the afternoon.
“Oneof them was a little kid.Theother one didn’t sound any older than us.”
“They’llburn just as well.”Hiseyes are still dark and stormy.Aftera long pause, they clear a little and he glances down at me. “DidIreally scare you?”
Idon’t tell him whatIwas thinking about right before the ambush–the afternoon where he heard my deepest secret and held me for four hours with unquestioning acceptance. “Icould never be scared of you.Youneed to cool your fucking jets, though.”
