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“Thank you.”
Her eyebrows furrowed. “That’s odd, right? Or maybe he wasn’t cleared to show you a copy?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know, but he said I wouldn’t get my old computer back. They’re keeping it for the trial, just in case.”
“That’s frustrating.”
“Yeah, but this time, I’m not that involved with the trial. Travis thinks I’ll only need to testify about the attempted abduction, and I could do that on video.”
“Well, that’s something.”
“It is.”
I was aware of Vicky’s scrutiny and knew she’d come over for a reason. Since the Copier had been caught, we’d gotten back to a routine, and that included coffee in the mornings if Brett and I slept here.
It was almost four on Friday, so this was something else.
“What’s up, Vicky?”
She snickered, shaking her head. “You know me so well.”
I gave her a slight smile back, just waiting.
“How’s Brett with all of this?”
My stomach tightened, but I shut that down and shrugged. “He’s okay.” My tone was light, but I was lying. Vicky would know I was lying, but I was still lying. The truth was that I didn’t know. After Travis’ early morning visit, Brett turned quiet. I hadn’t noticed, not then. Too caught up in my own turmoil, it wasn’t until a few days later that I realized his silence.
“How’s he really doing?”
I sighed, sitting back. “He’s there. You know. In the background. He’s being there for me.” Which was the truth, but I didn’t tell her how he held me in his arms every night with an extra tightness, or how there was a new edge when we had sex. Sometimes it was intense. Sometimes rough, which I liked, which I needed too, but as he was fucking me, there was a wildness in his eyes that hadn’t quite been there before.
I flashed back to yesterday, how he’d taken me against the back of his kitchen door. My front was pushed against it, and he peeled down my sweats, his sweats, before he thrust up into me. Or how his hands braced against the door beside my head, pinning both of my hands underneath his as he pistoned into me.
Or how he reached for me at three this morning, pulling me to sit on his dick.
How he lay back, our eyes never breaking contact as he gripped my hips, watched as I rode him. How I felt he wasn’t just looking at me, but he was seeing into me, seeing my soul. There was an extra frenzied emotion in every single one of those times, and a surge of adrenaline pierced me, just as I was remembering.
It was a two-way street. He was addicted to me, the same as I was to him.
My mouth started watering, and I needed to change the topic. “I’m sure he’s processing, like me. Are you thinking about still going to the local VFW for Monday’s game?”
Her eyes were sharp. I had no doubt she was aware of what I was doing, but she went with it. “I think so. Howard is excited to see his buddies. He wants to tell them about the Feds that were here. You’re still planning on going to the game?”
The Texas Kings were playing the San Diego Orcas for Monday Night Football, and the game was in California. Vicky and Howard were concerned, though Vicky had been more vocal about it. This wasn’t our first talk on the subject.
“Yeah,” I confirmed. “Brett’s got family coming. He’s taking time to spend time with them afterwards. It’s a big deal for him. I want to be there.”
“But it’s so soon after…” She looked down at her lap, where I could see her hands wringing together. “What if it wasn’t the right guy? What if—what if he was framed?” She held up a hand before I could say anything. “I know. I know. That’d be a lot of details to frame because too many coincidences, but Billie, what if? Just, what if?”
I moved my cappuccino aside and reached over, taking her hands in mine. “Lo and Roger are coming with me.”
“But—” Her chest rose. Her shoulders too. Fear flitted across her face. “I know. I know they’re flying with you and sitting with you, and you’ll be fine. And Brett’s been so amazing, and you’re going to be there for him. I get that too, but I just feel, right here.” She pulled one of her hands away, forming a fist and pressing it to her sternum. Her hand was shaking. “I just feel something’s still off.”
It was too soon. I felt the same.
But the facts were starting to outweigh my fears. There was a very good chance that they actually had gotten the right guy, and with all the evidence… I needed to be there for Brett.
“We’ll be smart,” I promised her. “Travis is coming too.”
