Page 15 of Hide From Me

“Just, Rylee, you better be joking, or I will come over there right now and kidnap you before you can make any other shit choices for yourself.”

That made me smile.

“So you admit that letting some strange man touch me when I was supposed to be working and then trusting him to serve me undrugged water was a shit choice? Great. Then as my first official smart choice? Please stop hiring me.”

And I hung up. I was feeling better all ready. I’d found Caspian, enjoyed his little orgasm guilt free, and, well, I had to check my bank account first. I opened up the app, and sureenough, there it was. An extra thousand dollars in my name. There was only one small crack in my plan.

I’d never actually thought about what would happen after I found Cas.

What would happen if he didn’t want me? That was easy enough to believe. I’d always imagined saying thanks and walking back to lick my little-girl's-crush wounds.

But the idea that he not only might want me, but that he was bat shit crazy?

I had no idea what I’d just walked into and why I liked it so much.

SIX

cas

I drankthe last drop of coffee as I contemplated how to punish my little blossom.

“Gran, I’ll be outside. If you hear a scream, just ignore it.”

She was sitting down in the back, bossing around the help. I’d forced her to hire someone to help her, and she seemed to be in her element. Gran would never be old. She was still spunky and full of fire, but someone had to look out for her.

“Caspian, you be nice to that girl. She’s had a rough life.”

I sighed.

“Rough life that I’ve helped make better. And fuck, Gran, do not get me started on the dress you had sent to her. I said tasteful gown for a black-tie affair. What do you think I do? Run a fucking fight ring and she was going to be a ring girl?”

Gran got up and moved a little faster than I’d expect for a little old woman, and she brought the rolling pin with her.

“Don’t you sass me, Caspian. I want grandbabies before I die. If I have to doll up that girl and let her girly bits fly to get you to see what is right in front of you? Well, I darn well will. You didn’t get to the top of the food chain just to let your blood die with you. Get me a grandbaby before you get yourself shot.”

I looked around and saw all of two Spectors sitting there with bright red faces as they tried to hold in the laughter.

Zeid and X were next.

“Go talk to them, Gran. I need to go catch the baby-making factory, apparently.”

She huffed.

“Don’t you dare call her that, Caspian, and as for you two?—”

I didn’t wait around to hear her go after them. I had to intercept Rylee. I’d called her back three times, and with each ring, my anger flared.

I stepped outside of the coffee shop and stood front and center at her door. I’d wait all fucking day if I had to. I knew I wouldn’t have to, thanks to the text. I knew she would go to work and would be running late if I had anything to say about it.

Fuck me.

How dare she taunt me?

No one ever challenged me. Up until a few months ago, I was certain she would be an easy target if I wanted to make her one. I’d studied her. Followed her. All in the name of safety or something like that. But this?

I could hear the creak of the steps as she came down, and I braced myself against the door frame, my fingers biting into the wood. The door swung open, and she just glared.

“Why am I not surprised you somehow were already here?”