be back to looking through it once my shift here is over.
The hours crawl by.
Rue steps back in around three in the afternoon, looking like a pile of ass but at least he's clean and, most importantly, he hasn’t been locked up for the shooting.
"Any news?"
I shake my head. "Nothing. His vitals only dropped twice so that's a good thing, I guess."
He nods and steps in, his eyes tracing over Speck like there'll be some sign he's going to survive. I know the feeling, that's all I've fucking done all night.
"She looks exhausted." he mumbles and I glance down at Angel. She's mumbled and thrashed around all day like she's been chased around in her dreams and even with the sun streaming through the windows she's still asleep now.
I'm going to figure her the fuck out. Just the second I get the fucker who is responsible for Speck's shooting, I’ll fucking gut him first, then I'm finding out every little scrap of information I can about Angel and I'm deciding once and for all if I need to cut her out.
"Take her for food. Grab a shower, spend time with her, whatever. Just go and live for a few hours. I've got him," Rue says, rubbing a hand over his face.
I shouldn’t ask him but I do because I have a newfound respect for the curse. “How’d Poe take the news?”
He blows out a breath. “Not… great. Thorn told her she couldn’t come here with me today too, so she’s extra fucking pissed. He had a lot of questions for me about Angel, too. You should keep that in mind.”
I shrug, I don’t fucking care what he wants to know, he’s not fucking seeing her again. Fuck, I’m going to make sure he doesn’t lay eyes on her again until I’ve figured her the fuck out.
I roll up out of my chair and walk over to gently shake Angel awake because she hasn’t stirred at us talking at all.
Her hand shoots up to punch me square in the nose but my reflexes are faster and I manage to dodge it.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she squeaks and I startle when Rue starts fucking laughing.
Laughing.
The asshole, but he rarely fucking laughs these days and I definitely wasn't expecting it today of all days.
"She's got a great arm on her, can't wait to see the damn bruises you'll be coming home with."
I glare at him over my shoulder but he just smirks at me, shaking his head as he slumps back in the chair I've just spent all day in.
"I'm—Tomi, I'm so sorry—"
I cut her off. "We're leaving. Breakfast and then we're going back to the clubhouse until your shift starts."
She nods and shifts, stretching her arms up and over her head until a small sliver of skin shows above her pants before dropping down to feel for her bag that’s stashed under the pull-out bed. Look, I'm not stupid, I know she works as a fucking stripper and I can see close to fucking everything she has on offer any night of the week but that little strip of skin just there?
Nearly brings me to my goddamn knees.
I'm not expecting it and it fucking hits me in the gut, winding me until I think I'm about to embarrass myself here in front of my asshole cousin.
"Get your ass moving, I'm hungry," I growl and stand back up, trying to stop myself from rearranging myself in my jeans. Rue spots it, even without taking a good look and starts cackling again.
Asshole.
Next time he murders someone for looking sideways at Posey fucking Graves I'll be leaving him with the cleanup. The whole lot, I'll do exactly fucking nothing for him... except maybe scrubbing the security cameras and covering for him with the club.
Asshole.
Angel follows me down to my motorcycle and climbs on without hesitation, a little smoother getting on now she has a little practice.
I stop at the tiny diner on the shitty side of town. It does breakfast all day and no one will expect to see me there so it's a safer place for Angel.
I pay for her food and she blushes when she thanks me, fumbling over her words. Fuck, she must be tired. She's acting more... human today. Less cold, less heartless, and more open than I've ever seen her.
We eat together and I find myself talking to her. Actually talking to her, no snarling or judgment and it's a slippery fucking slope.