Ink's Second Chance - Carol Dawn Page 0,9
trust you to hold my bag let alone put my life in your hands. If there’s ever a time when I feel as if my life is in danger, I’ll just go to the police.”
“The police are useless,” he says, heated.
“Maybe,” I say. “But at least I know for a fact they won’t just use me then toss me aside to sample the person next in line.”
Okay, so that made no sense whatsoever, but I don’t care. He understands what I’m talking about.
“Fine,” he huffs. “But know that I’ll be by here each and every day to check on you.”
I go to my kitchen table and grab my bottle of pain relievers. I feel a migraine coming on and it’s going to be a big one.
“I thought the whole point of a lockdown was to be locked down,” I say. “I doubt your President would allow you in and out of your compound whenever you want when there’s danger afoot.”
Sammy smiles.
“Afoot?” he teases. “Prez would kick me out just to get me to shut up. Don’t you worry, pretty lady. I’ll be back.”
That’s what I’m afraid of.
“Whatever,” I mumble. “Listen, I have a major headache coming on. Would you please leave so I can sleep it off before it gets too bad? Oh, and do me a favor?”
“Name it, pretty lady,” he smirks.
“One,” I start. “Stop calling me pretty lady. Laura says that’s how you flirt and that’s the last thing I want. Two,” I turn and head towards my room. “Lock the door on your way out. And last, please don’t ever come back.”
I don’t wait around for his response, but I do wait by my bedroom door until I hear his heavy footfalls leave. I don’t dare move until I hear the click of the door. Then I wait a few more minutes before I venture out of my room to go and lock the deadbolt.
I hate that I’m pushing Sammy away. But there’s no way that I could trust him enough to even be friends with him. Sure, he was young and dumb. But, in all honesty, he hasn’t changed all that much.
I just hope he wasn’t telling the truth about showing up every day to check on me.
◆◆◆
He was telling the truth.
It’s been three days since he warned me and true to his word, he’s been here each day with lunch. And each day I’ve tried to pay him for my lunch and kicked him out.
Today makes day four.
“Come out to lunch with me,” he says. “I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”
Sighing, I go back to folding my laundry.
I don’t go out much. I’ll go to the store when I need to, or to Laura’s when she forces me. But apart from that, I don’t leave. I prefer it that way. My home is my safe place.
I don’t ‘people’ very well. People stare and they pity. I hate pity. Don’t freaking pity me.
Strangely, Sammy doesn’t look at me with pity. He looks at me with, dare I say, interest. I think it’s because I’m the only female on the face of the planet that doesn’t jump on his face when he smirks.
Not that I don’t want to, mind you.
Been there, done that. Know how amazing he was as a freaking teenager. But I just can’t seem to get past the part where I was just a notch on his bedpost.
“Listen, just lunch,” he says. “Then, I’ll bring you right back here.”
I want to say no but getting out of this apartment sounds like a really good idea.
“Fine,” I relent. “But I get to choose.”
“Deal,” he smiles.
“You didn’t bring your bike, did you?” I ask. “Because I won’t be able to use my legs to hold on.”
“Don’t worry, baby,” he says, taking my keys and locking the apartment door. “I have everything under control.”
Chapter Seven
Ink
Rachel is one stubborn ass woman.
“Why won’t you let me help you in the car?” I ask.
“If I let everyone do everything for me,” she says. “Then how am I ever going to be able to do anything for myself? Besides, I’ve been in this chair for years now. I know what the hell I’m doing.”
I chuckle, raise my hands in surrender, and back away. I watch in awe at the amount of upper body strength it takes to move herself from her chair to the front seat of the car in no time flat.
“Now you can help if you want,” she says with a smile. I suddenly feel like my