He turned square to me but didn’t touch me.
“You’ve been branded.”
I blinked.
That didn’t sound good.
“Pardon?” I asked.
“Told Wil ie, cal ed Lee and Darius. Word goes out tonight that you belong to me. Anyone f**ks with you, they f**k with me, the DPD, al the boys at Nightingale Investigations and Darius Tucker. I’m cal in’ in al my markers. I’m not takin’ any more chances with this shit. Now you got an army of protection, whether you want it or not.” I kept staring at him as that strange sensation took hold of my bel y in a vice-like grip.
“But…” I whispered, “why?”
It was then he walked to me, put his hands to my neck and gently pul ed me toward him until our bodies were touching. He looked down at me and his eyes changed.
The warm, tender look was there but so was something else. Something I couldn’t read.
“Because you make a f**king great chocolate sheet cake.”
Chapter Thirteen
Out, Coffee and Breakfast
I woke up, alone, in Eddie’s bed.
I pul ed myself up and looked at his side of the bed. He’d gone to bed with me, held me ful -frontal, his arms tight around me, until I fel asleep. Now he was gone, the only thing on his side was a note on the pil ow, next to it, a new toothbrush in its wrapper.
I grabbed the note.
Out, coffee and breakfast, was al it said.
I got out of bed and went to Eddie’s bathroom. It had a claw-footed tub, a pedestal sink and new tile but needed to be painted. I searched in the medicine cabinet and found his toothpaste, brushed my teeth and washed away the scary remnants of my makeup with hand soap. My face immediately cried out for moisturizer. It was going to have to wait.
I went into the kitchen to grab my phone and cal Mom and heard my phone beeping inside my bag. I dragged my cel out of my purse and saw I had three texts and four phone messages.
I stared at the phone. I’d never been that popular.
Text one was Indy: Text back, let me know you’re okay.
Text two; Tod and Stevie: This is Tod and Stevie, thanks for an exciting evening. Come over for cocktails, leave all gunmen behind, kisses.
Text three; Al y: Next time don’t go alone, remember, we got your back.
Tears fil ed my eyes after reading Al y’s text but I practiced deep breathing and forced them down.
Next, I took on the phone messages.
First message was Tex; “What the f**k, Loopy Loo! I thought I told you I was designated bodyguard! I mess up once and I’m out of the loop?” Disconnect.
In an abrupt change of mood, Tex’s message made me a laugh out loud.
Second message was Daisy; “Indy gave me your number. She thought it’d be okay. I’m not tel in’ Marcus, Sugar, ‘cause you asked me not to but I think we need to talk. We girls need to stick together. Cal me,” and she left her number.
Thoughtful and sweet, but stil scary.
Third message was Indy; “Lee told me Eddie’s taking care of you. Cal me, honey. I want to know you’re okay.” Fourth message was Duke. He was already talking before the beep so I missed the first couple of words; “This kind of shit, girl. Dolores says to bring your Mom and stay with us in Evergreen. We live remote and Tex can set some booby traps. Think about it.” Disconnect, again.
I leaned my hip against the kitchen counter, that weird warmth I kept feeling didn’t feel so weird anymore. I knew it was those hands that Eddie said people were holding out to me.