He clears his throat, obviously trying to interrupt me. “And I appreciate that, but Tango told me I must give it back to you.” Why in the world would Tango care about my phone charger? It’s a stupid little cord.
“Oh, he did, did he? And why would Tango care so much about my phone charger?” I press.
“Well, uh—” his words are cut off as I hear a wrestling noise against the phone on his side of the call.
“Hello?” I say, wondering what is happening.
“Where are you, Sasha?” Tango asks sternly.
“Really? You used Jags to get through to me?”
“I know you didn’t know his number, and I know damn well you wouldn’t have answered the phone if I called. Where the hell are you?”
“I’m—” Crud. He’s going to know I’m lying just for the pure fact that I haven’t given him an answer yet. Tango is like the big brother I’m not sure I ever wanted in my life. He treats me like Tyler, his own daughter, except Tango and I are the same age. But that’s Tango, always out to protect everyone he cares about, and I suppose since I’m Cali’s best friend, I fall under that category.
“Goddammit, Sasha. You’re in that house, aren’t you?” he snaps.
Tango scares me a little. Not scary as in he’d ever hurt me or anything, just like that overprotective mama-bear type of scare. I’m sure he’d just love to know I’m comparing his behavior to a female bear. I want to giggle at my own thought, but that would just ripen this conversation.
“I needed to get some more clothes, Tango. I’m fine. Really.”
“My ass, you’re fine. Landon is not sitting pretty in jail somewhere, Sasha. He’s roaming around somewhere. Do you know what he’d do to you if he found you right now?” I’ve been avoiding the thought. Or trying to, at least. “You have to know this situation isn’t settled yet, and you’re not safe until it is.” I thought it was settled. I thought that when Tango and Jags had their little physical talk with Landon that everything was cleared up. Everything except the true meaning behind our six-year relationship.
“Okay, I’m leaving in a minute,” I tell him. I was really hoping to take a nap in my own bed, considering the little amount of sleep I’ve managed to get over the past few days. I can’t go to work, and I might as well just admit I don’t have a job anymore, so what else is there to do?
“No, stay there. We’re coming over. I want to check the place out to make sure that asshole didn’t leave anything important behind.” Important? And, who is we? Oh gosh. I need to clean up this mess in here. How embarrassing! “We’ll be there in ten. Just stay put, okay?” I don’t like this. I don’t like being told what to do or who to stay away from. I just want to live a normal life, like the one I was living while Cali was running across the world, and away from all of the horrible stuff that seemed to follow her around.
Before I have a chance to either argue or agree, the call disconnects. I drop the thing down onto the coffee table and sink back into my couch. With my gaze locked on the slowly moving clouds outside of my window, I imagine the thought of moving home with my parents. It would have its benefits, for sure. But it would also feel like walking back in time. Plus, I think I’m a bit old to be living with them at this point. On the other hand, however, I don’t want to be babysat by Cali and Tango either. I could go with option C, pull a Cali, and just flee the state of Texas. Funny how this is the second time in one day I’ve considered this idea. Maybe that time is coming, and I need to just do it. I could change my name and completely start over. I would miss Cali, though. Well, the parts of Cali that aren’t twisted and perverted. I kind of miss the Cali that was once normal and civil like I am, but that was so long ago. It was before Krissy, her sister, was murdered by a man chasing their dad down. Everything took a turn for the worse then, and that’s when