to help Tango since none of the ladies in this room would have any chance of lifting his heavy ass, but he waves me away. “So, I’m thinking you shouldn’t be engaging in any physical altercations right now,” I tell Tango. Because that should be an obvious statement.
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles. “Sasha, you’re staying at our house for a bit, right? No more being stupid and going back to your house, you got it?” Tango says, coldly.
“Tango,” Cali scolds him.
“Dude, no need for name calling. She wanted to grab her stuff; I get it,” I defend Sasha even though I don’t agree with her going back to that house.
“We need to get out of this area,” Tango says. That’s his answer to everything. Run away. Hide. Erase identities. Not that I should talk. Tango and I are very alike in that respect. I’ve been running away since I was discharged two years ago. Like Tango, I have the thought that if I run fast enough and far enough away, the truths and memories will never catch up to me.
“Maybe you’re right,” Cali says to Tango.
“You guys, I’m sure everything will be okay. There’s no need to make a hasty decision like that,” Sasha argues.
“Sasha, you don’t get it,” Cali says. “Guys like Landon don’t give up. I’m sure he knows he fucked up. I’m guessing he’s having regrets now, but he’s obviously crazy enough to sacrifice your life and safety for money. I think we both know what a person like that will do for money.”
“Okay,” Sasha says. “I get it, but I still don’t think you need to move away.”
“By the way, I’m coming home tomorrow,” Tango interrupts the heat growing in the room. “Jags, man, you’re still more than welcome to stay at our house for as long as you need.”
As much as I appreciate the offer, I think I need to play this one out slowly. I don’t want to push Sasha to leave that house, and if I’m there, she may not want to be. And looking back on the last few days, her thoughts might change by the second about that. Typical woman. “I’ll let you know what I’m doing. Thanks for the offer,” I tell him. I crumple up the paper from my sandwich and toss it in the trash. “Here’s an extra burger if you’re still hungry,” I offer it up to Tango. Normally I’d have eaten that thing in one second flat, but the reality of what the hell I’m doing here just kind of slammed into me and I need a breath. I came here to help Tango out with some shit. We took care of that shit, and now I’m just lingering again. I don’t linger. Lingering causes settling and that’s not something I want to do, either.
“I’ll see you all later. Glad to hear you’re doing better, man,” I tell him.
“Thanks again for swinging by with the “literature” and burger, bro,” Tango offers.
Sasha’s focus is locked on me as I move around the room, giving Cali a quick hug and then Tyler. Hugging Sasha right now would make things worse for her, I’m guessing, so I offer her a small smile and a salute as I walk out of the room. Every time I end up somewhere new, I somehow end up fucking up more people, as well as myself. Maybe it’s time to move on again.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SASHA
“SASHA,” CALI SINGS. “Where are you in that head of yours?” I realize I’m staring through her and Tango as Tyler bounces up and down on my lap.
“Oh, I’m here. Sorry, I’m just tired, I think.”
“Yeah, physical activity so late at night can wear a person out,” she says, grinning. “Come on, spill it.” Considering the fact that Tango is here listening, and he happens to be Jags’s best friend, I’m thinking divulging my errors over the past twenty-four hours isn’t a great idea.
“I heard the power went out last night,” Tango adds in, smirking.
“Yeah, it did,” I agree.
“Must have been hard to see what you were doing in the bathroom,” he continues.
“Okay, I need to get going. Are you keeping Tyler here or do you want me to take her with me?” I ask, standing from my seat.
“No!” Tyler shouts. “Daddy promised I could play with the buttons on his bed and maybe go for a ride!”
“I’ll keep her here,” Cali says, eyeing me wearily. “Where are you off to?”
“I have to go groveling to Daddy for a job, remember?”