she wasn’t ready to tell me what was going on? Just because I’d divulged how badly I was mauled in disgusting detail didn’t mean she wanted to tell me about every little ache. Still, that last part had really sounded eerily like a goodbye.
She had the door open before I decided which way I was going to go: pry or shut up. Guess it was shut up for now, because this was not a conversation others needed to hear.
Zab and Musso looked at me as I walked into the office, and both of their heads then dropped to my legs clad in pants.
“You okay?” Zab asked, Musso all ears beside him. Even Belinda’s glare wasn’t notched up to the normal hostility.
“I’m as good as new,” I said, giving them a thumbs-up. The curious look at my hand made it clear that the thumbs-up wasn’t a widely used gesture here. “Thanks for your help last night.”
Zab and Musso both nodded as they continued to stare at my legs.
“Going to go get a tea,” I said, waving toward the back room.
“I’ll get it for you. You sit somewhere,” Rabbit said, hightailing it to the back room, like if I tried to walk another step, I’d fall over and die.
I made my way to my table now that Rabbit had stolen my chance to escape the awkwardness. Belinda deigned to nod to me as I passed. It wasn’t a warm hello or anything, but it was a big stride considering the typical I want you dead stare. I guessed she’d rethought it and decided it was harsh since she’d nearly won. That was awfully nice of her. If things kept improving, I might actually try the apology again.
“Maybe you should take the day off?” Zab asked as he rested a hand on the table, watching me ease my way into a sitting position.
“They don’t hurt. They’re just stiff.” Very stiff.
“She’s tough. She’ll be fine,” Musso said from the other side of the room with a gruff wave. “Tough” was about the best compliment you could get from Musso, and it warmed my insides a hair.
“They looked really bad,” Zab said, softly this time.
I smoothed a pant leg down, hoping the raw skin wasn’t showing. “Whatever Hawk put on them healed them up nicely.”
Belinda narrowed her eyes, as if rethinking her opinion on me breathing air and then deciding she’d let me off the hook too soon.
“I know you went looking for those things. Did you find them?” I asked, trying to switch gears so Belinda didn’t try to finish the job. I was too weak for a fight at the moment.
“We tried, but the trail was gone. They’re notoriously hard to catch. I’m sorry.”
“No need to apologize. Thanks for trying.” I grinned, trying to not look like I wanted to run and hide and maybe never set foot out of here again.
They were still out there. What if they wanted me in particular? It had felt like that. Like they’d been waiting for me. Hawk said it wasn’t Raydam, but who else?
“We looked for half the night,” Zab continued, and I realized that my face must’ve betrayed every emotion I’d been thinking.
“Sorry, kid. We really did try to catch them,” Musso said, walking back to my table.
Belinda had her head down, so engrossed in her papers, but I could tell she was listening to every word.
“I’m sure you did. I don’t blame you guys at all.”
Rabbit walked back in, breaking up the little pity-fest everyone was having for me. It was just in time, too, because the more we discussed it, the more unhinged I was feeling about it.
She set a tea down in front of me. “Do you need anything else? Do you want me to get you something to eat?”
“I’m good. Really. I swear whatever Hawk did last night made a huge difference.”
Belinda raised her eyes to glare. Dammit. We’d been doing so well for a couple minutes. That second mention of Hawk’s help was one time too many.
The door swung open and a pair of men walked in. They had a burlier edge than I was used to seeing in the office, more like the two who’d nabbed me originally.
“Musso, you got any work for us?” one asked, but their attention was almost completely on me.
Musso must’ve noticed as well, because he brusquely asked, “Did I send you a notice? No. So then there isn’t. I’ll let you know the way I always do if I need the services you