I can’t stop myself from smiling, despite the ridiculousness of it all.
“Do you really want to know?” I ask.
She gives me an are you freaking kidding face and then nods frantically.
“Okay,” I say. “Maybe telling you will make it seem more real.”Kaitlyn’s mouth finally closes when I get to the part about coming here, which of course she already knows. She lets out a long whistle and then drums her fingers on the bar.
“And you feel the same?” she asks. “I mean, if he’s claiming you … do you feel, uh, claimed?”
“Yes,” I say at once, the suddenness of it surprising all three of us.
Gizmo’s gaze snaps to me from his place on my lap, and then he settles back down when he realizes I’m not in any danger.
Not a danger he understands, anyway.
“I know,” I go on, seeing the disbelief flickering across her features. “But think about it. Is it really so crazy? I fell in love with his writing years ago. And the man, oh, God, Kait … the man lives up to his writing. And the kiss—Jesus, I know I haven’t got much as a frame of reference. But the kiss was something else.”
“Well, I’m happy for you,” Kait says a moment later, beaming. “But you have to promise me you’ll be careful. I’ve seen too many girls get suckered in by a man’s smooth talking only to be left miserable and disappointed later.”
“I will,” I promise. “But like I said, this isn’t about me. How are you feeling?”
She tosses her jet black hair. “Absolutely perfect. Why do you ask?”
“Kait …”
“Fine,” she says. “I feel like you should compliment me on how incredible I look in this bathrobe.”
“Yes, Kait,” I sigh. “You look incredible in the bathrobe. But seriously, are you holding up?”
She shakes her head slowly, and then with a quick movement she snatches her hand across the bar and clasps onto mine. It’s typical Kait, the way her tears come, smiling one moment and sobbing the next.
I fold her into my arms and squeeze onto her tightly, the closest person I’ve ever had to a sister.
“It’s okay,” I whisper. “He can’t get you here.”
“But what are we supposed to do?” she sobs. “Stay here forever? Maybe I should just go and try and talk to him.”
“No,” I hiss, passion flaring.
She flinches and I let out a sigh.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“No,” she says quickly. “I want your opinion, Tess. You’re my best friend.”
“Aw, you’re going to make me blush.”
She gives me a playful dig in the arm.
“Well? What pearls of wisdom do you have to offer?”
“It’s just that you’ve told me so many times that one of the worst things he did to you was to manipulate you, to make it seem like it was your fault. He always finds a way to draw you back to him. He plays on your weaknesses.”
She nods slowly. I’m repeating her own words back to her.
“And I’d hate to see that happen,” I sigh. “That man’s a freaking monster and doesn’t deserve to be anywhere near you.”
She rubs the tears from her cheeks, and then giggles as Gizmo leaps from my lap onto the bar and then props himself up on her chest, angling to get to her tears. Kaitlyn dutifully leans down and my Chi-Poo laps at her salty tear streaked cheeks, his fluffy tail wagging wildly.
“Alright, alright,” she laughs, waving him off. “You’re insatiable, Giz.”
“So what are you going to do?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Kait murmurs. “I’m not going to go and talk to him, though. Thank you for talking me down from that particular ledge. But yeah, I don’t know how I’m going to handle this. Being able to lie low here is a godsend, though. I don’t know what I would’ve done otherwise. Obviously, I need to steer clear from the club for a while, so there’s my income gone.”
I nod. “I think that’s for the best. But I’ll support you. You know I will.”
“When’s your next shift?”
“Tomorrow morning, bright and early.”
“Well, be careful,” Kaitlyn says, shivering slightly. “If that asshole can find me, I bet he can find you, too.”
“Tanner has already thought of that,” I say, a rush of fire moving through me at the thought of him, followed by a tingling of nerves when I think about all the ways I could disappoint him. Or he could be tricking you. You’ve been tricked before. “On the way over here he said that he’s going to drive me there himself and then try and get some writing done while I work. How great is that?”
“Isn’t the cafe steamy enough, though, without you two throwing looks at each other?” she teases.
I giggle, heart thumping, his words reverberating around my mind in an endless sizzling loop.
I’m claiming you. You belong to me. You’re going to have my children.