Mayhem & Mistletoe, стр. 51
“That’s not true. I cried at the most recent Star Wars movie because it was so bad. Who thought the terror that was Attack of the Clones would look good against something?”
Rather than give in to my Star Wars humor, he folded his arms across his chest. “Avery.”
I bit back a sigh. I knew we would have to talk about this eventually. I just didn’t think it would have to be today. “I went to Jake to demand answers,” I volunteered. “He didn’t like my puppet show. I put on the performance outside his window until he let me inside.”
“And, what? Are you saying Jake was mean to you?”
“I don’t cry because people are mean to me,” I scoffed. “That’s insulting ... and girlie ... and not me at all.”
“Then why were you crying?”
“Would you believe me if I said I have PMS?”
“Not for another week and a half you don’t.”
I was aghast. “You keep track?”
“You’re moody on a regular day. I need to know when to wear a cup.”
That was both sweet and creepy. “I went there to demand answers about a new street drug that Beau was supposedly selling. I went back to the halfway house without telling you, by the way. I talked to two prostitutes and some weird dude who mistook me for a professional. Let’s focus on that.”
His eyes flashed with anger. “You went back there without me?”
“Yes. I’ve been a bad girl. Would you like to lock me in a cell and pretend to blow up Alderaan later?”
The joke didn’t garner even a hint of a smile. “I thought we agreed you weren’t going back without me.”
“I don’t remember agreeing to that. It was discussed. You voiced your concern. Lexie said the guys in that house were known for selling drugs, and I wanted to talk to some of the locals. I knew you couldn’t get away from work and would insist I wait. I wasn’t keen on putting you in the line of fire again. So it was in both our best interests that I go alone.”
“Very smooth, but I don’t buy it.” It seemed he was working hard to contain his temper. “I asked you one thing.”
“And, per usual, I said I would do my best.”
“You said you weren’t planning to go down there.”
“I wasn’t ... until Lexie mentioned the drugs.” I chewed my bottom lip, debating, and then went for it. “You say that you love who I am, but you always get angry when I embrace who I am and do things on my own. That’s not fair.”
“I don’t particularly think it’s fair either, but that’s who I am.”
I was taken aback. “Wait ... you think you’re being unfair to me? That’s a first. Most people think I won the lottery when I stumbled across you.”
“You did. Just because I don’t want to change you doesn’t mean I don’t live in fear that something horrible will happen to you.”
“I was careful. I left my purse in the car and everything. I put cash in my inside pocket to bribe the weasels.”
“Oh, well, that makes me feel so much better.”
“Do you want to hear the story or not?”
“Lay it on me.”
I did just that, leaving nothing out. When I got to the part about Rick mistaking me for a prostitute, he managed a full-fledged laugh. When I was finished, though, all traces of mirth were gone.
“I’ve heard of Hypno,” he said, leaning against his desk. “It’s more prevalent in Wayne County than it is out here, but you know how that goes.”
I nodded. “It always takes longer for the new street drugs to filter to the suburbs.”
“I’m sure it’s here, but it’s not being widely circulated.”
“Maybe Beau and his crew left the halfway house because they wanted to take over the suburbs, get a foothold before anyone else. Maybe they stepped on somebody’s toes and that’s why they ended up dead.”
“That doesn’t explain the Santa suits.”
“I’m still working on that.”
“It’s an interesting idea,” Eliot said, “but you have no proof. All you have is a lot of hearsay.”
“I’m working on it.”
“I would appreciate it if you were extremely careful when you’re working on it in that neighborhood.”
“I will do my absolute best. I’m too pretty to die.”
He managed a grin. “You are.” He slipped his arm around my waist and tugged me to him. Sensing the storm had passed, I let him give me a hug. “Now tell me why you were crying.”
Crap. I realized too late that he’d lulled me into a false sense of safety. I couldn’t even be angry with him. He’d outsmarted me. “Eliot, it’s not a big deal.”
“Then tell me.” He kept me pressed tight.
“Jake wouldn’t tell me what I needed to know.”
“That’s normal. I’ve never known you to cry over being stonewalled.”
“We talked about other things, too.”
He stilled. “Okay.” He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, the same spot Jake had kissed less than an hour before, and released me. “What’s up next? Where are you going to start digging this time?”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t want to know what we talked about?”
“No.”
“But ... I don’t understand.”
He grinned as he ordered my hair. “You and Jake needed to talk. It’s none of my business what you talked about. Besides, I can kind of guess how it went. You both needed to get it out. Now you’re past it.”
He looked so smug I kind of wanted to smack him. “How do you know we’re past it?”
“Because you seem lighter. You’re actually ahead of schedule. I didn’t think you would get to this point for at least another two weeks.”
“You have me on a schedule?”
“I just have ideas about how you’re going to react to certain things based on how you’ve reacted in the past. The fact that you’re adjusting to this so quickly tells me you’re growing as a person.”
There had to be an insult buried in there.
As if reading my mind, he offered up a mischievous grin and soft kiss. “Congratulations, Avery Shaw, you’re becoming an