Connie and Fran burst out laughing as Katie glared at her. “Jealous bitch.”
Neecy winked and moved to the door. Gently pushing it open, she stepped inside. Janelle was just pulling the covers over Arri.
“How is she,” Neecy whispered.
“Don’t bother whispering. She’s out cold.”
“Good. She needs the sleep.”
Janelle came around the bed. “Well, now we know why Skuld wanted her out there.”
“What the fuck happened anyway? I didn’t see any bodies.”
“You wanna know what happened?” Janelle gave a short laugh that had absolutely no humor in it. “Our little Arri ripped open a doorway, pushed all the Crows and Ravens out of the way, and threw all of those bikers in there. Then she sealed up the hole and shut the doorway to hell. And she pretty much did all that at the same goddamn time.”
Neecy looked at Arri, so small under those covers, and back at Janelle. “What?”
“You heard me. I’ve never seen anything like it, Neece. Never.”
After a moment of pure shock, Neecy grinned. She couldn’t help herself. “Still worried about her coming out with us now?”
Janelle snorted as she headed toward the door. “What? Are you high? I say we make sure she goes out with us until we all retire.”
Walking around the bed, Neecy stared down at Arri. Tears still clung to her long black lashes, but she was definitely asleep. Neecy felt an overwhelming tenderness for her friend. She’d been through so much and the other Crows had never really accepted her. Maybe now they would. Or at least fear her enough to give her more respect.
Leaning down, Neecy kissed the top of the girl’s head.
And if they didn’t give Arri more respect, Neecy would start kicking the shit out of people.
Neecy fell face-‐first onto her bed. She really wanted to go back to her apartment, but she wanted to be here when Arri woke up. She definitely didn’t want Didi getting to her first.
Who knew what she’d say to her? What Neecy learned quickly was that Didi had no patience. None. A lovely woman, with delightful Southern values, but you better be able to keep the fuck up or she would leave your ass behind in a New York minute.
And since they had much work to do before Arri would be a truly effective part of the team, she didn’t want Didi scaring her with one of her “speeches.”
Already naked, Neecy lay there debating whether it was worth reaching over to turn out her light when her cell phone rang.
She rolled her eyes. She had no doubt who the hell was on the other end of that phone. The question was did she answer?
Growling, she reached down and yanked the phone from her jeans.
She flipped it open. “Yeah?”
“Just wanted to make sure you got home okay.”
Christ, that voice!
“Yes, Yager. I got home just fine.”
He chuckled low. “Man, you’re testy tonight.”
“I don’t get testy. I do, however, get annoyed.”
“Why?”
“Look, I don’t know what you think we’re doing, but it’s not what you think it is.”
There was a pause, and she could easily imagine him with that confused frown he sometimes got when stuff didn’t make sense to him. That adorable, but misleading frown that originally had her believing Yager was another big, dumb Viking.
Dumb her ass.
“Please feel free to repeat that, Professor. Cause you lost me.”
“What I’m saying is, I don’t need you checking up on me to make sure I got home okay. That’s what boyfriends and husbands do and you ain’t either.”
“What if I wanna be?”
“Then I’d say you need to get out there and find yourself a nice girl. I’ve heard online dating is popular.”
“Neecy, you’ve been in serious relationships before.”
“Sure was. How do ya think I got shot?”
Yager sighed in frustration. “Don’t pull that shit on me. You’ve had other relationships since then that didn’t end in gun play.”
“Yeah. So?”
“So what’s the difference? Why do I get the special Lawrence rejection?”
This was where things got all complicated. How could she tell him he was the one man who could actually get to her? Make her vulnerable. Sure, she’d had good, steady boyfriends who always remembered anniversaries and birthdays, and knew exactly how to make her come without too much effort.
And she’d never loved one of them.
When those relationships inevitably ended, she shrugged and moved on.
Nothing ugly or complicated. Boyfriend of the Moment would go off and find himself a nice girl who actually loved him. Neecy went off and found another good, steady Boyfriend of the Moment. Perfect.
But as Neecy didn’t lie to people, she refused to lie to herself. Yager would be messy and complicated. There’d be fights and discussions on money and whether they wanted to see the Joneses on Saturday night.
She’d fall in love with Wilhelm Yager, which meant she’d be vulnerable. And when that asshole pulled the trigger, she’d swore she would never be that way again.
When Neecy didn’t answer his question, Yager growled. “What do you want, Neecy?”
Frowning, Neecy turned over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. “I want what you’d never be able to give me.”
“Which is?”
“A completely sexual relationship void of drama and emotions and the usual bullshit. Just two people getting together on occasion to fuck.”
The pause that followed her declaration went on for so long, Neecy thought he’d hung up or the connection lost. She looked at her phone several times to see if she still had him.
Finally, “Are you naked?”
Neecy squeezed her eyes shut. She spoke and it was like the man didn’t hear a word she said. “Did you even hear what I said?”
“Yeah. I heard you. Are you naked?”
She sighed. “Yes, Yager. I’m naked. I just got out of the shower.”
“Mhhmm. I love how you smell when you’re just showered.”
Neecy locked her knees together. “Look, Yager, I’ve gotta…”
“Put your hand between your legs.”
Suddenly she wasn’t as dead tired as she thought. “No, Yager.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m not in my apartment. I’m in a house full of women, a few of them under eighteen, and I’m not doing this here.”
“Damn.” He sounded so despondent. “Well, are you going home tonight?”
Neecy forced herself to frown to keep from laughing. “No. I’ve gotta be here for Arri.”
“How she doin’?”
“Sleeping. But fine.”
“Good. So we really can’t have phone sex?”
“No.”
“Damn.”
She took a deep breath and again forced herself not to laugh. “Look, Yager, I’m not the girl for you. You’re looking for someone more…”
“Like you?”
“No.”
“Yes.” He said it so simply. Like she was his slow-‐witted cousin or something.
“What is your obsession with me?” If she could find out maybe she could convince him otherwise.
“You mean other than the fact that I think you’re hot and sexy and downright amazing?”
She rubbed her eyes with her free hand. “Yes,” she sighed. “Other than that.”
“You bring me joy.”
It was like someone kicked her in the groin. All the air left her lungs and she lay there staring up at the ceiling.
She, Denise Lawrence, bringer of death brought someone joy? How was that possible? The only joy she’d ever brought anyone was back in her first-‐life when she handed over the nickel bag of pot.
“I…how do I…”
“Every time you take down some scumbag. Every time you try to make Arri feel welcome and stop Janelle and Mike from fighting. Or when you go out of your way not to show Tye when he’s completely freaked you out. And every time you smile. Every time, Neecy Lawrence, you bring me joy.”