the damage caused by Chris' rage. His left eye and cheek were starting to swell and his forehead was dripping blood.
"I'm usually the last person advocating police involvement," he said. "But I'd feel a lot better—"
"I know Chris. Once he sobers up, he'll forget about it." Before he could get any more words out of his open mouth, she added, "You know, if we get some ice on your eye you might escape with a blue eye instead of a black one."
He touched his fingers to the side of his face, grimacing when they brushed across the swollen socket. "I'll do it when I get home."
"Why not do it now? Come on." The gate hadn't actually locked behind her and she was able to push it open without turning the knob. "Let's go upstairs." She didn't want him to leave, but she suddenly wanted to be inside where it was safe. She was half afraid if he left she'd have a nervous breakdown.
He paused at the gate, glancing dubiously at the second story. "Armand would flip if he discovered I was in his house."
"Don't worry, they aren't home. I was just in there. Plus, the lights are off." Her smile was stronger this time. "I'll protect you."
"If you think Armand won't kick your ass to get to me you're delusional."
"I'll take my chances." She took his hand and pulled until he took a few hesitant steps. "Please. I really want you to come up."
He glanced again at the upstairs apartment. Sighing, he muttered, "Not the first foolish thing I've done."
Once inside she directed him to one of the barstools tucked under the huge granite island separating the kitchen from the living room.
"Sit tight," she said and headed for the stainless steel refrigerator. Stooping, she rummaged through the bottom freezer drawer. "There's got to be some peas or something in here. Ah," she pulled out a bag. "Oh. Edamame." She glanced at him. "That'll work right?"
"Is it cold?"
"I think so."
"Bring it."
She joined him at the bar and pressed the bag against the side of his face. He winced but didn't flinch. "You really know how to take a punch."
"I have a lot of practice." He glanced at the bag. "You don't have to hold that." He lifted his hands and wiggled his fingers. "They work fine."
"Maybe I want to." She caught his gaze. He had the most amazing eye color: a true gray without a hint of blue or green. It was especially striking against his jet-black lashes and light olive skin. "Thank you. You didn't have to help me."
"I wasn't going to sit back and let that dick clock you. What kind of asshole would that make me?"
"Didn't you kill a girl last year?"
He pushed her hand away and rose. The act wasn't violent, but it was definitely deliberate. Once again, she'd opened her mouth without thinking.
"I'm going to go."
"No, wait." She put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I'm sorry. I really am." She made a feeble attempt at a smile. "You have to remember who I'm living with. That kind of hatred will rub off on a girl."
He huffed.
"Don't go," she said. "Please."
He hesitantly returned to the barstool. She lifted the frozen beans back to his face.
"I'm never going to live that down," he said.
"What happened? I've heard everyone else's story but yours."
He sighed. "I think it probably happened about like you've heard. I ran into her—Eve—on the street. She begged me to bite her. I did. When she passed out I freaked. She was always fucked up; I honestly thought she'd sleep it off." He trapped her gaze with his. "She didn't." For a moment his eyes were distant, lost. Then something seemed to click inside him and the emotion was wiped away. "Edamame. What the fuck is edamame?"
"Soy beans, I think."
"Why does Armand have soy beans in his freezer?"
"Oh my God, you would not believe the shit that man eats. I have never seen someone consume so much tofu in my life."
Darus' eyebrows scrunched together. "Is he a vegetarian or something?"
"Yeah. We went to some vegan restaurant yesterday. I really hope that isn't where he's headed. I can't see Julia giving
"I'm usually the last person advocating police involvement," he said. "But I'd feel a lot better—"
"I know Chris. Once he sobers up, he'll forget about it." Before he could get any more words out of his open mouth, she added, "You know, if we get some ice on your eye you might escape with a blue eye instead of a black one."
He touched his fingers to the side of his face, grimacing when they brushed across the swollen socket. "I'll do it when I get home."
"Why not do it now? Come on." The gate hadn't actually locked behind her and she was able to push it open without turning the knob. "Let's go upstairs." She didn't want him to leave, but she suddenly wanted to be inside where it was safe. She was half afraid if he left she'd have a nervous breakdown.
He paused at the gate, glancing dubiously at the second story. "Armand would flip if he discovered I was in his house."
"Don't worry, they aren't home. I was just in there. Plus, the lights are off." Her smile was stronger this time. "I'll protect you."
"If you think Armand won't kick your ass to get to me you're delusional."
"I'll take my chances." She took his hand and pulled until he took a few hesitant steps. "Please. I really want you to come up."
He glanced again at the upstairs apartment. Sighing, he muttered, "Not the first foolish thing I've done."
Once inside she directed him to one of the barstools tucked under the huge granite island separating the kitchen from the living room.
"Sit tight," she said and headed for the stainless steel refrigerator. Stooping, she rummaged through the bottom freezer drawer. "There's got to be some peas or something in here. Ah," she pulled out a bag. "Oh. Edamame." She glanced at him. "That'll work right?"
"Is it cold?"
"I think so."
"Bring it."
She joined him at the bar and pressed the bag against the side of his face. He winced but didn't flinch. "You really know how to take a punch."
"I have a lot of practice." He glanced at the bag. "You don't have to hold that." He lifted his hands and wiggled his fingers. "They work fine."
"Maybe I want to." She caught his gaze. He had the most amazing eye color: a true gray without a hint of blue or green. It was especially striking against his jet-black lashes and light olive skin. "Thank you. You didn't have to help me."
"I wasn't going to sit back and let that dick clock you. What kind of asshole would that make me?"
"Didn't you kill a girl last year?"
He pushed her hand away and rose. The act wasn't violent, but it was definitely deliberate. Once again, she'd opened her mouth without thinking.
"I'm going to go."
"No, wait." She put her hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I'm sorry. I really am." She made a feeble attempt at a smile. "You have to remember who I'm living with. That kind of hatred will rub off on a girl."
He huffed.
"Don't go," she said. "Please."
He hesitantly returned to the barstool. She lifted the frozen beans back to his face.
"I'm never going to live that down," he said.
"What happened? I've heard everyone else's story but yours."
He sighed. "I think it probably happened about like you've heard. I ran into her—Eve—on the street. She begged me to bite her. I did. When she passed out I freaked. She was always fucked up; I honestly thought she'd sleep it off." He trapped her gaze with his. "She didn't." For a moment his eyes were distant, lost. Then something seemed to click inside him and the emotion was wiped away. "Edamame. What the fuck is edamame?"
"Soy beans, I think."
"Why does Armand have soy beans in his freezer?"
"Oh my God, you would not believe the shit that man eats. I have never seen someone consume so much tofu in my life."
Darus' eyebrows scrunched together. "Is he a vegetarian or something?"
"Yeah. We went to some vegan restaurant yesterday. I really hope that isn't where he's headed. I can't see Julia giving
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