Fractured Fear (The Devils of New York #1)

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

SPENCER

W e’re only a few minutes from my apartment and I can’t handle it anymore. Working up the courage to bring up the sleepover is proving to be an epic failure. Plus, every time I was ready to speak up, Rio and Zane would start arguing over the music. Rio is a big Latin pop and rap fan, but Zane is a rock groupie.

The argument was a bit hard to follow because half of what Rio said was in Spanish and I’m pretty sure most of it was just insults. Tus gustos musicales son una mierda definitely doesn’t mean “You’re my best friend.” My conclusion was that Rio and Zane bicker like an old married couple.

Abuela didn’t speak Spanish in front of me often, but she was fluent. Mom is too, but she never taught me. Now I wish she had.

When I was discharged, Rio and Zane already had a new set of clothes for me to wear. I don’t even want to acknowledge that they rummaged through my drawers…especially my underwear drawer.

I don’t need or want anyone else in my space. Rio and Zane sleeping in my apartment freaks me out. Not because they’re creepy. Quite the opposite. I feel comfortable with them, too comfortable, and that’s what is making me freak out. My lack of panic has me panicking. It makes perfect sense.

About as much sense as a ten thousand piece jigsaw puzzle .

If I could bitch slap Inner Spencer into next week, I would.

“So, guys, thanks for driving me home?—”

“What do you want for dinner?” Rio interrupts.

“What?”

“Dinner, babe? We’re getting hungry,” Zane explains as if I don’t know what the last meal of the day is called.

“Do I have to cook it?”

“What? No. Of course not. We’d never expect that. Besides, you have a concussion. The doctor said you need rest.” Rio’s bewildered face peeks at me via the rear view mirror.

“Then I don’t care what I eat. If I don’t have to make it, I’ll eat it.”

“Noted,” Zane replies.

“After we order dinner, what are we doing first? Pillow fight, gossip, braid each other’s hair?”

I can’t tell if Rio is joking or not.

“Braiding hair? Do you even know how to do that?”

“I do,” Zane answers. Another bomb in my lap. “My foster sister Sarah loved her hair in two pigtail braids and my foster mom couldn’t be bothered. So I learned how and would do her hair every day.”

Wow. So much to unpack there. “Umm y’all aren’t spending the night.”

“Of course we are,” Rio’s indignation causes a seed of guilt to take root. “We told the doc we would. I’m not a liar and please don’t make us sleep in Zane’s fun-sized car. That would make getting into your apartment very difficult if anything happens.”

He has a point.

“I have my gym bag in the back so it’s perfect. I was going to workout later but clearly the universe was preparing me for an impromptu sleepover,” Rio adds.

Is this what delusion looks like?

“Well the universe and I haven’t gotten along lately, so I don’t think that ‘sign’ means what you think it means.”

“Nonsense. Everything happens for a reason. The reason for today, a sleepover.” They’re acting as if this is normal. This is anything but normal.

“Do this a lot, do you? Sleep at a random woman’s house?”

“Can’t say I’ve done this before. You’d be my first,” Rio quips.

“Me too,” Zane says.

“Thanks for popping that cherry. I’ve been meaning to get that out of the way for a while.” Rio wipes sweat from his forehead that isn’t there.

“Glad to be of service,” I reply sarcastically.

“I have some cherries you can pop too, Spencer,” Zane declares.

What! Did he just say what I think he said?

“All jokes aside…Do you like Spencer or Spence? Beautiful? Gorgeous?” Rio asks.

“Spence or Spencer is fine.”

He flashes his signature smile at me and it’s official. All he has to do is smile and I’d do whatever he wants. I bet he gets a lot done with that smile.

“Spence, I know you know this, but I think you’re forgetting. You were attacked. Attempted kidnapping. Everything points to your attacker knowing your routine and knowing things about your life,” another bomb dropped and he’s still not done throwing truths my way. “This wasn’t a crime of opportunity. This was planned. He was waiting for you. I don’t think it’s smart for you to be alone tonight, maybe a few nights. We can either sleep on the couch or in Zane’s clown car?—”

“Lay off my car, man.”

“But, like I said, it’d be easier if I didn’t have to break down your door if you need help.”

Shit. I don’t want to think about it. I just want to get back to my life. I need normal, but I have a feeling I’m not going to know normal for a while.

We finish the drive to my apartment in silence minus the Latin music blaring from the speakers.

How did he find me? I guess it wouldn’t be too hard considering I’m in Abuela’s old apartment, but he never knew where Abuela lived. He never asked.

And why is he still looking for me? I figured he’d be married to some blonde haired leggy woman and have a kid or two by now. Why come after me?

Once we’re parked, I realize where I am. Sweat forms on the back of my neck, my chest tightens, and my stomach churns. I was grabbed right there.

I could have been taken to God knows where. Anything could have happened once he got me in his car. I was lucky. I wasn’t prepared. I wasn’t ready. No one would have noticed I was gone until it was too late.

“Spencer? Spencer! Angel, look at me.”

Zane’s face swims into view after I blink the tears away. He’s kneeling outside the car on the pavement and my door is open. His strong, callused hands hold mine. His unblinking green eyes echo his concern. Why do his eyes have to be so perfect?

“They’re not perfect, I promise. But if it helps, you can look all you want. I don’t mind.”

Oh shit.

I need to calm it with these thoughts. If I keep saying what I’m thinking, I’m going to end up doing something I may regret. Something like kissing both of these men.

“Come on. Let’s get you inside,” Zane prompts gently.

My hands grip his, and my skin crawls at the thought of going by that spot. I know I’ll have to suck it up one day, but I’m not ready.

“Please. No. I can’t,” I whine quietly.

Warm hands frame my face and Zane leans in close. His lips almost touch mine.

“Can I carry you?”

A slight nod is all I give, and before I know it I’m up in his arms with my face in his neck.

“You don’t have to look. Hand me your keys and I’ll get you inside.”

I blindly dig through my purse wrapped around my body then pass my keys to him. When all three of us are over the threshold to my apartment, I don’t attempt to leave the comfort his body gives me.

“Spencer? Is that you?”

Hayes? Shit. What is he doing here? I breathe deeply, readying myself to handle the situation. But I can’t, all I smell is Zane. My brain is instantly scrambled. That’s all it takes for me to forget my current situation. Cedar with hints of citrus. His scent will be forever associated with safety and comfort.

Hayes makes eye contact with Rio and Zane. “What the fuck are you two doing here?”

“Hayes!” I scold. What crawled up his ass?

I move to extract myself from Zane’s arms, but he doesn’t budge.

“And what are you doing out of the hospital, Spencer? You shouldn’t be out yet.” Hayes presses. “I said, what the fuck are you two doing here?”

“Hayes, lay off.” What is his problem? I’ve never seen him so angry before.

“They shouldn’t be here. Do you even know who attacked you? It could have been one of them,” he accuses.

Rio steps forward. “You think we’d do that?”

“I don’t know you all that well to begin with.” I have never seen this side of Hayes. He’s like a protective little brother.

My head tips forward and I take a deep breath. “It wasn’t them, Hayes. That much I know for sure. You can relax.”

“You still shouldn’t be out of the hospital.”

“He’s right, Angel.”

I’m getting a little tired of all the mother-henning going on here. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. I’ve been doing just fine these last few years on my own.

Until last night.

I push that last thought away.

“How many times do I have to tell everyone that I’m fine? I really am fine.”

Hayes rolls his eyes. “Sure you are.”

“Hayes? Where are you? I brought lunch!” I hear Iris call from behind us.

Oh God. Please don’t let this be real.

“Oh! Spencer!” She scans the room. “What are you doing out of the hospital? Shouldn’t you be resting? At least you have your knights in shining armor with you.”

“What makes you think they’re my knights?” I snap.

“Well, he’s holding you…like that and Rio is standing there like he’s ready to slit anyone’s throat who gets too close.”

“ Ella no está equivocada, ” Rio mumbles.

“Did they end up helping you glaze your donut last night? Or donuts .” Iris pretend whispers with a gleam of mischief in her eyes. Hayes frowns at her.

Regret fills my features. I realize I shouldn’t have snapped. They’re just concerned. They care.

“There was no glazing , so get that out of your head, and I’m fine. Zane and Rio were just giving me a ride home.”

“And spending the night,” Zane chimes in.

Hayes and Iris’ eyes go wide. “Oh. Ohhhhh,” Iris answers. “We’ll just leave you to it then. Come on, Hayes. Let’s go have lunch at my place and do some glazing of our own.” Iris waggles her eyebrows at me teasingly before grabbing Hayes’ hand and marching them out.

“Wait! That’s not what he meant,” I try to explain, but they’re no longer listening. I huff and glare at Zane. “You can put me down now.”

“No can do, Spence. Your knights in shining armor need to deliver their fair maiden to her chambers.”

I sigh and give up. Getting rid of these men isn’t going to be that easy.

But then again, do I even want to?