Locke 2 (Blackwater Boys #4)

Seventeen

Kali

T here were no dreams last night. Just endless nothingness as the clock bled by. I awoke to the bright light and the scent of him in my sheets. I instantly knew I had overslept, which wasn’t right. Dahlia usually woke me up—

I sat upright, panicked as I looked around the bed.

“She’s been taken out.”

I froze at hearing his voice, smooth, detached. I slowly looked at him. He’d dragged a kitchen chair in the bedroom. Had been sitting in it for who knows how long. Legs extended on the bed, his arms were folded, his gaze hard on me. Our eyes locked, and I felt my cheeks burn.

There was so much light in the bedroom, I saw him entirely. It was crazy to think he’d been inside me last night. He’d fucked me raw, with so much devastating passion behind his vicious words. He had been so angry at me, but he looked so flat now, I couldn’t imagine him being pissed off—

Wait a minute.

Did he just say he’d taken Dahlia out for me? I blinked a few times, trying to imagine this suited man taking my tiny white chihuahua out for a potty break.

“Thank you,” I said quietly.

Now that we were in the light, I felt horribly conscious and shy. He looked like a damn god, all ripped and big in that wrinkle-free suit. How was it possible not one hair atop his head was out of place? He didn’t even look tired, while I was pretty sure I was sporting raccoon eyes.

He watched me, his eyes roaming my face with alertness. “She’s not very loyal.”

My lips pulled up in a small smile. “And not a very good guard dog.”

He nodded once, glancing at the bed. My cheeks burned because when his eyes dragged back to mine, I caught the knowing look in them. He’d wrecked me. My body was sore, and I fought not to wince as I slowly leaned back against the headboard.

He looked at my mouth, and then back at my eyes. “Your roommate never made it home.”

“He’s been doing that a lot lately.”

I was so relieved Hal wasn’t here. There was no doubt in my head he would have heard the shaggathon last night if he had been home.

“Are you in pain?”

The sudden question made me freeze. I looked down at his folded, bulging arms, nodding. “Yes.”

“Good.”

My mouth fell open, no words came out.

Now his eyes flicked to the newspaper on the nightstand. My heart climbed to my throat. “You have that there for a reason?”

I looked at the newspaper because it was better than looking at him. I licked my lips slowly. “It reminded me that you exist.”

I felt his eyes on me. “Had you forgotten I did?”

I hesitated, glancing at him. “I wanted to forget.”

He looked away from me, his eyes hard on the floor. Did I just fuck up with that response? But how could I just admit that while I wanted to forget, it never happened. Never once.

Didn’t matter. He didn’t give me the chance.

“I looked into the boy.”

I straightened up. “Already?”

He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees, his gaze still trapped to the floor. “Surface information. I have a powerful source that can give me something else I need to know to go forward in the right direction. On the ground level, I won’t know much more until my men get here.”

I blinked rapidly, absorbing his words. “You’re going to get your guys to look into him.”

He nodded once. “I am.”

“Thank you, Locke.”

He worked his jaw, keeping his lips pressed shut tightly. Seconds passed.

“Will you stay for breakfast?” I asked.

His eyes searched mine. He tapped a finger against his broken blue watch face. “Why?”

I tried to play off his strange question with a shrug. “Because it’s morning, and that’s what people do. We eat.”

His gaze dropped to my mouth. “I ate.”

He did? I opened my mouth to ask him what he ate, and then paused. It seemed the night took away my courage because I didn’t ask him what he ate, or if the strange tone he used to answer meant other things.

Locke was impossible to read.

“How about coffee?” I asked, wondering if it was obvious I was trying to keep him here.

“No coffee.”

“Tea?”

He looked at me. I looked back. He didn’t answer because he knew that I knew it was going to be a hard no to anything I offered that wasn’t me.

Abruptly, he stood up, and I felt a sinking in my chest that he was going to go. “It’s important you don’t let anyone know I’m in this town. Don’t say my name in public. I’m not here, Kali. Understand?”

Confused, I asked. “But why?”

He looked into my eyes, but I may as well have been one of his guys. “If there’s a network like the one I’ve been descending upon in secret, they’ll figure me out. I can’t have a face here. I can’t even have my men break bones for answers. It needs to be quiet.”

“Where will you be?”

“Where I always am. Operating in the dark.”

He turned away and walked out.

Panic surged through me as I practically dived out of bed and chased after him as he walked down the corridor, the floor creaking loudly beneath our feet. “Are you leaving me?”

“I just said I’ll be here investigating the boy.”

I stared at his huge back. “But what about…”

He spun around, and I almost slammed into his chest. He peered down at me delivering his words slowly. “What about what?”

I looked up at him, and his eyes were so cold, so unfeeling. “What about what you said last night?”

He didn’t look over my face. There was no reverence there. Just ice. “I learned a lot of things last night.”

My voice was small. “Like what?”

“Like when I’m wanted…and when I’m needed.”

My chest constricted painfully. “Locke…”

He waited for me to finish, but the words died on my tongue. He stared at my mouth, and then he stepped back. “I have to hunt a little boy, Kali.”

No little lion, or little prey. Just a cold Kali. I followed after him as he made his way out of the house. “How will I find you?” I asked, winded. “What if I need you? How will I get a hold of you, dammit?”

“You’ll hear from me.”

He left through the front door and didn’t look back at me.

There was a nice black car half a block down the street. He climbed into it and took off. It wasn’t a dramatic exit, either. His speed was normal as he drove past the house and disappeared down the road.

This time he left me , and he looked like he truly needed to get away. It felt like the roles were reversed because I suddenly needed to know how to find him. To know he was tangible and real. That he wouldn’t just abandon me because of what I’d said to him last night.

The look of his hurt flashed through my mind, and I didn’t like the awful feeling it left behind.What was wrong with me? Why did I give him a half-truth and omit the other, more necessary, one?

I sat down on the front porch, my sore body protesting when I brought my knees to my chest. Anxiety built inside me. I needed to take my medication, but I didn’t think it would help today.

Aurora took a seat next to me, fluffing out her dress before clasping her teacup. She watched me, intently, and for once, she kept her little lips closed.

As Dahlia found me and crawled into my lap, I spent the hours of my Sunday thinking of Locke’s unfeeling face.

◆◆◆

I heard nothing from Locke the rest of the day. I stayed up into the early hours of the morning, tossing and turning. Dahlia refused to get into bed with me, probably sensing my neediness.

I kept my eyes pinned to my bedroom door, waiting. My nerves were crazy as I thought about his words repeatedly.

“I learned a lot last night.”

I shut my eyes tightly, wanting to groan. I had a horrible feeling I’d done too much damage. But even if I had, why would I want to repair it? This was Locke, goddammit. I’d been doing fine without him.

Right?

My heart was beating wildly. I watched the clock tick, and then somewhere along the way, I passed out. It was a crummy sleep. I probably only got about a couple broken hours of shut eye. I was an absolute zombie when I got up, my heart sinking in my chest to find he hadn’t showed up.

I got ready for work and left quietly when I heard the shower pipes go on in the bathroom, signalling Hal’s return. I wasn’t in the mood for a walk with him this morning.

I just wanted to go to work and hope that Locke paid me a visit in the night.