Bleeding Edge: Elliot Security (Elliot Security Series Book 2) by Evie Mitchell (short story to read .txt) 📗

Be her friend. Make her want to stay.

Jarrett was right.

Fuck, I’m a prick.

I couldn’t just lay shit out the way I would with other women in my life.

Woo her. I can do that.

Chapter Thirteen

Emmie

The loud knocking on my door was obnoxiously persistent.

I hauled myself out of bed, clutching at the walker and shuffling through the apartment as quickly as I could manage.

“I’m coming!” I yelled as I hit the lounge room entrance. I wrenched open the door and backed up the walker as Luc brushed past.

“Luc?” The door snicked shut behind me, closing us in.

He came to a stop in the middle of my living room, turning to face me, a frown creasing his brow.

“I’m sorry.” He tucked hands into his jean pockets, gaze firmly on me. “I was a prick.”

“Okay…” I drank in his appearance. Hair dishevelled, scruff slightly raggedy, tight royal blue T-shirt, dark wash jeans, and black Converse. Even at stupid o’clock in the morning, he looked like a model.

“I’m still pissed at you.” His lips quirked up at the sides. “But I miss you too much to stay away.”

I gripped my walker and counted to ten, waiting for my heart to stop hurting.

“Luc…”

“If you won’t stay for–” His hands scrubbed rapidly over his face and hair. “Look. I just want you to be happy. If this London job is it, then so be it. But at least promise you’ll visit.”

It was deceptively easy to love Luc. And that’s what made it hard to lie.

“Of course.”

When I left, I wouldn’t be able to visit. I’d be the kind of gone where they put your picture on the back of a milk carton.

But I couldn’t tell Luc that.

Why not?

My gut twisted, memories and fear shadowing my rationale.

Luc’s lips twisted up into a shadow of a smile. “Gives me an excuse to visit Europe.”

Perhaps I wanted to pretend normality. Perhaps I’d embraced denial. Either way, I gave into my selfish desire for acceptance.

“I’ll make sure to keep my diary free.”

We stood in the middle of the room, staring at each other for a long moment. Finally, he broke eye contact, looking down at my leg.

“You’re moving better.”

“Yeah. I’ve been working hard.”

He rubbed his chin. “It feel okay?”

“Aches but definitely improving.”

We both stared at each other awkwardly, at a loss for words. Our easy friendship felt strained.

Finally, Luc asked, “There’s a Studio Ghibli marathon on tonight. Wanna watch with me?”

“Are you joking? Yes! How did I not know about this?”

We went to the bedroom. I still had trouble sitting for long periods of time, and the bed was much more comfortable. Luc stretched out beside me, one arm tucked under his head, the other lazily draped across his stomach.

The credits rolled on My Neighbour Totoro when Luc rolled over, propping a hand on the side of his head.

“Can I come here? After the… party on Saturday?”

“Part− oh.” Luc meant after they took down Simon Esso. I bit my lip.

After an operation you were jazzed, needed to talk it out. If you didn’t have a long-term partner you reached out to a friend. Esso’s operation was going down on Saturday. It would be over late Saturday night.

And Luc wanted to come and wind down with me.

Say no.

“What about Paxton?”

“Pax is busy with Jetta.”

“Right.” The blush warmed my cheeks.

“Saturday?”

Say no. It’ll only make it harder to leave.

“Saturday night.” I agreed.

Chapter Fourteen

Emmie

I looked at the clock for what felt like the millionth time. The evil red numbers told me the truth.

Luc wasn’t coming.

I wheeled my chair around, rolling into the kitchen.

Today had been a hard session. I’d tried a walking stick for the first time and fallen twice –thankfully landing on my good side. Amy had told me I’d pushed myself too hard and ordered me to rest for the next two days. No walker or stick.

I picked up the apartment’s phone and hit Luc’s digits, listening to the dial tone.

“This is Luc, leave a message.” The beep sounded, waiting for me to speak.

“Luc, it’s Emmie. I guess things didn’t go to plan. I’m off to bed. Call me tomorrow. Hope nothing went wrong.” I hit the end button, hesitating at putting the phone down.

Should I call Addie or Jarrett or one of the others and check if they’re okay?

Tonight was Jetta’s big concert. Tonight, we were meant to be taking down Simon Esso and his entire operation. Tonight, I would have an answer. Tonight, I would know if the men who shot me were the same men that were after Jetta.

And if they weren’t…

I shut that thinking down.

You can’t do anything right now. Not while you could barely hold your own body weight.

But what if…

“They’ll call. You can’t be distracting them just because you’re feeling paranoid.”

I placed the phone back on the counter and wheeled myself to the door. For the fifth time that night, I checked the locks, moving around the apartment to check the windows as well. Nightmares, paranoia, and fear.

What if…

In the bedroom, I hauled myself out of the wheelchair and onto the bed. I lay staring at the ceiling wishing I knew what had happened, wishing someone would call.

Finally, hours later, I fell asleep.

Chapter Fifteen

Luc

“We’ll find her,” I assured Pax as he sped down the dark road.

The concert was over. Jetta had rocked out, and we’d taken down Simon Esso exactly as planned. But in the chaos Jetta had disappeared.

Pax hunched over the steering wheel, his eyes on the dark road as we drove towards Fairburn. I texted Sawyer, trying to get an update on Jetta’s mobile.

“I should have seen it,” Pax muttered. “I knew the uncle was shifty as fuck.”

Jetta’s uncle, Paul White had kidnapped her. This whole time we’d been chasing Simon Esso when it was Paul White who had planned this shit.

A call lit the screen of Pax’s phone.

“Why is Dylan calling you?” I asked, hitting accept and putting Dylan on loud speaker.

“His facility is where we put Courtney.”

Dylan was an ex-colleague. He’d retired from the forces a year