Home > Damaged : The Dillon Sisters(5)

Damaged : The Dillon Sisters(5)
Author: Layla Frost

I knew my plan backfired when her grin grew, and I was seriously worried she’d damage the nerves in her cheeks if she kept it up. “Sounds good. We’ll get Mexican.”

That elicited a genuine smile from me as we both wistfully sighed, “Salsa.”

Suddenly, I wasn’t dreading the impending dinner. If it weren’t for the fact group always drained me, the promise of fresh salsa may have been enough to make me change my mind about going right then.

“Do you have a shift at the rescue tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes, but I’m done by five.”

I usually stuck around off the clock to help out, but I’d make sure I broke away on time since it clearly meant a lot to her.

Plus, that whole salsa thing.

“Okay, I’ll text tomorrow.” She pulled me into another hug and didn’t seem surprised or fazed when I didn’t return it. “Be careful and have fun tonight!”

“I will.”

Because I’ll be in the comfort of my own home.

With a smile that was actually kinda real—she was the one person who made that happen—I headed outside.

When I got to my bus stop, I dug around in my bag for my pass. Just as my fingers closed around it, someone bumped me from behind. My purse and its contents skittered across the sidewalk, leaving me standing there holding the laminated card and nothing else.

“Shit, sorry,” a deep voice said.

Thankfully, my heart rate didn’t accelerate into panic attack territory at someone so close behind me, likely because I quickly dropped to my knees to collect the hodgepodge of purse clutter before it blew away.

Whoever it was crouched, too, grabbing my purse and shoving stuff in. His long arm span made quick work of it before he stood, still holding my purse in one hand as he offered me the other.

I finally looked up into a pair of mesmerizing honey-brown eyes, and Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You started playing dramatically.

In my head, at least.

Not because it was love at first sight or any unrealistic bullshit that never actually happened. It just seemed appropriate since that song was in The Bodyguard, and it was the tech nerd’s bodyguard who stood there.

Ignoring his hand, I got to my feet and took my stuff from him. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me, I’m the one who wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“It’s fine.” Even though the state of chaos in my purse was already making me anxious.

His brown eyes narrowed as he studied me. “You okay? I knocked you pretty hard.”

No.

But I never am.

“I’m stronger than I look,” I lied. And it was a big one, too.

He smiled down at me, and, if I were normal, I’d have smiled back. Maybe I’d have flirted. Maybe I’d have told him that he could repay the inconvenience by buying me coffee.

Maybe I’d have done the bare minimum and simply introduced myself.

But I wasn’t normal, so I didn’t do any of that.

Not that he was waiting on bated breath for me to do anything. He offered one last apology before turning and walking away.

I watched him head down the street toward the parking lot. Or, more specifically, I watched his ass. It should’ve been a crime for a pair of pants to fit someone so well. Or for someone to be that attractive. It was unfair to the rest of the universe for him to throw off the hotness bell curve so much.

When he was almost to the corner, he looked over his shoulder and locked eyes with mine.

Shit.

Busted.

I averted my gaze, pretending I was scanning the area and not staring at him like a freak.

Kill me now, ‘kay? Thanks.

I wasn’t struck down, but my bus pulled up, and that was the next best thing.

Alexander

THAT WASN’T THE smoothest meeting…

Walking away from the gorgeous blonde, I wondered if I should’ve introduced myself. It hadn’t seemed like a good idea. She’d looked freaked enough and desperate for an escape. Not that I blamed her. An emergency text had come through and I’d been looking down at my cell when I’d bumped into her.

Great job, asshole.

Needing another look, I glanced over my shoulder.

Still standing where I’d left her, her long hair blew back in the breeze as if she were a model in a shampoo commercial.

She was gorgeous enough to be.

Her big blue eyes were brighter in the hint of sun. They were just as pretty as the rest of her.

They were also still aimed my way.

When I met her gaze, she jolted before quickly looking away.

Her checking me out—and her reaction to getting caught—made me think I hadn’t fucked up as bad as I thought.

Fuck it.

I was going to go back to talk to her, but before I could, a bus stopped in front of her. She hurried on as soon as it came to a stop.

Sliding my hands into my pockets, I grinned as I walked to my car.

No, that wasn’t the smoothest meeting…

But it was a helluva start.

 

 

Chapter Two


Fascinating

Briar

For satchels of Richards

ONCE I WAS locked in my apartment, my lungs opened fully, allowing me to breathe deep until the tingling in my fingertips dissipated.

I’m alone.

I’m in control.

I made it a week, and I can keep going.

At least for another week.

Maybe…

Distracting myself from my toxic thoughts, I flipped through my mail. It didn’t offer much diversion since it was nothing but catalogs, coupons, and other junk I had no use for. I set my purse on the kitchen island and reached in like I was Mary Poppins with a bag of chaos.

Not feeling what I was looking for, I turned it upside-down and dumped out the mess. Even though it was obvious right away that my phone wasn’t there, I took the time I didn’t have to sort through, placing each item where it belonged.

With order restored, I searched my apartment only to confirm what I already knew.

I was missing my cell.

Shit.

I must not have picked it up when everything spilled.

My phone was basically a glorified meme machine. I could’ve waited until the next day to get it and the only one who’d notice was the robot trying to reach me about the extended warranty I didn’t have for the car I also didn’t have. But waiting meant I wouldn’t have it in case of an emergency, and that made me anxious.

What else was new?

Awesome. First, I set myself off by planning dinner with Aria. Then I got knocked into and made a mess. Then I made that situation even worse by getting caught checking the guy out. And to top it off, I lost my phone and have to go back out into the world.

Stellar day.

I really am my worst enemy.

Sighing dramatically, as though it were the world’s biggest inconvenience—because it kinda was—I left my tiny fortress of solitude. I probably should’ve asked a neighbor to use their phone so I could call Aria to go outside and look for me. But that would’ve meant human interaction—not to mention the risk of her finding out I’d lied about my plans—so I hopped back on the bus and rode to the center to look for myself.

When I got off, I scanned the gutter and area around the stop. Coming up empty, I went inside on the very off chance someone had turned it in.

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