I snorted and readjusted his weight across my shoulders. "If you want to be sorry for something then apologize for your weight. You're hiding anvils under that coat, aren't you?"
He managed a smile. It suited his face. "I don't think so."
"Well, no thanks to Red this is going to be a long hallway," I commented.
"I'm sorry."
"You say that a lot."
"I'm-"
"Sorry. I know. But how about you be less sorry and start moving those feet of yours?" I requested.
"Okay."
We shuffled our way down the hall to my old room. Mortale used his key on the room and we stepped inside. The spartan condition in which I left the room hadn't changed. There was no furniture in the living room, and only a few personal belongings on a rickety table beside the door.
"Don't you have any place to sit?" I asked him.
He nodded at the bedroom door. "In there."
I helped him into the bedroom where the bare, stained mattress I'd abandoned awaited us. A few blankets were bunched up in a pile with a worn pillow at the head. He lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, and I stood before him. The weak moonlight from the window behind me cast my shadow over his slumped form. His shoulders drooped and his hands hung between his spread legs. He stared at the floor with his head bowed in a servile attitude.
"Can I get you any food?" I asked him.
He shook his head without raising it. "There isn't any."
I frowned. "Why not?"
"I. . .I eat out," he replied.
"Is there anything else you need? Did you want me to look at those bruises?" I offered.
"No, but-" He tensed. There was a pause before he shook his head. "No. Never mind."
And that was that. I turned to leave. "I guess I'll-" I jerked to a stop.
My hand was grabbed and arrested my movement. I turned to find his hand wrapped around mine. The moon reflected off his dark coat and cast him in a mixture of shadow and light that emboldened the lines of his face. His eyes were wide open, and for the first time I saw they were a brilliant shade of green. They were almost emerald in color, and so bright I could see my reflection in them.
Gone were the apologies and the hesitant words. He stared at me without shyness or embarrassment, and his words were clear and firm.
"Don't go," he told me.
A mesmerizing heat flared up inside me. I fought against the urge to clasp his cheek in one hand. To caress his skin and dive into the depths of those beautiful eyes. I wanted to know him, and yet I was afraid. No. It wasn't fear. It was something else. Something I couldn't quite understand. The not-understanding is what frightened me.
"I-I have to," I stuttered.
I tugged on my hand. He held onto me for a moment before his face changed. His eyes drooped so the light was extinguished. His gaze returned to the floor. He released his grip on me and my fingers slipped from his.
"I'm sorry. . ." he mumbled.
Not half as sorry as I was. I pulled my hand against my chest and stared fascinated at this strange creature of a man. "I should go. I guess I'll see you around."
"Yeah, I guess. . ." he replied.
I studied him for a moment longer before I pulled myself away from the pitiable sight. The last I saw of him he sat as still as a statue on the bed and stared at the ground. The weak light of the moon passed away and darkened the room in shadow and depression.
I slipped into the hall and leaned my back against the apartment door. A sigh escaped my lips. I raised my hand and brushed it against my bangs. My eyes widened and I lowered my hand so it hovered in front of me. My hand shook. I bit my lip and clasped my hand in a fist.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" I muttered. I dropped my hand to my side and leaned the back of my head against the door to stare at the ceiling. The yellow ceiling with its myriad of water stains glared back. "One stupid look from a cute guy and you suddenly lose it? Come on."
My pep talk did the trick. Mostly. I couldn't erase the memory of those beautiful eyes, or the feelings they stirred inside of me, but I could forget them for a while.
CHAPTER 6
That forgetting came in the form of one temperamental roommate.
I reached my new apartment and rummaged for my key, but the door opened. Red stood on the other side and glared at me. I glared back.
"What the hell was that about?" I questioned him.
"Where'd you leave him?" he returned.
I pushed past Red and dropped my key onto the small table. "In his apartment. Where else?" I plopped myself onto the couch and stretched my arms over the back. "And why the hell wouldn't you help me? It wasn't like he was going to bite you or-"
"Bite you?" Red interrupted. He leapt onto the couch cushion beside me and searched my eyes. "He didn't bite you, did he?"
I leaned away from him and frowned. "No. Why the hell would he do that?"
Red relaxed and a smile graced his lips. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "No reason. I just thought maybe he hurt you."
"I can take care of myself," I assured him.
Red pursed his lips and shook his head. "You don't understand. That guy's a rough customer."
I snorted. "If you mean roughed up, yeah. The thugs in the alley only had to stare at him to whip him, but they did a-"
"Could we just talk about something else?" Red interrupted.
I studied my roommate and raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem? You act like that guy's dangerous or something."
"'Or something' would be about right," he replied.
"Care to tell me what that something is?" I persisted.
Red stood and shrugged. "I just get a bad vibe off of him, that's all. He's trouble."
"He certainly attracts it," I agreed.
Red studied my face and his eyes narrowed. "I'm serious, Leila. You should stay away from-"
"I know, I know, stay far away from him because he's trouble," I finished. I stood and glared at my roommate. "But since you're not going to tell me what you're hiding then I think I'll just go to bed."
Red frowned. "I'm not hiding anything."
"You're also terrible at hiding lies," I scolded him.
I turned away from him and moved towards the opposite end of the couch. Red's hand shot out and he roughly grabbed my arm. He spun me around and pressed me against his chest. His burning eyes searched mine as his lips curled back in a snarl.
"Don't go near him again," he growled.
I narrowed my eyes and tried to jerk out of his hold, but he held onto me. "Let go of me," I ordered him.
He shook me. His strength was prodigious. I flailed about like a rag doll. "Promise me."
I winced beneath the pressure of his fingers. My free hand itched to grab my gun in its holster, but this wasn't some hoodlum threatening me. This was Red. My roommate. My friend.
My abuser.
"You're hurting me," I told him.
He stuck his face in mine. I had a good view of his eyes. Their depths were dark, but the outside shone with a strange light. "Promise me," he hissed.
I turned away from those horrible eyes and closed mine. "I promise. . ." I whispered.
His stance relaxed. He smiled and opened his hand. My arm dropped from his grasp. I took a step back and rubbed the bruises that were just forming.
"Good. So how about we get something to eat? My treat," Red offered.
I dropped my arms to my side and glared at him. "No thanks. I'm not hungry."
His eyes narrowed and he took a step towards me. "Don't be like that."
I stepped back and whipped out my gun. The barrel pointed at it forehead. "Not another step, or you'll regret it," I warned him.
Red paused and frowned. Those dark eyes of his studied me for a second before a goofy grin slipped onto his lips. He held up his palms and stepped back towards the door. "All right, all right, take it easy. It's just me, remember?"
"My pulsing arm makes it hard to forget," I quipped.
He sighed. "Listen, I'm sorry, okay? I just don't want anything bad to happen to you, and that guy will definitely make something bad happen to you."
I lowered the gun, but only just a little. "I can take care of myself."
Red smiled and dropped his arms as he nodded at the gun. "Yeah. I forgot about that little toy of yours. Anyway, let me make it up to you by taking you out so you don't get poisoned by my food. Or I could go out and bring you back something."
I holstered the gun and shook my head. "I'm fine, really. That guy wasn't light, so I think I'll go to bed."
"Suit yourself, but dust don't get so much beauty sleep that you leave me to become Miss Universe," Red teased as he stepped closer to the front door.
I smiled and shrugged. "I can't make any promises."
Red paused at the door and his smile faltered a little. "And don't forget that promise you made me. About staying away from that guy."
I folded my arms and winked at him. "You know me. I always keep my promises."
The corners of his lips curled up and he chuckled. "You're the only person I know who hasn't failed me yet. Anyway, see you later."
"Later," I returned.
Red slipped from the apartment. I waited a few seconds before I grabbed a box of snack crackers from the kitchen and took them to my room. The door had a deadbolt on it. I used it.
I munched on the crackers as I got ready for bed. Red was right. I always kept my promises.