Shattered Edge(80)

He didn’t want to buy anything until he had a feel for the place. He’d lived in Seattle for six years when he did his residency and fellowship so he knew a fair amount about it. He’d suggested this area so that how we ended up here.

I needed to get furniture and lots of other things because I didn’t own a damned thing. Preston was arriving today to help me move in. I was excited to see him and I really wanted the two of them to get along. Justin had issues with him, but they would have to work them out.

Preston had agreed that we had a sound plan. We were going to have a “chance” meeting as neighbors. Invite each other over, that sort of thing and then progress into a full blown relationship. Preston would have to be a separate part of my life from Justin’s family. I couldn’t introduce him as my brother to anyone, so he was now a former coworker from back East.

We would always be sure the paths of Preston, my mom and the Middletons would never cross. That would never be possible. Ever. Justin knew that.

Preston and I went shopping and I purchased a bed and sofa, as well as a chest of drawers, desk, dining table, four chairs and two bar stools. I also stocked my kitchen with the basic necessities.

“I think I went overboard,” I told him. “I slept on a couch most of the time I spent at EPIC.”

He rolled his eyes. “I remember.” He hugged me. Hard. “I owe you. Hell Caroline, I won’t ever be able to pay you for the fucking hit you took because of me. I totally screwed up your beautiful life...all because of my goddamn profession.”

I gaped. It was the first time he’d ever been so open about this.

“Well, it’s going to end well.” I smiled and winked at him.

“At what cost? Justin had to leave his home, his family. Both of you...what you went through. Christ Caroline, I thought you weren’t gonna make it. I really did. I questioned whether it would’ve been better to have shot you instead when I saw what you went through.” He scrubbed his face. “And then I kept thinking about what Justin was going through, wondering if he was doing the same thing. Fuck. I wanted to blow those bastards away. I could barely keep up my cover at the time.”

I hugged myself. I found I had no argument for anything he’d said.

“Fucking government won’t even pay you what they owe you afterward. You bring down the biggest cartel. Your intel is responsible for the largest drug bust in the history of this nation, and those fuckers won’t even compensate you. You gave up your whole damn life for them and they won’t even goddamn recognize you with a little money.”

“Blah. Government. They’re too big to do any good any more. They have their noses where they shouldn’t be and don’t have them where they should. Let’s not talk about the fucking government. I don’t want to waste my time with you talking about them.”

“Yeah. You’re right. Are you hungry?”

“Starved.”

“Let’s go eat.”

One thing Seattle wasn’t short on was great coffee joints and great restaurants. We grabbed some dinner at a awesome seafood place and came home and drank a bottle of wine and chatted.

“Can I just say Preston, I’m so fucking glad you’re not a drug addict.”

We laughed. “Me too. That shit was getting so old, shooting up saline. My arms got so damn sore. And then I’d have to pretend I was hunting needles. I’d have fresh ones hidden, but no one could know, so I’d be on these crazy ass needle rampages all the time. And living in filth. It was nasty.

I had to ask. I’d always wanted to, but we never talked about it. My voice dropped and I said, “Preston, tell me about prison.”

“No.”

“I was...”

“Caroline, look. It was bad. Awful. Horrible. I try to put it out of my mind. But it’s impossible. It won’t ever go away. Most guys that go in have a past...a record. I didn’t so I had to take it on the chin and fight my ass off. I was in the infirmary a lot. I’ll give you this pass this one time. Don’t ever ask me about it again.”

“Fuck Preston. I’m sorry.”

He shrugged and asked, “You got any liquor?”

“Yeah. Over there.” I pointed to a cabinet.

He pulled out a bottle of bourbon and poured some into a glass and drank it straight down. He stood by the bar with his back to me and I could sense the war that raged within him.

I walked up to him and put my arms around him from behind. He flinched at first, but then relaxed. “Life’s a bastard, isn’t it?”

“It sure has been to us.”

He put his arms on mine and hugged me.

“Well, I think I’m gonna crash.”