The One That Got Away

19 - Elijah

I was putting the finishing touches on Jaxon's ring of flowers that was wrapped around his bicep when my phone began to vibrate.

"You can get that," he called out, wincing as I continued his tattoo.

"I'm a professional," I replied.

Our eyes both went to the phone again as another message came through.

I sat down my gun and peeled off my rubber gloves. "Fine. We can stop here for today. Call me in two weeks and we can work on it some more. I cleaned up his arm and bandaged it before following him to my apartment door. He reached in his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, and leafed through a stack of cash.

I waited as he paid me, ignoring the ringing of my phone.

"Dang, you must have really pissed your chick off," he joked.

I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head. "Just someone wanting to reach me about my car's extended warranty." I closed the door before hurrying to my coffee table to grab my phone as it began to ring again.

"Hello?"

"You aren't going to believe this," Birdie groaned. "My coffee maker isn't working. Do you think it's the outlet? And the door is jammed again. I think it may need to be replaced."

"Give me ten minutes and I'll come by to check it out."

"Thank God," she groaned. "I think I may be hung over."

"I'll be right there." I ended the call and slid my phone into my pocket before grabbing a box of lightbulbs, shoving them into my duffle bag, and heading out.

***

I knocked on Birdie's door and waited for her to yell to come in before shoving it open.

"Oh, you got coffee!" She lifted her head from her pillow, her arm outstretched as her back bowed from the mattress. I couldn't help but laugh as I closed the door behind me with my foot and dropped my bag on the ground.

"I didn't know how you took it, so I got you one of those frozen things," I warned as she sat up and took the cup from me.

"Not a very good stalker," she teased. After a sip, she smiled, her eyes sparkling. "This is perfect. Thank you."

"It was actually strategic," I admitted, watching as her brows furrowed together before taking another sip.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I thought the cold would help you wake up a little faster, and when I explain why your door wouldn't open, you wouldn't be able to scald me with your drink."

She let out a little laugh, shaking her head as she pushed from the bed, nearly losing her balance. "What? Is it going to need to be replaced or something? Are they expensive?"

"Very expensive. That door is designed to keep you in."

She giggled, shaking her head as if struggling to understand the joke.

"I'm serious."

There are moments in everyone's life when they look back on a decision they made and can't figure out how they fell for a scam or were so naive.

This would be that moment for Birdie.

I would be her biggest regret.

The anticipation of that realization was causing my adrenaline to spike. I could feel it pumping through my body, causing every nerve ending to pulse with excitement. I still hadn't figured out what had caused her to be on my list. But her name was there now. And there were very limited options for removing it.

Three lines formed between her pinched brows. "Keep me in? Why?"

"Because this is your new cage, little Bird."