Repairing the Hurt

Chapter 9

An hour later we're changed and sitting at a table in a crowded coffee shop.

Austin's leg is lightly bouncing against the floor. He keeps looking around for his friend. I made him take the seat with the back to the door so I could see everyone coming and going.

He seems on edge.

"What's going on with you?" I hiss, twirling my coffee in my hands.

"You gave me the bullet seat," he mutters.

I freeze my hands and raise my eyebrows, "The what?"

"The bullet seat. I can't see the door. If someone comes in, I'm the first to die."

I actually giggle at that. He glares at me, which makes me giggle more.

"What?" He demands.

I control myself enough to answer, "You're such a baby," I patronize, "You'd rather have me sitting there, 'the first to die'?" I mock.

He glares harder, "Ideally, I would see a threat coming in and deal with it."

I giggle again, unable to help myself.

"What?" He demands again.

"I don't need anyone to protect me," and I don't, not now that I can take care of myself. "And as I recall, I was doing the saving last night."

I shouldn't have said that. His face grows red and I think he's about to leave when he glances around again and perks up, seeing the guy at the door scanning the room. He stops when he reaches us and nods his head at Austin, making his way over to our table.

Alex is a scrawny guy. He has darker skin and he's real tall, dark hair and eyes to match. Sharp features, but older, sophisticated. I get the feeling he's a lot older than me, even though I know he's the same age.

When he reaches us, he claps Austin on the shoulder and reaches out a hand to me, "I'm Alex, and you must be Sang."

He's polite, I'll give him that. "Nice to meet you," I respond, shaking his hand and sitting down.

Alex zeroes in on my side of the table and has to blink, moving to Austin's side.

Did he seriously just silently beg for my chair so he could see the door? Who knew a male ego could be so inflated?

"Austin told me you had some questions for me. What's that about?"

Straight to the point. Maybe this kid isn't so bad.

"I want to know about the kidnappings in the slums." I can be straightforward, too.

He starts. "Excuse me?"

"Austin told me you knew some of the people who have gone missing. I want to know so I can help." Don't be an ass.

"What exactly do you think you're going to do about it?" He's approaching the title of an ass.

"I can help. I can also stop this if I get enough information."

He turns to Austin, "What the fuck, man? You're ready to cut off your dick for some delusional chick?"

I bristle at that. I'm many things, but not delusional.

"Give her a chance, she's more talented that you think."

"Talented in the bedroom, you mean?"

"Okay, listen you prick," I cut in, his words striking a nerve, "I'm trying to help, because I'm in a position to do so. People are going missing and not coming back. Are you going to help me, or are you going to continue being a little bitch?" Gabriel would be so proud of my language. North would be so mad.