Grim Echoes

Chapter 50 - Maeve

Maeve's feet slapped the asphalt as the humid night air blanketed her. Damn him! He always ruined everything! She looked at the SUV and thought about leaving. Maybe she could figure out a way to be safe on her own. It'd been three days since the angel showed up and nearly a week since the demons attacked her. She could ask Mason to find other people to keep her safe. She balled her hands into fists.

Ander was sweet, although disturbing in some ways, but his heart was in the right place. Could she really blame him for his dysfunction, considering how he'd been raised? She stopped and took a deep breath. Technically, the same could be said about Will, but he intentionally was a jerk most of the time. She tilted her head to the cloudy night sky.

"Are you alright?" Ander's voice came from behind her.

She turned and almost smacked into him. Damn it, he was quiet. Or she hadn't paid attention. "I'm fine,"

"That means you are not fine. I understand when females say they are fine it means the opposite."

"You know saying that actually makes it worse," Maeve spun and stalked toward the SUV.

"I did not mean to upset you more." he glanced at the building. "I was attempting to help. I am unsure what to say because I do not understand why you are angry."

Maeve put her head into her hands. "There isn't anything you can do, Ander, because you aren't the problem. He is,"

"I see,"

"Do you? I feel like you're too busy putting on a show to really notice anything," she spat out.

He winced at her words. Damn it. She hadn't meant to say that, she knew better. Will's actions weren't Ander's fault. She might not have liked him acting so differently, but there were better ways to express it.

"I'm sorry Ander, I didn't mean that."

He nodded but didn't reply.

She took a step toward him. "I shouldn't have said that. You were doing your job and I just... I'm being a jerk to you because I'm angry at Will. That's unfair and you don't deserve that."

He looked at the bar again and rubbed his pant leg.

She took another step closer to him. "Are you angry with me?"

"No. Trust me, that is not the worst thing someone has said to me."

"I don't want to be those people. I want to be better than them to you." she resisted the urge to grab his hands.

He tilted his head to the left and studied her. Her stomach flip-flopped. He was deciding if she was being honest with him.

"I should return." he looked at windows of the bar. "However, Will is going to be drunk now and no use for surveillance. I believe we have enough information. We can leave. Alright?" Ander gestured for her to walk in front of him back to the bar so they could collect Will.

She watched from a distance as Ander talked to Will. Will cast a nasty glare in her direction, which chilled her to the core. Great, he would be so much fun on the way back to the motel. Will made a point of giving the scantly dressed woman a napkin with something written on it, his number no doubt. Fuming, Maeve turned and marched to the SUV.

"Fuck off Andy, its none of your business," Will's voice loud as they approached.

"You did not need to pursue a random female to incite anger in Maeve. We are on a mission. That is very childish," Ander reprimanded him as they loaded into the vehicle.

Thankfully Ander drove, but they argued the entire way. Maeve sat quiet in the back and didn't interfere, even though they discussed her. Will didn't like that she'd talked to Ron, didn't matter she'd got valuable information. Will had no idea why she talked to Ron at all. He insisted she'd ruined the entire night and was a liability because she'd distracted Ander and irritated him by not doing what she'd been told. They still argued when they entered the room.