Shadow & Smoke

Chapter 7

"Uh..." I stuttered, trying to process everything, "I'm sorry..."

"I've been calling you all night and I even had Jane try your cell because you weren't picking up." Eli explained as he seemed to calm down slightly. "After what happened at the bookstore, I went back and I noticed the back lock had been slightly tempered with. It could be a coincidence but I got worried after you said you thought someone was inside the store."

Realizing that he had just been worried about my wellbeing like a genuine friend, I suddenly felt like an asshole.

"I'm so sorry about that." I tried to explain. "I let my imagination get the best of me in that old bookstore. I was in the attic and I got creeped out. I shouldn't have worried you like that. I actually fell asleep as soon as I got home and my phone never charged. It died and I was passed out."

My story wasn't a complete lie. I tried to justify to myself.

Eli seemed relieved, "I'm just glad you're okay. Jane said that you had inventory this morning and you didn't show and when I jogged past, she was letting herself in with the spare and mentioned you weren't there. I definitely overreacted but I put two and two together and it worried me."

Damn it, I forgot about inventory. Thankfully, it wasn't the end of the world and all things considered, the last thing I was going to worry about.

"Eli..." I smiled, putting my hand on his arm, "You're the best. I really appreciate you looking out for me but I'm fine. It's good to know though that if I was ever kidnapped or anything, you'd notice first."

We both laughed and the mood was instantly lighter.

"So, I just basically barged in on you with the sun barely up because I thought something happened to you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be!" I assured him. "I don't have a lot of solid friends in my life so, thank you."

"Well, you've got me." Eli reminded me with a charming smile.

If I hand't been dealing with a possible psychotic break, I might have entertained the idea of getting to know him better—and maybe in a romantic way. He seemed like one of the good ones and all things considered, I could use one of them.

"Now that I know you're alive and well," Eli teased, "I'm going to head into work. Feel free to return the favor and barge into the firehouse to wake me up before the sun. Usually, the fire alarms do that for me but on the rare occasion I get to sleep in, you could easily get your payback."

I smiled, "I'll think about it."

We said our goodbyes and Eli left. The instant the front door closed behind him, the static tension filled the room again. It was so palpable that I could cut it with my hunting knife sitting in the nearby drawer.

"What the fuck was that?" Kai demanded. He was back standing where I'd left him but his disposition was completely different. I could almost see the rage radiating from his skin the way the electricity danced from it.

"What was what?" I asked, instantly alarmed at the shift.

Narrowing his eyes at me with an intensity that slightly scared me, Kai looked me up and down and stalked closer. He breathed heavily, almost trying to coax down whatever angry words he likely wanted to say to me in the moment.

"You're fucking that guy?" He spat.

Taken aback by his crass words, I raised my eyebrow at him with attitude, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"I don't think that's any of your fucking business." I replied. "I'm probably fucking hallucinating right now, I swear."

Kai scoffed but held his ground.

What the hell was I doing anyway? Arguing with a man that may or may not actually exist?

"So, you are then..." He accused me again like it were the greatest sin if I had been. He completely ignored my comment about him being a figment of my imagination.

"For your information," I pointed my finger at his chest but was careful not to break it the way I almost had my wrist, "No, I am not fucking him—or anyone right now for that matter but guess what? It's none of your business if I were."

Kai looked at me like I had some audacity talking to him that way—as if he hadn't just appeared out of nowhere and started bossing me around like I was his property. I hadn't even come to terms yet about what he was or if he even existed and now he wanted to throw in another argument? I didn't have the bandwidth at that point.

"You don't get to appear out of thin air and suddenly expect me to answer to you." I said sternly. "You want to play games and withhold information? Well, two can play that game."

Instead of pissing him off as was my intention, my words only seemed to entice him more. He grinned salaciously at whatever thoughts had struck him.

"You don't think I know everything about you, love?"

My breath instantly caught in my chest and my throat was too dry to even swallow.

Fuck him and the affect he had on me. If it wasn't attraction, it was fear or most offensive, annoyance.

"Then why ask me such a question?" I replied. "If you know everything, you should know who I'm fucking."

The way I challenged him did not go unnoticed. In fact, Kai almost seemed to enjoy it although it was a fine line between that devilish fucking smile or pure disdain. I wasn't always sure which side of him I was going to get.

"Maybe I wanted you to confirm it."

"You're really fucking twisted, you know that?" I sneered. "You're just fucking with me, aren't you?"

I could tell by the look on his face that Kai wasn't going to deny my accusations but he did clarify, "Most people would be happy to have a friend like me."

Laughing at his nerve, "You're no friend. You've ruined my life for months and now you're just toying with me before you finish me off. What's the end game here, huh?"

"I will give you one more question tonight but only if you give me one promise in return."

I wanted to throw something at his pretty face, I was so damn frustrated with going in circles. After so long, we were getting nowhere.

"If I promise what?" I inquired because knowing him, it would likely be something outrageous.

"Stay the fuck away from that guy." Kai answered nonchalantly. "And all guys."

Yup, outrageous.

"Eli is my friend." I argued. "You can't tell me who I can and can't be friends with. You and I aren't even friends."

I began pacing the living room because I was getting so worked up.

"Oh love," Kai smiled at me—so charmingly that I wanted to both kiss him and punch him at the same time. "We are so much more than friends."