Saving Shaw

Fourteen

After Talon finished washing my hair in the sink, I dressed in a simple, black T-shirt dress and headed downstairs for breakfast. I was absolutely starving. It was almost ten in the morning and almost everyone else was still sleeping.

I wasn't sure where Talon had disappeared to, but his car was no longer in the driveway so I assumed he'd gone into the city for something. I couldn't imagine what he'd need on a Sunday, but I knew better than to waste my time worrying about what he did with his free time.

Instead, I decided to attempt to cook. I wasn't the best, but frying up some eggs and bacon for a bunch of hungover guys couldn't be that difficult. I knew how to crack eggs and turn the stove on. As I walked towards the refrigerator, I walked through the steps in my head. I'd seen people cook before. Just because I didn't do it often didn't mean I was bad at it.

While I was scouring the contents of the fridge for the ingredients I thought I needed, Arrow walked into the kitchen with a yawn. "Oh thank God," I said, closing the door to the fridge. "I was going to cook, but now that you're up..." I trailed off with a sheepish smile.

"What the fuck is that on your neck," he said, walking closer to me. Arrow took hold of my chin and tilted my head to the side to inspect the hickies before I could wrench myself from his grip. I narrowed my eyes at him as a grin slowly spread across his face.

"Don't," I warned him.

Arrow put his fist in front of his mouth to hide a smile. "I didn't say anything."

"It was a rough night!"

"I'll say," Arrow said with a snort as he walked towards the cabinet and grabbed a large bowl.

"No!" I snapped before I got quiet and went to go sit at the kitchen island. "Damien Shepard stopped by last night."

Arrow spun around and looked at me with alarm. "Shep was here? Why didn't you guys call us?"

I shook my head and wrung my hands in my lap. "It happened so fast," I said as I squeezed my eyes shut as I recalled the moment Shep's face twisted in rage and his teeth elongated. "He cut the power and caught us off guard, but he knows his brother's dead and that we're responsible."

"He was just threatening you guys?" Arrow asked as he carefully set the bowl down.

"Threatening, warning, and trying to cut a deal," I said.

"Axel?" he asked.

"Me."

Arrow gave me a sympathetic look. "Damn," he murmured. "I don't know what happened to him. We used to be friends as kids. We looked out for each other, you know?"

"It's no one's fault," I said. "It was just bad timing."

I didn't blame Axel for killing Luke. I didn't blame Talon for creating Shep who created Luke. I don't even know if I blamed Luke for trying to attack and kidnap me. I did blame Shep because he probably sent his psychotic brother after me. I mostly blamed myself.

Ever since I left home, I've been keeping myself at a distance from people. I didn't keep in contact with my family as much as I should and I never let my friends all the way in. Chris doesn't even know my whole life story. I always thought I was better off on my own, but clearly I'm not.

"So neither you nor Talon got hurt?"

"Not by Shep."

Arrow seemed to realize I didn't exactly answer his whole question. "By one of his goons?"

I hesitated before answering. I didn't want a lecture and I didn't want anyone to blame Talon for what had happened. He asked me to wait inside but I insisted on going with him. I'd been too close to him when he'd gotten angry.