“Things like what?” she hisses. “What does that even mean?”
God, I regret opening my big mouth. “They might have watched me at Nora’s while I was there to babysit and they might have threatened to hurt Ellis.”
“Holy. Shit.” She tunnels her fingers into her hair, tugging on the dark strands before redoing her ponytail. “Did Nora’s husband lose his mind? You said he’s overprotective, right?”
“That’s putting it mildly.” I lick my lips. “But, no, he didn’t, because Ellis covered for me and lied to him.”
“This is… a lot to process, babe.”
“Yeah.” I knew I shouldn’t have said anything. For all my preaching about boundaries to my mother, I sure blew right through our work-friend barrier. “Sorry. It’s just…” I shiver as I take another sip of my drink.
“Terrifying? Violating? Creepy as fuck?” Cara asks in rapid-fire succession.
“Yeah.” I nod, my voice a mere whisper. “All of the above.”
“Please tell me you went to the cops?” She sets her can down on the counter, plants her hands on her hips, and lasers her eyesinto mine like she’s trying to see directly into my brain. “If not, I’ll take you after work.”
“Ellis took me yesterday.” I’m in for a penny at this point, might as well be in for a pound. And if I’m lucky, she’ll still talk to me.
“Oh, did he now?” Her voice straddles the line between worry and humor—both at my expense.
I roll my lips together and nod.
“Want to elaborate?”
“Not really.” Because what can I even say? I can’t stop thinking about the most infuriating man in the world. The man who went from hating me to vowing to protect me in the blink of an eye while still trying to scrape me off his shoe. The man lying to his best friend for me. The man who is literally living rent-free in my head these days.Yeah, I think not.
“Are you safe?” she asks, her stare never once wavering from mine. “At home, I mean.”
“Yeah, yes.” Uncertainty pricks at my subconscious, because am I really? “I think so, anyway.”
“Well,” she draws out the word, “my couch is always open.”
I’m half tempted to take her up on it, but Fefe Fluffington aside, I’m sure she’s only offering to be polite. That’s just who Cara is. She’s good people… friendly with everyone in the office and beloved by all. A total darling, through and through.
“I appreciate the offer. I’ll, um, let you know if anything changes.”
She heaves out a heavy sigh. “No. You won’t, S.”
I’m wracking my brain for a reply, because she’s right—I won’t—but her watch chirps, effectively ending our conversation. “Gotta go.” She drains the last of her drink before crunching the can and tossing it in the trash.
She’s frustrated, and I hate it, because I don’t know if she’s upset on my behalf or because of me.
“Okay,” I whisper. “Thanks for my drink.”
“Anytime, babe.” She shoots me a sad smile that makes me feel about two inches tall. “Promise me you’ll be careful, yeah?”
“Promise.” I flex my fingers around the slim can, the aluminum crinkling in my hold.
“I mean it, Scarlet.” Her brows dip inward as she glares at me. “Shit like this can go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye.”
“Lay off the true crime,” I quip, trying—and failing miserably—to alleviate the tension crackling through the break room.
Her nostrils flare as she exhales sharply. “I-I’ve gotta go.” She turns and stomps out of the break room without another word.
I plop down into a chair and groan, pressing my palms into my eyes.
“Everything okay?” a familiar, but out of place, masculine voice asks.