Chapter Twenty-Three SCARLETT

Chapter Twenty-Three

S CARLETT

Monday, July 15, 2024

8:30 p.m.

I arrived at the gym near closing time. I liked the evenings because the place was quiet. Most were either in the showers or enjoying a summer evening. I had a full hour until the place closed. Plenty of time to climb.

I set my bag by the wall, changed into climbing shoes, and doused my hands with chalk. Looking up at the jutting rocks, I identified the spot that had nearly cost me big-time the other day. I’d scaled these rocks a hundred times before and never fallen. However, that was then. Now it was quiet, and I would not be lulled into looking back. If there was a Della look-alike lurking around, she wasn’t here now. I’d been obsessing about her today, but on the wall, I didn’t have the brain space to think about her. Later she’d return to my thoughts, but for now it was just me and the wall.

Without a belayer, I’d be arrow focused. No, it wasn’t safe, but it was an effective way to keep my mind in the moment.

I worked my fingers into the groove of the first stone. The initial twenty feet were easy going. My feet found footholds effortlessly, and my hands slid into the ruts I knew very well. I continued the climb upward, anticipating the more difficult holds and slippery footings. My fingers ached as I pinched the rocks and hauled myself up another few inches. How many times in Tanner’s basement had I dreamed of climbing to freedom?

My fingers cramped around a rock, forcing me to pause and loosen my hold. Against the wall, my breathing was fast. Sweat trickled down my back as I pushed closer to the hot lights.

When I’d stared at Tanner’s basement ceiling, I memorized all the cracks, learned the pattern of the pipes that leaked, and trailed the paths taken by the bugs. That ceiling had become its own world. I’d spent hours pushing past it, climbing up, ripping away insulation, and breaking through the living room floor I’d never seen. I would imagine dashing to the front door, twisting the knob, and stepping into the hot sun. And then I’d run until my lungs and legs burned.

The lights above me hummed, popped, drawing my attention back to the present. I finished the last ten feet and scraped my fingers against the acoustic tiles.

The trip down was always risky. The stones were out of my field of vision and I had to rely on my memory. Slowly, I inched down, gripping and digging toes into plastic rock.

When I reached the floor, a rush of adrenaline flooded me. I’d escaped again. This feeling was a temporary fix. It would get me through the evening, but it wouldn’t last. Peace, harmony, love—none of it ever lingered. I supposed there were people who lived in a state of bliss, but I wasn’t one of them.

“You move like a pro.”

The familiar male voice had me turning to find Luke Kane. He was wearing a faded Naval Academy T-shirt, shorts, and athletic shoes. “Thanks. When did you get here?”

His gaze steadied on me, warmth settling in the curve of his smile. “I was on my way out of the weight room when I looked up and saw this crazy woman climbing to the top without a spotter.”

“And you thought, ‘I know that woman.’”

He chuckled as a flicker of awe shimmered in his dark eyes. “You do this often?”

“Five or six days a week. Reminds me to keep my mind in the moment.”

He seemed to file the detail away with all the other facts he had amassed on my story. “Did it work tonight?”

“Well. Real well.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t texted. Big case prep.”

“I get it. We all have busy lives.”

“I’d like to go out again.”

I rubbed my chalked hands together, watching as the remains of the white powder floated to the floor. “I assumed you’d wised up and moved on.”

“I won’t lie. I’ve put some thought into it.”

“And yet you just happened to be here randomly?”

“Nothing random about it. I remembered you said you climbed in the evenings. I took a chance.”

“You could’ve texted.”

“I hate texts.” His deep tone added traces of humor to the confession. “Nothing beats face-to-face conversation.”

“Very stalker-like.” There was nothing desperate or angry about him, like there had been about Tanner once the mask dropped. Tanner had needed to control, hurt, and conquer. Was the man behind Luke’s mask the same charming guy?

“Strategic.” He jammed his thumb toward the locker. “I was going to shower and grab a burger. Care to join?”

I’d bought food earlier in the day thinking I might find Tiffany, but I hadn’t, so I still had plenty in the refrigerator waiting for me. “I could eat. Let me change.”

“Meet you here in fifteen?”

“Deal.”

I moved into the dressing room and dumped my gear by the last shower on the left. It was the farthest stall from the door, which I liked. Also, its water pressure was the best.

I showered, taking time to wash my hair and shave my legs. Not sure why I felt like both were necessary to share a burger with a guy, but I did.

After swapping my climbing clothes for jeans and a blouse from my bag, I slipped on sandals. I combed my hair, ran a dryer over it quickly, and headed out of the changing room.

I found Luke by the front desk, talking to the attendant, Marty. The gym closed in five minutes, and normally Marty, in a rush to get home to watch basketball replays, got pissy when clients lingered. But he was laughing as Luke talked. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Marty smile.

When Luke’s gaze shifted to me, Marty turned, shrugging. “The fearless climber. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

“I’ve signed all the waivers,” I said. “You’re in the clear.”

“I don’t like mopping up blood,” Marty said. “I’ve done it before, and it isn’t pretty.”

This strange newfound directness was endearing. “That’s why I’m careful.”

“That’s what the last guy said,” Marty grumbled. “And then splat .”

“Ready?” Luke asked.

“I am.”

“Same time tomorrow?” Marty asked.

“Most likely,” I said.

The air outside was cooler thanks to an afternoon rain shower, but it was still heavy with humidity. “Where do you have in mind?”

“The burger place five blocks away. Likely safer if we drive.”

“Okay.”

“I can drive us both.”

He was offering it up to me, leaving the final decision in my hands. I rarely rode in a car with anyone other than the Judge, but the endorphin high from the climb still lingered and I was feeling optimistic. “Okay. You drive.”

“I’ll bring you back to your car when we return.”

“I walked from my place.”

“Brave woman.”

The doors unlocked, and I sat in the front seat with my backpack wedged between my legs. Sitting forward, as if ready to spring free, I slid on the seat belt. When Luke sat behind the wheel, the car felt very small and cramped. He hit the auto lock. I flinched only a little. He clicked the lock off.

“Thanks.”

“No big deal.”

If Luke took note of my shifting energy, he pretended not to notice. “You ever been to AB’s Burgers?”

“Driven by, but never stopped.”

“You’ll love it.” He frowned. “Didn’t think to ask. You eat meat?”

“I do.”

“Okay.” The ride in the car was smooth, and I barely noticed the rough road the city never got around to paving.

That close, I noticed little things about him. The way his rolled-up sleeves hovered just above his thick wrists; how his fingers gripped the steering wheel, relaxed but ready to jump into action; and the silver shimmering in the damp hair brushed back from his face.

“What attracted you to this neighborhood?” I asked.

“I know the area. I know the local dealers, the cops, and the dive bars. I grew up on these streets.”

“I would think a defense attorney would want to go uptown and start fresh.”

“Maybe. Eventually. One major life change at a time.”

“You seem fearless to me.”

He laughed. “I’m putting one foot in front of the other like every other slob in this world.”

“Is there a story there?”

“Not really. I just like it better here.”

“Fair enough.”

He glanced at me. “You’re the first person who’s accepted that answer without suggesting I’m making a mistake.”

“Why would it be a mistake to stay here? I live here. We only get one life. Do what you love.”

“You haven’t pressed for many details. Most dates want my full CV.”

I laughed. “Not my style. And I tend toward silence and stony stares, rigid crossed arms.”

“You weren’t rigid on that wall. Your body flowed.”

“But everywhere else, I’m tense.”

That teased a smile. And to his credit, he didn’t try to sell me on being comfortable with him. He didn’t tell me I could trust him. Or that I shouldn’t worry.

He parked in front of a dive of a burger place that I’d never been in because it looked so sketchy.

“What prompted you to try AB’s?” I asked.

“Hunger. It was one a.m. and I’d just finished working. It was open. First bite and I was in love.”

I rose out of the car and waited for him to come around. He moved one step ahead, opened the door, and waited for me to pass. The space was small, with just four red booths. Behind the narrow counter stood an older guy with thick gray hair and a mustache. There was no marquee displaying all the selections—just a few laminated menus on the counter.

“How’s it going, Charlie?” Luke asked.

Charlie nodded. “Hanging tough, counselor. The usual?”

“You know me too well. Scarlett?”

I glanced at the menu. There were only twelve items, and they were all basic. Nothing fancy here. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.”

“Make it two, Charlie.”

Charlie called out the order to a cook and then filled two soda cups with cola. “Burgers on the way.”

Luke took the booth farthest from the door and sat in the seat facing the exit. As I settled, a couple of guys walked in, laughing and shoving each other. They were drunk—but then, this place was designed to feed late-night drinkers. One of the men glanced back and leered at me. It was a feeling I’d never gotten comfortable with but could manage. I scooted closer to the inside of the booth.

Luke’s jaw pulsed. “How long have you been in this area?”

“Eight years,” I said. “At the time, places like this were cheap and what I could afford.”

“And the prints sell well?”

“They do.” I sipped my soda, grateful for the sugar and carbonation. “I’ve started a new series. I’ll be making fifty prints. Each day is a new color. Today was the second color.”

“Let me guess: green.”

I glanced at my hands. “I thought I did a good job of cleaning up.”

“There’s a speck of green on your neck.”

My hand rose to my neck. “Hazard of the business.”

“Do you enjoy it? Working for yourself, I mean.”

“I do.” I relaxed a little.

“And for fun, you climb walls and risk your life.”

“I also paint. And run. The days are full.”

“Sounds pretty solo.”

“It’s good.”

Charlie brought our burger orders as the two intoxicated men sat in a booth. I could feel their gazes on me, but I kept my focus on the food. “Enjoy, Luke. Loaded you both up with extra fries.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

Charlie looked at me. “He’s a good one. Best defense attorney in town.”

I smiled. “Good to know.”

“I know you, right?” Charlie said.

I shrugged. “Do you?”

“You own the art studio. I read the article in the paper. You painted a mural or something.”

I’d never met Charlie, and realizing he knew me wasn’t a great feeling. “That’s me.”

Charlie’s eyes narrowed. “Where else do I know you?”

“I have one of those faces,” I said.

Luke cleared his throat. “Thanks, Charlie.”

“Got it. Enjoy.” Charlie walked back to the counter.

“He’s currently putting the pieces together,” I said. “Old articles on the internet never die.”

“You didn’t give an interview. At least, I didn’t find one. Tiffany Patterson received the most airtime.”

“But articles were written. And Tiffany seemed to like the attention. Reporters called me dozens of times, but I never spoke to any one of them. I still don’t answer unfamiliar numbers.” My business number was widely published, so it wasn’t hard to find me. But voicemail screened my calls. “I also make it a point to know what’s being said about me. A fifty-fifty chance someone doesn’t believe me.”

“Really? What don’t they believe?” he asked.

“That I was Tanner’s victim. Some think I was his accomplice.”

“How do they square that peg?”

“He worked a construction project near my mother’s house. I did flirt with him once. I did willingly follow Della to his van. I did try to lure Tiffany into the same van. Those facts can sway anyone—including a few cops—against me.” My chest still tightened when I thought about someone questioning my story.

The drunks laughed, and the short one looked toward me and winked. I curled my fingers into a fist.

“I see him,” Luke said. “He’s not going to bother you.”

I looked up to find Luke staring at me. Hints of steel mingled with an odd kind of softness. “I’m fine. Sometimes guys just stare.” I bit into my burger. Another Tanner lesson: eat when food was presented. The days of deprivation were always still too close.

“It’s good,” I said.

He wiped his hands carefully with a paper napkin. “I like Charlie. He became a client, and long story short, I’m glad to give him the business.”

“Support small business. We must look out for each other.”

“I think we did it,” he said easily.

“What’s that?”

He glanced at his watch. “If you count the time that you were climbing the wall, I think we’ve almost broken your date-night record.”

I grinned. “We already set that record.”

“And it’s now broken.”

The differences between us were noisy and rowdy. We weren’t an us , but I saw possibilities. “I’m on a streak.”

Carnal desire, knotted with control. He’d not made one move to touch me or uttered any suggestion that was remotely sexual. Poor guy was trying to figure out what to do with me.

I set down my burger, struggling to get my arms around my own blurring emotions. I liked him. Wanted more. But I still didn’t know how to define it. “When anyone knows my history, they treat me as if they’re expecting me to shatter or freak out.”

“You’ve already freaked out, so we can check that box.”

A smile tugged my lips. “All the more reason to wonder how I’ll react in the future, right?”

He balled up the napkin. “Never a dull moment.”

I chuckled, but I worried that I would see another “Della” and lose it. “That’s a positive outlook.”

“How does it feel to be in uncharted waters?”

Unwieldy and choppy as the waves in my print. “I can’t promise how fast I can move. I have zero experience in this world.”

“You seem to be doing okay,” he said.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I know what you mean. One step at a time.”

I didn’t want to panic when he touched me in the bedroom or when I woke up screaming from a nightmare while he slept beside me. For him, I wanted to be a little normal.

“I asked for curly fries!” the drunk shouted to Charlie.

“And I told you I don’t have any,” Charlie said.

Luke tossed his crumpled napkin beside his almost-eaten burger.

My nerves tightened and inwardly I winced, preparing for the violence that always came with resistance.

Luke rose slowly. “Pal, hit the road.”

The man looked toward him. “Who the fuck are you?”

Luke’s mild expression melted instantly. “I’m the guy that’s going to crush you.”

The man sneered, but the quiet intensity in Luke’s tone caused him to pause for a moment. “Try.”

Luke moved forward a step. “Are you sure? A man can’t hold down a job if he has two broken kneecaps and a crushed eye socket.”

“How you going to do that?” the man growled.

Luke’s gaze didn’t flicker or waver. “I can show you.”

Charlie chuckled. “This is going to be good.”

The drunk glanced at Charlie. “I want curly fries.”

“Leave,” Luke said. “Counting to five.”

The man swayed, his eyes narrowing. He was intoxicated enough to strip away what few safeguards he had in place but not so lost that he couldn’t imagine what broken knees and eye sockets would mean.

He flipped his plate on the floor and stalked out of the restaurant.

Charlie knelt and cleaned up the mess. “Thanks, Luke. That’ll be the last time I serve him.”

“Good plan.”

“Dinner is on the house,” Charlie said.

“Thanks.” Luke sat back down across from me and fished three twenties from his pocket. He carefully stacked the neat bills and set the saltshaker on them as his gaze rose to meet mine. “You look pale.”

I drew in a breath. “What can I say? It was a little jarring.”

“He was all bluster.”

“How do you know that?” How did anyone know what another person was capable of? How did I really know what Luke wanted?

“I make my living reading people.”

“And you knew he wouldn’t fight?”

“His T-shirt tells me he works for an HVAC company. Hard to do the work with broken knees, and paying the medical deductible will hurt.”

“I doubt his brain is as logical as yours.”

“We’ve all got the lizard brain, that primitive part of us that boils all decisions down to survival. He can’t survive without his knees.”

His unshakable confidence was enviable. “What if he’d called your bluff?”

Luke picked up a fry and bit into it. “I don’t speculate on might-have-beens. He didn’t. End of story.”

“What if he’s outside?” What if I lose my shit one day and disappointment darkens your gaze when you look at me?

His head cocked. “Do you always borrow trouble?”

I smiled. “The burden of potential overdue library fines is incredible.”

He chuckled. “No reason to worry.”

“Should I write that down?”

“Yes.”

“Duly noted.”

“Ready to get out of here?” Luke asked. “I can drive you back to your apartment.”

“Thank you.”

I slid out of the booth, and he followed behind me until we reached the door. He opened it, took the lead, and held the door. Despite his casual comments, he seemed very aware of his surroundings. So was I. But then, hypervigilance was how I rolled.

Back in his car, I relaxed into the leather seat. This time when he slid behind the wheel, only a little nervous tension rippled through me.

“What’s your address?” he asked.

Again, panic. Stupid. My business was listed online. I rattled off the address.

He plugged it into his phone and drove.

“I could’ve directed you.”

“That would’ve also worked.”

When he pulled in front of my building, he looked up, studying the structure. “It’s a warehouse.”

“Home sweet home, with plenty of space to work.”

“And you live here?”

“There’s a small space in the back that’s mine. Not fancy, but it works. The front is for art.”

His gaze settled on me. “Drama aside, I had fun.”

“I did, too.”

“Did you?”

“Yeah, I did,” I said honestly.

“Would you be open to a kiss?”

A question. A choice. I was in the driver’s seat.

Beyond kisses from young boyfriends in my early teens, this kind of experience was somewhat warped.

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” he said.

“It’s been a while.”

“How long?”

That jostled loose a laugh. “Middle school.”

He didn’t seem shocked or disappointed. “I’ve got a move or two I can teach you. Nothing complex.”

I moistened my lips. “Okay.”

He leaned toward me but paused. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Close your eyes.”

Heartbeat kicking, I lowered my lids. I felt his face nearing and then the gentle touch on the center of my lips and then the left and right sides.

It felt good. Stirred feelings. Tanner had been obsessed with me enjoying sex. Della had told me to show him affection, to kiss him like I meant it. She had told me to tell him that I loved him. And to my shame, I’d played the part of the whore so he would relax and trust me.

One of my therapists pointed out that I wasn’t a bad person because of it. I’d survived, and I needed to be proud of that.

I leaned into Luke’s next kiss, and when he raised a hand to my chin, I didn’t flinch.

His face hovered close to mine. “Not bad.”

I was all stumbling adrenaline. “Thank you. That was nice.”

“We can do it again sometime.”

I could feel my brows furrowing, knowing what was supposed to come next.

“Don’t look so worried. We’ll take this at your pace.”

“You’ll become impatient with me.”

“Let me worry about that.”

My therapist had also said to trust my instincts. If I felt fear, honor it. If I felt attraction, embrace it. He’d also said there would be transition people in my life. Men who showed me how to finish a date or gave me my first real kiss. Those interactions weren’t meant to last, he’d said. More likely than not, that person would leave my life as quickly as they appeared. “Okay.”