12. Eleven

I stepped into the tattoo shop, the bell above the door jingling. The familiar smell of disinfectant and ink usually comforted me, but today it churned my stomach. I rehearsed the difficult words for Cherry and Ketchup, who were busy with clients. Cherry hunched over a sorority girl’s ankle, inking an infinity symbol, while Ketchup free-handed a colorful dragon across his client’s back.

“Hey, Eli,” Cherry called, concern evident as she exchanged a worried glance with Ketchup. “Everything all right?”

I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as sawdust. “I need to talk to you guys. When you have a minute.”

“Sure thing, kid,” Ketchup replied, but his furrowed brow revealed unease. “Give us twenty.”

I nodded jerkily, pacing the cramped waiting area, pretending to study the flash art on the walls. My eyes skimmed over skulls, roses, and pin-up girls, but I couldn’t focus. My mind raced, searching for the right words to explain everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.

Minutes crawled by. I picked at a loose thread on my frayed jeans, my leg bouncing with nervous energy. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Cherry and Ketchup finished with their clients and turned to me, twin expressions of concern on their faces.

“You had us worried sick,” Cherry said, her playful tone replaced by seriousness. “Where were you last night?”

I avoided their stares, studying the scuffed toes of my sneakers. “I got caught up in something.”

“What kind of something?” Ketchup asked, crossing his arms.

I took a shaky breath. “I got fired from McHappy's.”

“What?” Cherry exclaimed, eyebrows shooting up. “What happened?”

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite the shame coiling in my gut. “I was late. Brett was looking for an excuse. He dragged me back to the office and told me to leave or he’d call the cops.”

Cherry's face crumpled. “What an asshole! I'm so sorry.” She reached out, hesitating to pull me into a hug.

“You’re better off without that place,” Ketchup said.

Cherry nodded. “We’ll help you find something better, Eli.”

Her faith sparked warmth in my chest, but it quickly cooled as I launched into my next confession. I couldn’t meet their eyes.

“There’s more,” I said, my voice thin. “After Brett fired me, I went back to The Playground.”

“Why?” Ketchup frowned. “You could’ve called us.”

“I know,” I said. “I just… couldn’t face you guys.”

I swallowed against the lump in my throat. “I ended up going home with Shepherd,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “He offered me a place to crash for the night.”

Cherry’s eyes widened. “Shepherd Laskin? The dom from The Playground?”

I nodded, heat rising in my cheeks. “Yeah.”

“And you spent the night at his place?” Ketchup asked, disbelief coloring his tone.

“Nothing happened,” I said quickly. “But he said I could stay as long as I needed.”

Cherry and Ketchup exchanged a look. When Cherry turned back to me, her expression was neutral, but worry simmered in her dark eyes.

“This seems fast. Are you sure about this?” she asked gently. “You barely know him.”

I shrugged, trying to seem casual, though the idea of moving in with Shepherd terrified and thrilled me. He was like no one I’d ever met—powerful yet gentle. Keres was intense, too, and I felt drawn to him. Our shared past with the Children of Light made it easier to believe he understood my struggle. “I can’t stay at the apartment anymore. It’s not safe.”

Ketchup’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, not safe?”

I hesitated, my gaze skimming away. I hadn’t wanted to worry them, but there was no avoiding it now. “I ran into some people from the cult,” I admitted, bitterness coating my words. “That’s why I was late. They set up down the street from the apartment.”

Cherry gasped.

Ketchup went still, his expression hardening. “Did they hurt you?”

I shook my head, throat tight. “No, but they made it clear they knew where I lived. Where we lived.” I met their gazes, imploring them to understand. “I can’t put you at risk. I think it would be better for everyone if I moved on, even temporarily. I want to keep working here, but I’ll understand if you don’t want me back after today.”

Tears glistened in Cherry’s eyes as she gripped my hand. “Eli, no. We’re not abandoning you. Not now, not ever.”

Ketchup nodded, determination set in his jaw. “We’re family, kid. We stick together.”

Gratitude and love swelled in my chest. I blinked, trying to clear the blurriness from my vision. “I don’t want to bring trouble to your doorstep. The cult… They’re relentless. They won’t stop until they have me back.”

“Let them try,” Ketchup growled, protective fire igniting in his eyes. “We’ll keep you safe, Eli. I promise.”

Cherry squeezed my hand, grounding me. “If staying with Shepherd is what you need, then we support you.”

I swallowed hard. “Thank you, both of you. For everything.”

Cherry pulled me into a tight hug, her strength surprising. Ketchup wrapped his wiry arms around us.

Over Ketchup’s shoulder, I caught movement outside. A tall, broad-shouldered figure lurked across the street, posture taut with predatory stillness. Though the glare of the afternoon sun obscured his features, I knew with bone-deep certainty that it was Keres.

A shiver rippled down my spine, a mix of unease and anticipation. Keres had made it clear he didn’t want to let me out of his sight after the run-in with the cult members.

Cherry must have felt me tense because she pulled back, concern etched on her brow. “What is it, Eli?”

I hesitated, unsure how to explain my feelings about Keres. Before I could respond, Cherry followed my gaze to the window. “Is that Shepherd?” she asked, trepidation in her voice. “What’s he doing here?”

I swallowed hard. “Yeah, um… he wanted to make sure I was okay.”

Ketchup’s lips thinned as he studied Keres. “Seems a bit overprotective.”

I shifted uncomfortably, torn between defending Keres and acknowledging Ketchup’s point. “He’s just worried. After what happened…”

Cherry softened, but concern lingered in her eyes. “I get that, Eli. But you need to be careful. Men like him…” She shook her head. “Promise me you’ll watch out for yourself.”

“I will,” I assured her, though doubt curled in my gut.

Ketchup wrapped an arm around Cherry, his expression grim. “We’re here for you, kid. You need anything, you call us. Day or night.” Cherry pulled me into another fierce hug.

“I will,” I promised, hugging her back tightly.