“You’re right, let Arrow handle it. You know,” she says, hesitating slightly, “I was good friends with Mary. She was an amazing woman, beautiful and sweet. Never once did Arrow tell her how much he wanted her, or admit his feelings to her.”
“I know I could never replace Mary—”
Faye cuts me off. “Arrow shouldn’t make you feel like you have to.”
I swallow. “He hasn’t. I think it’s more me overthinking things and . . .” I puff out a breath. “I don’t know. But it feels right between us, you know? And I want to explore what we could have. I don’t want Rake to be angry though; I couldn’t handle that.”
Faye nods, understanding flashing in her eyes. “If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know. Although Dex would kick my ass for getting involved. But Arrow deserves to be happy. He’s stopped drinking as much; we’ve all noticed it. He hasn’t gone to Toxic as much either, and he’s happier, more focused. I think you’ve given him a purpose, Anna, and he needed that.”
“I don’t know about all that,” I say a little shyly, staring down at my hands. “I mean, I think I can make him happy, you know? I hope I can.”
Faye giggles. “You have it bad, Anna Bell.”
I groan at the nickname. “Not you too.”
But really, I was happy. Faye was now my friend, and Arrow was right—she was a good friend to have.
“Hey, it’s catchy,” she replies, standing up and dusting off her pants. “I have to go pick up Clover. I’ll see you tonight, if you’re coming back here.”
“Okay. Thanks for the workout.”
She smirks. “That totally sounded dirty.”
I roll my eyes, my lip twitching. “Seriously?”
She grins and pulls her hair down from its ponytail. “See you around, Arrow’s woman.”
I shake my head to myself as she exits the gym, then I force myself to stand up.
Arrow’s woman.
Damn if I didn’t like how that sounded.
FOURTEEN
HAVE you seen Tracker?” Allie asks me, sticking her head inside my door. Why the hell is she asking me? I’m not Tracker’s keeper. I don’t understand Allie. Is she just a shit person? Or a woman who hides behind her defenses, which in her case would be her bitchiness and general unpleasantness.
“Nope,” I reply. “Haven’t seen him all day.”
He is probably hiding from her. That’s what I would be doing.
She makes a noise of irritation and stomps her foot. “I’m so sick of this shit!”
“Why don’t you just call him?” I murmur, staring down at my textbook and wishing that she would spontaneously combust. “And why the fuck are you in my room?”
“He’s not answering,” she reluctantly replies. “If he’s with another bitch I’m gonna kill him! And her!”
I slam the textbook shut. “Can you please fuck off and leave me out of your shit? I’m trying to study.”
“Fuck, you’re a bitch,” she replies, sounding a little surprised. “How about some fucking help finding him?”
My phone beeps with a message from Lana.
Come over, I’m bored.
“Is that Tracker messaging you?” Allie asks, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to peer at my phone. Was she serious right now?
“You’re still here?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. I put down my phone and sigh. “I don’t know where he is, Allie, but if I do I’ll tell him you’re looking for him, okay?”
“Anna, I have to go out for a bit,” Rake says as he enters the room. He looks at Allie. “Everything okay in here?”
“She won’t leave me alone,” I say dramatically. “You should make her leave.”
Rake ignores my outburst. “Do you wanna come with me, Anna?”
“Will you drop me off at Lana’s after? She’s in need of some Anna time. I’ve done my time here anyway; I get to go home now.”
His face falls slightly at that. “Is that how you feel about staying here? Comparing it to prison time? Fuck, Anna. I love having you here.”
Shit, now I feel like a bitch.
“I’ll come back on the weekend, how about that? You know I just like having my own space,” I tell him, trying to get him to understand. Allie silently leaves the room, clearly bored with our conversation.
“Yeah, yeah,” he mutters. “Come on, I need to stop at Rift, then we can have some lunch before I take you to Lana’s.”
I smile widely. “Thanks, bro.”
His eyes soften. “Get your shit together then.”
“Okay,” I say, standing up and grabbing my bag. Arrow walks in a few seconds later, just in time to find me in a compromising position, bent over, searching under the bed for my pen.
“Trying to kill me, aren’t you, darlin’?” he says, clearing his throat.
I sit abruptly on the bed. “Yes, I purposely waited in that position in hopes you would drop by.”
He chuckles at that. “Lucky it was me then.” He looks behind him, then murmurs, “Fuck it.”
Closing and locking the door, he steps to me and lifts me up to a standing position. Then, without a word, his lips are fused to mine. Hands on my ass, he lifts me in the air, and I wrap my legs around his narrow waist. “Need to be inside you,” he says against my mouth. “But I can’t.”