The Company of Shadows

Chapter Twenty-Two

  Ian came home some time later, the door catching on the chain she’d forgotten to unfasten. Cady’s eyes popped open, surprised to find Ethan still fast asleep, his head lolling against the couch cushions, mouth partially open. She’d managed to get the sling back onto him before they’d passed out, but he was still shirtless. Despite the warm night, she tugged a blanket up to his neck so her brother wouldn’t see his wounded shoulder.

  “Some guard dog you turned out to be,” she smiled, ruffling his hair before she scooted to the door to let her brother in.

  “What’s this?” Ian demanded, scowling at Ethan’s unconscious form the instant he noticed him on the couch.

  “There was a big shootout in the alley earlier. He wanted to make sure I was alright since you weren’t home.”

  “Why, what does he have to do with it all?”

  “Nothing,” she lied quickly. If Ian suspected that Ethan was in any way involved with the violence, he’d pitch a fit. “We got to talking and he fell asleep, that’s all. Friends talk to each other when bad stuff happens.”

  “You used to talk to me.”

  “And you used to listen.”

  Ian’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “You can still talk to me, Cady.”

  “I know, I’m sorry.” It wasn’t fair of her to dump on him for their broken relationship, she was just as much to blame. “It just feels like we never do more than jab at each other lately. I can’t remember the last time we both stayed home and hung out together for a whole night.”

  “Alright then, what about tonight?”

  “We both have to work tonight.”

  “But not until later.”

  “I know, Kelli was going to come over for a while before we head down to Spanky’s.”

  “Good idea. Hey, even better, we could all call in sick and go pick up a pizza. We can hang out together and watch something on pay-per-view.”

  “Why, so you can hit on my friend?” She raised a brow as her brother retreated towards his bedroom.

  “That’s ancient history.”

  “Uh huh, tell me another one,” Cady said under her breath, following him down the hall. “Not that I care about my crappy job, but I don’t want you getting into trouble at work. We can still do the pizza thing, we just have to cut it shorter. Hey, maybe we can invite Ethan too?” Not that she could picture him interacting with Ian or Kelli without a lot of uncomfortable silence, but it might be good for him to get out more.

  “So that’s definitely a thing then? The two of you? I thought you weren’t seeing him anymore.” Ian’s head jerked towards the living room, his expression leaving no doubt as to his disapproval, but he didn’t try ordering her not to see him either. That was progress.

  Were they a thing? Cady decided it was the closest to a thing for either of them in a long while. “Me too, but adversity makes strange bedfellows.” She waggled her brows at him. “Don’t worry, he passed out cold before we got to anything you wouldn’t approve of,” she teased.

  “Whatever, so long as I don’t have to hear it. He sleeps on the couch.”

  “Yes, sir,” she saluted, a version of the salute given to her father in happier times, and his face broke into a wide smile.

  “Be good, young lady. Make me proud,” Ian replied in a reasonable facsimile of their father’s voice.

  “I gave up hope of doing that a long time ago,” Cady sighed, turning to leave. “But I promise I won’t sneak him into my bedroom in the middle of the night.” More because she was pretty sure Ethan would suddenly find the urge to leave if she so much as brought it up. She never thought she’d meet a guy more reluctant to hook up than she was. “Goodnight, bro.”

  “Sleep deep, Cady-bear.”

  The old nickname made her pause and give him a warm smile before she left to turn off all the lights, stopping to pull the blanket back up over Ethan’s chest again and press a kiss to his forehead. After double checking the locks, and covering the bathroom mirror with a sheet, she climbed back into bed, drifting off into a deep sleep.