Page 32 of Erotic Behavior (Observant Behaviors)
I was getting used to Beckett being gone during the day, but every morning when he left, I felt a sadness come over me.It was as if when he was near me, nothing else mattered.I had gotten dressed and was sitting outside on the patio having coffee when a number I didn’t recognize popped up on my phone.
“Hello?”
“Raven, it’s Leo.I have Talia with me, but we don’t have long, okay?”
“Yes.Yes.Please, can I just talk to her?”
There was a slight shuffling, and then I heard her voice.
“Raven?”
“Talia, oh my god.It’s so good to hear your voice.Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I am.It’s been an interesting couple of weeks, though.”
“I’m so sorry we got into this whole mess.Where are you?”
“California.We came here right after the auction.”
“I’m sorry Talia, I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me, Raven.I’ll be fine.Besides, Leo told me you’re doing really well.Tell me about your husband?”
“He’s not my… well, we aren’t married yet, but he’s kind of amazing.I honestly can’t believe how lucky I got.”
“That’s great Rae, I’m so happy to hear you are doing okay.”
“Talia, tell me what’s going on.Why can’t you use your phone?”
“Miles doesn’t really like me having much contact with anyone.He only recently let me walk the grounds of his estate, and that’s just because he hired Leo as my security.”
“He hired Leo?”
“Yeah, small world, huh?It shocked me when he told me he knew you.”
Leo hadn’t told Talia why he was really there, and now he was working for Miles.None of this seemed to make any sense, but the fear in Talia’s voice only disappeared when she mentioned Leo.
“Leo’s a good man.He’s worked for Beckett for a long time.I’m happy he’s with you now.”
“Yeah, he’s really nice.”
“Are you okay, though?Really?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about me.It’s just five years, right?”
Her voice sounded strange, like she was half asleep or drunk, and yet the sadness and fear were evident from the moment she said hello.
“Maybe it doesn’t have to be.You should leave, come here.You can live with me and Beckett.I miss you Talia.”
“I wish I could Rae, I really do.”Her voice cracked, and I could hear her crying on the other end of the line.I wiped away the tears that had fallen down my cheeks and took a deep breath when suddenly I heard her pull the phone away and hand it to Leo.It was hard to understand, but it sounded like she said, “I can’t do this anymore.”It broke something inside of me.
“Raven?”
“Leo, what’s wrong with her?”
“She’ll be okay.I promised you I’d take care of her and I will.We should get going, though.We’ve already been gone too long.”
“Wait!When will I hear from her again?”