like this sitting next to him.
“About my family. Can we come here once a week and check on them and drop some money off to them? I need to let my mom know I’m moving.” Tangee climbed the steps to his apartment.
“We can come back in a few days. Anything you need.” Loco gave him a gentle smile.
“There you are. I haven’t seen you around in awhile,” Mrs.
Jackson said as she stood in her doorway. He could hear a quiet chuckle coming from Loco. Mrs. Jackson was one of the elderly women who lived in his building and had a need to talk his ear off for what seemed like forever when all he ever wanted to do was get 46
Lynn Hagen
inside his apartment and sleep on most days. He guessed this would be the last time he saw her.
“I’ve been working. How is everything?” Tangee wanted to get his packing done but couldn’t be rude. He knew she was lonely and only looking for an ear to chat away with.
“Been good. Doctor says I’m in perfect health for my age. Well, I see you have company.“ She winked at Loco. “I’ll let you go. Make sure you stop by to see me.”
“Good night.” Tangee smiled as he let Loco into his place.
Thank goodness he didn’t have much. Packing sucked. He only had a handful of boxes that he could use. Going over to the closet in the living room, he pulled out a roll of clear tape then went into the kitchen drawer for a marker. He wasn’t sure what he should take and what he could do without. Although Loco had a truck, after working two jobs he was too tired to do a lot of running up and down stairs.
“Gather only what you need. Clothes, pictures, important papers, things like that. The Den has everything else you should need,” Loco said to him.
Well, that solved his dilemma. “I’ll get my stuff from my room.
Be right back.” Tangee went into his closet and grabbed the suitcase that was stored in there. He didn’t have that many clothes. Five pairs of jeans and five T-shirts, underclothes, and socks. He didn’t need much, and most of his money went to support his family.
“That all you have?” Loco asked as he brought the box with Tangee’s personal items in it. “I guess I never noticed you wearing pretty much the same thing all the time.”
“Yep, a guy doesn’t need much. A few stitches of clothes and a roof over his head.” Tangee closed the suitcase and looked around to see if he forgot anything.
He always forgot something.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be back in a few days to turn in your keys and see if there was anything else you may have forgotten.” Loco nudged Tangee toward the door.
Loco’s Love
47
He was thankful his mate knew how exhausted he was.
One trip up the stairs was all he could handle right now after his ordeal. Once the adrenaline rush had worn off, it left him even more tired than usual.
“Then I guess I’m ready.” Tangee was a bit nervous, to say the least, but he knew living here wasn’t safe anymore, and he was starting to physically hurt when he was away from Loco. He would feel an empty hole in his chest with the longing he felt when Loco wasn’t around.
“Then let’s get out of here.” They gathered his things and locked the door.
* * * *
Loco watched his mate doze off on the way home. He still couldn’t get over what had almost happened. The need to go to that police station and kill everyone one of those bastards was riding him hard.
He thanked fate for sending Mark there. Whether the guy knew it or not, Loco owed him the world for saving his mate.
Fate seemed to be smiling on them, so he knew those three punks would get what they deserved. Sooner or later, they were going to mess with the wrong person. Maybe it was lucky that Mark had gotten there first. There would be three dead humans to hide if Loco had been there.
48
Lynn Hagen
Chapter Five
It was three in the morning when they finally made it to the Den.
Loco helped Tangee carry his belongings inside.
“I’ll give you the tour tomorrow, or
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley