Shattered by Natalie Baird Read Free Book Online Page A

an
idea.
    “Do tell,” I said.
    “Well,” Anderson said, “Maybe, instead of
looking for a new job right away, you could be my assistant?”
    “What do you mean?” I asked.
    “I need someone to help with the day to day
stuff, to organize my schedule, traveling, and to make sure I have
what I need for fights.” Anderson said.
    I stared at him dumbly. “Are you asking me to
move in with you?” I said.
    “No of course not. We aren’t there yet,”
Anderson smiled. “But after our conversation last night...I don’t
know. It was nice to have someone to talk to. And I want to make
sure that you’re OK after what happened.”
    “You really don’t have to do all this,” I
said, though I wanted to take him up on his offer more than
anything.
    “I want to, it’s time I did something good,”
he said.
    “Anderson,” I said, drawing up in front of my
apartment building, “If we’re going to see any more of each other,
and I want that to happen, I do...I need to know more about your
world.”
    “Ah,” Anderson said, “I thought you
might.”
    “I want to see what it’s like,” I said, “I
mean, look at me. My own life isn’t exactly going anywhere fast.
Your world sounds exciting, and—”
    “Dangerous,” he said, “Very dangerous.”
    “Yeah, but—”
    “Kaela,” Anderson said, “I don’t want
anything to happen to you. I couldn’t take that. Not after
everything else you’ve been through.”
    “I know,” I said, “I’m not asking to be a
part of it or anything. I just want to see it. Just for a
minute.”
    He stared at me with those deep, unreadable
eyes. I could tell he was weighing whatever affection he felt for
me against his protective instinct. Finally, he let out a sigh and
lowered his voice. “Come to the Bowery tonight,” he said, “Look for
a red door with a silver number eight.”
    “Is there a password?” I joked.
    “Yeah,” he said, “It’s ‘Cadillac’.”
    “Cadillac?” I asked.
    “Shh,” Anderson hissed, “Just keep it quiet,
and come alone. Can you do that?”
    “Sure,” I said, thrilling at the iron in
Anderson’s voice. “I’ll see you.”
    “See you,” he said. There was a thin sheen of
regret in his eyes as he turned away from me. I watched his broad
shoulders grow smaller in the distance until he finally turned a
corner and disappeared from my sight. Could this underground world
of his really be that dangerous? I walked up the steps to my
apartment and tried not to think about it. I was jobless,
unattached, and without any direction. What did I have to lose by
following the one spot of brightness that had wandered into my
life? I knew that I had no choice but to go wherever Anderson led,
whether it was for good or for bad.
    I trudged up to my apartment as best I could,
wincing at the little pinches of pain that remained from the night
before. Anderson’s care had done wonders, but I still felt a little
shaky. Was it the attack that had me on edge, or was it the fact
that a whole new world of experience was opening itself to me,
should I choose to take the leap? There was still time to turn
back, I reminded myself. I could force Anderson out of my mind, go
apologize to Joe, and cling onto my normal life. I could try and be
content with never having any exciting happen to me. I could say no
to Anderson’s amazing offer, take back my plea to see the inner
workings of his life.
    “Yeah, right,” I muttered, pushing open the
front door of my apartment. I coughed as the heavy smell of weed
caught in my throat. The air in my apartment was smoky and
oppressive, and I could see a figure moving around in the haze
before me. My roommate Aimee was rummaging around in the fridge,
her eyes glassy. She glanced up for half a second as I closed the
door behind me.
    “Where’s the peanut butter?” she asked, “I
just got this great idea...peanut butter and cheese
puffs... together .”
    “Sounds incredible,” I said sarcastically.
“Aren’t you going