Path To Resolution (Fighter's Den, #5)

Chapter 6 - Lenny

"God, I hate Monday's." Lavender groans, flopping down on my recliner face-first.

I snort and lightly shove her with my combat boot from where I'm sitting. "Dude, get off. My client is going to be here soon."

She turns her face to look at me. "Wolfe? You're so fucking lucky to spend your Monday's doing that."

"I'm not doing him, I'm doing his tattoos."

"Still lucky. You get to touch those yummy muscles to your heart's content."

She has a point. We're already winding down at the one month mark with his fourth appointment today and I'm trying to savour our time together. Don't get me wrong, I always see him outside of work when I join Aria and the Fighter's Den gang for plans here and there and we've really clicked as friends. But there's something different about tatting him where it's just us and he actually opens up to me. When we're around his friends, he's the reserved and quiet Wolfe I met for the very first time. When it's the two of us, he's the Wolfe that tells me about parts of his life and occasionally smiles—yes, that wasn't a one time thing—at me. He shows me a different side to him that I'm growing fonder of and I genuinely think he's one of the coolest guys I've ever met.

We even text now that I have his number. The first time he ever sent me a message, I'd stared at the words and tried to imagine him speaking them, imagine what his voice would sound like. I still do that but try not to because it makes me feel like I'm not accepting him for who he is. He doesn't talk and that's that. And I'm honestly okay with it.

Although, I've had the same thought cross through my head over and over again especially as of late. I've been meaning to talk to him about it but in doing so, I'd have to admit something about my past and I'm not so sure if I'm ready for that. Still, I think I'm going to do it today and I hope like hell he won't be too curious to ask me questions.

"How's his piece coming along?" Lavender asks, snapping me out of it.

"Fucking epic." And that's the truth. "I have the entire drawing down and now it's all about details and shading and making it look three-dimensional."

"The hardest part." She nods.

"But also the best part. I can't wait to see what it looks like when I'm done."

"Me neither. You should have him put on a show and walk around the studio shirtless for an hour so we can all see."

I crack up, throwing my head back in laughter. "Go get laid, Lav."

"I plan to." She smirks at me but then her eyes drag up over my shoulder and she suddenly sits upright.

I turn around in my chair just in time to see Wolfe opening the door to my office. He has his usual stoic and closed-off expression that he wears when there's people around him, his eyes going to Lavender. He nods respectfully at her, standing by the door and giving us space. I shake my head as I observe him. It's crazy how unapproachable he seems right now, how he purposely makes himself appear that way to the world, and how I've come to know he's nothing like this deep down. It's weird to see his walls up when I'm slowly starting to understand what's behind them.

"Catch you later." I tell Lavender, hinting at her to get going.

"Right." She sounds breathless as she hops off the recliner almost nervously. Wolfe intimidates her much like he intimidates everyone else even though that's not his intention. It's time like these that I wish everyone else knew him the way I know him but I also like that I'm the only one, at least I think, that gets to see certain sides to him. "Bye, Lenny."

I wave at her as she heads for the door, mustering up some obvious courage to smile at Wolfe. "Bye."

He tips his chin in return and moves out of the way to let her pass, mouth turned down and brows creased together. I roll my eyes at how pissed he looks when I know he isn't. We've got to work on that.