Read Heading East (Part 2 of 2) (The True North Series) for Free Online Page A

her to my cave, I knew it wasn’t a feasible solution. Kat would likely beat me with my own club and feed me to the wolves.
    No. I’d said I’d be her friend and that’s what I intended to do so, fifteen minutes before noon, this friend left work with a paper sack in hand and headed downtown to the Fashion Institute of New York, texting her on the way to ask where she’d be.
    I’m at home. About to eat lunch before going back at 2 p.m.
    You want some company?
    Can you stomach it? I hear the air isn’t as fresh on this side of the bridge.
    I grinned to myself. Okay, smartass. I’ll be there in about thirty minutes.
    A few train transfers later I exited the subway station and headed towards the Chinese restaurant, studying the streets around me. There was a reason Bed-Stuy had a seedy reputation and it was plain to see in the metal gates and bars over windows of each of the homes and businesses. As much as I knew Kat was more than capable of taking care of herself, the instinct to protect her was still strong. I would do anything to keep her from getting hurt again, partly to atone for my sins but also because, deep down, I still considered her mine.
    As I approached the restaurant Kat emerged from the side door, looking like the quintessential college student with her comfortable clothes and hair up in a loose, messy bun. “I see you bought curtains,” I said, glancing up at the white covering in her window.
    She leaned out of reach when I tried to bend down and kiss her cheek. “It’s just a flat sheet I tacked to the wall.”
    “I’m glad you listened to me.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Please. Not everything’s about you.”
    Before she could recover from her eyeball exercise, I bent down and pressed a quick kiss to her cheek. “No, it’s about you.”
    She jerked back. I simply flashed her an unapologetic smile.
    I followed her inside the restaurant and, seeing it was apparently a seat-yourself type of place, we went to the nearest round table covered in red vinyl tablecloth. I held out a seat for Kat and she took the one beside it. Knowing it would incense her, I took the seat closest to her even though there were several other seats available at the table.
    “If you move, I’ll just move with you,” I told her, enjoying this little war we were waging.
    “You’re obnoxious, you know that?”
    I shrugged. “Yes.”
    She just shook her head and turned her attention to the menu, though she wasn’t nearly fast enough to hide the hint of a smile on her lips.
     
    After we ordered, I turned my full attention back to her. “So how was your first day of school?”
    Her shoulders slumped just the slightest. “Fucking awful. I was five minutes late to my first class because I went to the wrong building. I didn’t understand a lot of the terminology the professor kept throwing out, so I had to keep looking for the definition at the back of the book. Oh, and this asshole asked me if I was homeless or if I was just a hipster,” she said, her skin flushing.
    “Tell me his name and I’ll take care of him,” I said, deadpan.
    “It’s okay. He’s a kiss-ass with awful designs. I think life will take care of him.”
    “Oh hey, I have something for you,” I said, handing over the paper sack, which she eyed dubiously.
    “What is it?”
    “A flaming sack of poo,” I teased. “Just take it.”
    She accepted the bag and looked inside. “Purple curtains and a stun gun?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. “You New Yorkers sure know how to welcome someone to the neighborhood.”
    I chuckled. “You’ll need both if you want to live here.”
    She eyed me for a long time, measuring my sincerity. “So you’re done lecturing me about the dangers of living in Brooklyn?” she asked through narrowed eyes.
    “Not even close, but at least this way I know you’ll be protected.” I picked up the stun gun. “I know it’s no Glock, but at least it’s something.”
    She grinned. “Something tells me you