that’s not my style,” he adds over his shoulder before leaving.
“He seems …”
“Like a dick?” Brett says.
“That’s putting it nicely. So, how are you?”
Brett laughs. “You came down here to see how I am?”
“Well, like Taser said, he did just kick your ass.”
“Call him Brayden. Taser’s a stupid name.”
“Oh, okay, Brawn .”
“Yeah, I’m not a fan of that one, either.”
“Why do you do it?” I ask quietly.
“Do what?”
“Don’t act dumb. You know what I’m asking.”
“Keeping my head above water, Nuke.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Of course, you don’t,” he says with a sigh. “I knew you’d get like this. I told them you wouldn’t be interested.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“Come out with me tomorrow.”
“Wha … what?” My mouth goes dry for some stupid reason.
He rolls his eyes. “Not on a date. I want to show you something.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Not a date,” he repeats himself.
The door opens and Drake pops his head in. “Nuka, I’ve been ordered to take you and Sasha home.”
“I’ll pick you up in the morning,” Brett says.
“Uh, we live in the same house.”
“Exactly. I won’t have to go far,” he says with a smile before wincing in pain.
“Rough go, bro,” Drake says, approaching us. “Glad to see he didn’t ruin your pretty face.”
“Piss off, Drake,” Brett retorts before facing me. “See you in the morning, Nuke.”
-8-
NOT A DATE
“So where are we going?” I ask, getting into Brett’s car.
“Nowhere fun, so don’t sound so excited,” he says, sliding into the driver’s seat ever so cautiously, trying not to wince.
“So is this what you meant by you’ve dealt with worse than when I burnt you?”
“All part of the job.”
“Okay, so what is your job? You’re head of home security and then moonlight as an illegal street fighter?”
“Jonas and Cade are my owners. If—”
“ Owners? ”
“It’s their word. They’re more like my managers. You know how professional athletes have managers and agents and all that? They do that for me. If I do a good job for them, they pay me well. Once I get rid of my debts, I can stop and then do something I enjoy.”
“What debts do you have?”
“That’s a bit of a personal question, isn’t it?” When I don’t respond, he sighs and continues. “This car, some student loans”—he shrugs—“living expenses.”
“Student loans? You went to uni?” I ask, a little surprised.
“Yes. Muscle man read good,” he replies in a caveman voice.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just … the way you talk about Defectives—”
“You know where a business degree gets you when you’re Defective? Absolutely nowhere. No one would hire me. So now I’m in debt and I’m an undesirable employee. Cade and Jonas took me in, offered me the security job if I’d fight for them. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I get two wages and the work is easy. It’s just …”
“You don’t enjoy it.”
“I should only need to do this a little longer and then I’ll be free.”
“What living expenses? Cade and Jonas give you everything.”
“Are you going to be asking me questions all day? Don’t make me regret bringing you.”
“Bringing me where? ” I ask as we start heading out of the city.
“We’re going to my house. My real house.”
“In one of the housing Estates?”
Brett scoffs. “You make it sound like a country club. I can assure you, it’s not.”
Sensing that our conversation is over, I remain quiet. Until I can’t anymore. “Okay, so why this car. I don’t get it. It’s a million years old. It still runs on petrol. Surely, this car is worth a lot? You could sell it and be debt free. There’d be a heap of people interested who collect those sorts of things. Doesn’t the petrol alone cost an arm and a leg? Didn’t we practically run out of that stuff decades ago? Why don’t you have an electric car like everyone
“He seems …”
“Like a dick?” Brett says.
“That’s putting it nicely. So, how are you?”
Brett laughs. “You came down here to see how I am?”
“Well, like Taser said, he did just kick your ass.”
“Call him Brayden. Taser’s a stupid name.”
“Oh, okay, Brawn .”
“Yeah, I’m not a fan of that one, either.”
“Why do you do it?” I ask quietly.
“Do what?”
“Don’t act dumb. You know what I’m asking.”
“Keeping my head above water, Nuke.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Of course, you don’t,” he says with a sigh. “I knew you’d get like this. I told them you wouldn’t be interested.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“Come out with me tomorrow.”
“Wha … what?” My mouth goes dry for some stupid reason.
He rolls his eyes. “Not on a date. I want to show you something.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“Not a date,” he repeats himself.
The door opens and Drake pops his head in. “Nuka, I’ve been ordered to take you and Sasha home.”
“I’ll pick you up in the morning,” Brett says.
“Uh, we live in the same house.”
“Exactly. I won’t have to go far,” he says with a smile before wincing in pain.
“Rough go, bro,” Drake says, approaching us. “Glad to see he didn’t ruin your pretty face.”
“Piss off, Drake,” Brett retorts before facing me. “See you in the morning, Nuke.”
-8-
NOT A DATE
“So where are we going?” I ask, getting into Brett’s car.
“Nowhere fun, so don’t sound so excited,” he says, sliding into the driver’s seat ever so cautiously, trying not to wince.
“So is this what you meant by you’ve dealt with worse than when I burnt you?”
“All part of the job.”
“Okay, so what is your job? You’re head of home security and then moonlight as an illegal street fighter?”
“Jonas and Cade are my owners. If—”
“ Owners? ”
“It’s their word. They’re more like my managers. You know how professional athletes have managers and agents and all that? They do that for me. If I do a good job for them, they pay me well. Once I get rid of my debts, I can stop and then do something I enjoy.”
“What debts do you have?”
“That’s a bit of a personal question, isn’t it?” When I don’t respond, he sighs and continues. “This car, some student loans”—he shrugs—“living expenses.”
“Student loans? You went to uni?” I ask, a little surprised.
“Yes. Muscle man read good,” he replies in a caveman voice.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just … the way you talk about Defectives—”
“You know where a business degree gets you when you’re Defective? Absolutely nowhere. No one would hire me. So now I’m in debt and I’m an undesirable employee. Cade and Jonas took me in, offered me the security job if I’d fight for them. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I get two wages and the work is easy. It’s just …”
“You don’t enjoy it.”
“I should only need to do this a little longer and then I’ll be free.”
“What living expenses? Cade and Jonas give you everything.”
“Are you going to be asking me questions all day? Don’t make me regret bringing you.”
“Bringing me where? ” I ask as we start heading out of the city.
“We’re going to my house. My real house.”
“In one of the housing Estates?”
Brett scoffs. “You make it sound like a country club. I can assure you, it’s not.”
Sensing that our conversation is over, I remain quiet. Until I can’t anymore. “Okay, so why this car. I don’t get it. It’s a million years old. It still runs on petrol. Surely, this car is worth a lot? You could sell it and be debt free. There’d be a heap of people interested who collect those sorts of things. Doesn’t the petrol alone cost an arm and a leg? Didn’t we practically run out of that stuff decades ago? Why don’t you have an electric car like everyone
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