didn’t respond. “Come on, man. Back me up here. It was hilarious.”
Brock still didn’t respond, and I leaned forward to look at Robert. “Who are you talking about?” I asked, and Brock stood up straight and turned toward him to block my view.
“Stop trying to start shit,” he growled, which made Robert laugh nervously, but he didn’t relent.
“My bad, man. I didn’t mean to put your business out there in front of your new piece.”
Brock’s hand went around Robert’s throat, and I saw the thin bones in the back of his hand protrude as he gripped tighter.
“Stop it!” I stepped between them and pulled on Brock’s wrist. He reluctantly released his grip as he sneered, “What’s wrong with you?” The line began to move, and Robert stepped around us to follow the others toward the steps.
“Nothing. Let’s go eat, Bird.” He grabbed my hand, but I pulled back, refusing to follow until I had some answers.
“Tell me who he was talking about,” I pressed.
“You want to miss breakfast?” When I didn’t respond, he groaned, lacing his fingers behind his head as he stretched his back. “He was talking about Keller, some dick who was in here before you showed up. We had a disagreement, and I fixed it. No big deal.”
“You hurt him? Why would you do that? You’re not like these guys, Brock. You don’t need to stoop to their level.”
“You’re not like these fucks, but I am.”
“You’re a bully.” I took a step back, wondering if all this time I was being played, part of some sick joke or a way for Brock to pass the time.
“Lie, I’m not like those assholes from your school. I would never hurt you.”
“But you hurt other people. Why not me then, huh?”
He took a step closer as one of the workers yelled, “Last call for breakfast.”
I raised an eyebrow at Brock, who made no movement to leave. “What makes you think I’d be OK with that?”
“Bird, the kid wasn’t some innocent little fuck. He asked for what he got. I was protecting myself, just like I’ll protect you.” He took another step, and I didn’t move away. “I never said I was perfect, but I’m trying to be a better person.”
“I know you are.” I avoided his eyes, but he ducked down to make me catch his gaze.
“You forgive me?” He put his hand over his heart, and I simpered, unable to be mad at the one person in the world who cared about me. His arms flew around me, and his lips brushed against my cheek. “I won’t let you down, Bird. I promise.”
I was startled awake by a hand on my shoulder, and my scream was muffled by Abel’s hand over my mouth. His other held a finger to his lips to tell me to be quiet. I pushed up from the cushion and brushed my hair from my face as he knelt next to me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked him. “What time is it?”
“It’s early…or really late. I don’t know. It’s, like, three in the morning.”
I groaned and flopped back down on the couch. “If your booty call is over, please lock the door behind you and make sure to visit your doctor within forty‐eight hours.”
“Wake up, party animal.” He shook my shoulder, and I reluctantly opened my eyes.
“What could you possibly need that’s so important at three a.m.?” I groaned, as I wiped the sleep from my eyes.
“
You
have a problem.”
“I do, huh? This ought to be good.” I sat up and stretched my arms over my head.
“Yes, you do. Her name is Trish, and she’s fucking obliterated. We did a few shots, and she fucking lost it.”
“Lost it how?” I was wide‐awake with concern now.
“I was asking myself the same question until I discovered the pill bottle in my glove box was gone.”
I rubbed my hands over my face out of frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I never joke about—”
I waved him away to stop talking as I stood up from the couch. “It’s too early for your bullshit. Can we tone it down until…let’s say…five in the
Brock still didn’t respond, and I leaned forward to look at Robert. “Who are you talking about?” I asked, and Brock stood up straight and turned toward him to block my view.
“Stop trying to start shit,” he growled, which made Robert laugh nervously, but he didn’t relent.
“My bad, man. I didn’t mean to put your business out there in front of your new piece.”
Brock’s hand went around Robert’s throat, and I saw the thin bones in the back of his hand protrude as he gripped tighter.
“Stop it!” I stepped between them and pulled on Brock’s wrist. He reluctantly released his grip as he sneered, “What’s wrong with you?” The line began to move, and Robert stepped around us to follow the others toward the steps.
“Nothing. Let’s go eat, Bird.” He grabbed my hand, but I pulled back, refusing to follow until I had some answers.
“Tell me who he was talking about,” I pressed.
“You want to miss breakfast?” When I didn’t respond, he groaned, lacing his fingers behind his head as he stretched his back. “He was talking about Keller, some dick who was in here before you showed up. We had a disagreement, and I fixed it. No big deal.”
“You hurt him? Why would you do that? You’re not like these guys, Brock. You don’t need to stoop to their level.”
“You’re not like these fucks, but I am.”
“You’re a bully.” I took a step back, wondering if all this time I was being played, part of some sick joke or a way for Brock to pass the time.
“Lie, I’m not like those assholes from your school. I would never hurt you.”
“But you hurt other people. Why not me then, huh?”
He took a step closer as one of the workers yelled, “Last call for breakfast.”
I raised an eyebrow at Brock, who made no movement to leave. “What makes you think I’d be OK with that?”
“Bird, the kid wasn’t some innocent little fuck. He asked for what he got. I was protecting myself, just like I’ll protect you.” He took another step, and I didn’t move away. “I never said I was perfect, but I’m trying to be a better person.”
“I know you are.” I avoided his eyes, but he ducked down to make me catch his gaze.
“You forgive me?” He put his hand over his heart, and I simpered, unable to be mad at the one person in the world who cared about me. His arms flew around me, and his lips brushed against my cheek. “I won’t let you down, Bird. I promise.”
I was startled awake by a hand on my shoulder, and my scream was muffled by Abel’s hand over my mouth. His other held a finger to his lips to tell me to be quiet. I pushed up from the cushion and brushed my hair from my face as he knelt next to me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked him. “What time is it?”
“It’s early…or really late. I don’t know. It’s, like, three in the morning.”
I groaned and flopped back down on the couch. “If your booty call is over, please lock the door behind you and make sure to visit your doctor within forty‐eight hours.”
“Wake up, party animal.” He shook my shoulder, and I reluctantly opened my eyes.
“What could you possibly need that’s so important at three a.m.?” I groaned, as I wiped the sleep from my eyes.
“
You
have a problem.”
“I do, huh? This ought to be good.” I sat up and stretched my arms over my head.
“Yes, you do. Her name is Trish, and she’s fucking obliterated. We did a few shots, and she fucking lost it.”
“Lost it how?” I was wide‐awake with concern now.
“I was asking myself the same question until I discovered the pill bottle in my glove box was gone.”
I rubbed my hands over my face out of frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I never joke about—”
I waved him away to stop talking as I stood up from the couch. “It’s too early for your bullshit. Can we tone it down until…let’s say…five in the
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