Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre

came back to mine, and I was starving for him. We kissed until someone cleared his or her throat loudly nearby. Dazed, I turned my head to find Allison standing there. “You think you’re untouchable now?”
    â€œWhat’re you talking about?”
    â€œThe Harbinger might be looking out for you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make your life miserable,” she said. “There are a lot of ways to hurt people that don’t result in permanent physical harm.”
    â€œDon’t threaten her,” Kian said softly. “I’m not on anybody’s leash now, and there’s no limit to what I’ll do if you mess with Edie again.”
    â€œSexy little guard dog,” she mocked, reaching out like she’d pat his cheek.
    And he actually slapped her hand away, shocking both of us. Then he tightened his arm around me and steered us toward the car. His Mustang was parked behind all of the black SUVs and town cars, no sign of Aaron. Does that mean he found his family?
    â€œWhere’s the kid?” I asked, as we pulled away.
    â€œMy place.”
    â€œNo luck at the police station?” I expected to hear they still hadn’t gone.
    To my surprise, he shook his head. “There’s nothing on file. Crazy, but he seems to be telling the truth about how there’s nobody missing him.”
    â€œThat’s so sad.” Poor kid.
    â€œYeah. I feel like we’re kind of responsible for him now, you know?”
    â€œWe took him away from the Harbinger,” I agreed. “And Aaron hasn’t exactly astonished me with his street smarts.”
    â€œHe’s got a bad case of Stockholm syndrome. His first day at my place, he asked permission for every damn thing and shadowed me like a puppy.”
    â€œYou always wanted a little brother, right?” I was trying to find the bright side.
    Kian shot me a surprised look, along with a half smile. “Maybe. We won’t have as much privacy at my place, though.”
    â€œIt’s fine. I’m sure you can teach him to respect a tie on your bedroom door or whatever. Good practice for college.”
    He hesitated. “I don’t know if I should say this.”
    â€œGo for it. You know you want to.”
    â€œWill you look after him for me? You know. After.”
    My faint happiness spun away like broken cobwebs. “This is such bullshit. How long do you plan to pretend everything is okay?”
    Like always, my belligerence shut him down. Kian went quiet, focused on driving instead of arguing. But I couldn’t let it go.
    â€œKeep this up, we won’t even have these last months together. I don’t like being shut out.”
    At that, his green gazed snapped right, practically sparking. “Are you threatening to break up with me because I won’t fight with you?” Incredulous tone.
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œHow does that even make sense?”
    â€œIt makes as much as you promising to die for me and then refusing to talk about it!”
    His jaw clenched. “It’s done, Edie. Nothing we say can change it.”
    The rest of the ride was silent to say the least. He dropped me off without another word and, yeah, he was pissed because I didn’t even get a kiss on the cheek. I got out with a mumbled thanks and he roared off. I hated myself for bitching at him and issuing half an ultimatum and him for refusing to talk to me about anything . Sometimes I thought he still saw me as the dog girl, broken by that one moment and forever fragile, perched on a bridge.
    As I turned to head into my apartment, I caught sight of something that chilled my blood. Across the street on the opposite corner, the old man stood with his empty sack, the two dead-eyed children beside him. Their clothes were no longer bloodstained but I knew they could show me whatever they wanted. Before I made a conscious decision, I was running on my bad ankle—into the street against the light.