get arrested,” I assured her. “I’m not stupid.”
Tria looked at me with narrowed eyes but didn’t press for more information.
“You want me to stick around until it’s time for us to go?” I asked. “I need to run up for a shower…”
…for more than one reason…
I swallowed hard as images of Tria pressed against the tiles in my bathroom filled my head for a moment. She looked at me quizzically, and I rushed to continue on a less lecherous path.
“…but I could be back down here in fifteen minutes. If he came back or something…”
“No,” Tria answered immediately. “He won’t come back. Not today, anyway. I’ll be fine, and we’ll have to head off before too long anyway. I’ll tell you more on our walk.”
That would have to suffice.
“You sure you’re okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine, really.”
“I’ll be back in an hour to walk you to work.”
“Okay,” she said. She ran her hands through her hair and let out a big sigh. “Thank you. Again .”
“My pleasure,” I said with a smile. “Anytime you want me to beat the shit out of someone, you just say the word.”
“That’s what big brothers are for, right?”
“Exactly!” I answered her with a grin. My face held a smile, but inside me, that word— brother —made my guts twist up. Why the fuck had I ever said that in the first place?
I practically ran upstairs to jump in the shower. Before the water had even soaked through my skin, I had my dick in my hand. It didn’t take more than a minute before I was grunting and spurting against the tiles.
I breathed heavily with one hand still against the cold wall. The shower and the jerk-off did nothing to sate my need to kick someone’s ass or fuck my downstairs neighbor, and I wished I didn’t have to wait for the opportunity to do either. I thought about finding Keith while Tria was working, but I had the feeling she wouldn’t appreciate it. I had a pretty good idea she wouldn’t care for her “big brother” coming on to her, either.
At least I could pound that asshole without her ever finding out. I could hang around outside tonight. If I happened to see him, and we happened to have a little confrontation… Well, that would just be a coincidence, wouldn’t it?
I soaped myself down, rinsed off, and stepped out onto the threadbare hand towel that served as a bathmat. I dripped for a bit while I stared at my face in the mirror and ran my hand over my jaw. I needed a shave, so I pulled out a razor and shaving cream and stared at myself in the mirror some more while I worked on the stubble.
Brother. Why, why, why did I ever say that?
I had just been trying to make her more comfortable, which seemed to have the desired effect, but it had definitely become a hindrance as well. The word “brother” loomed over me when I stood next to her, wondering if I should maybe reach out and put my arm around her shoulders as we were walking or something.
Or better yet, reach down a little farther and grab her ass.
I sighed at myself, washed the leftover shaving cream off my face, and got dressed. I slipped my boots on and grabbed a fresh pack of smokes before running out the door. I didn’t want my “sister” to have to wait around for me.
*****
“So, tell me who this asshole is that I want to kill now.” I made the suggestion as we headed out the apartment door and down the street.
“Please don’t talk like that.” Tria sighed. “Keith just worries. It’s not like he was going to get violent with me.”
“He’s a douche,” I said bluntly. Honestly, the idea he might have gotten physical with her never crossed my mind before she mentioned it. Why did she say that? Had he done that in the past? If I found out that he had, there would be no stopping me. I was ready to fuck him up just for yelling at her.
“He shouldn’t have been talking to you like that,” I said. “How did you hook
C. J. Cherryh
Learning to Kill: Stories
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Brenda Sinclair
Christopher George
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