“Me?”Si turned to Zig.“Is this true?”
“He said he’d make sure you had an accident on your bike.”Zig’s voice was high and breathy, and getting higher.“I couldn’t risk you getting hurt, but I couldn’t go along with him; it’d never have ended, and fuck, you’d have hated me for it anyhow—”
Si grabbed hold of him and held him close until the panicked babble subsided and Zig was taking deep, shaky breaths in his arms.“You daft bastard,” Si murmured fondly.
Zig sobbed and said something indistinct into Si’s chest, which had somehow filled up so fast his ribs felt tight.
“Was that you going, ‘Yes, Si, I’m a daft bastard’?”
Zig pulled back and gave Si the shakiest smile he’d ever seen, those mismatched eyes glistening.“Something like that.But what are we gonna do?I can’t let him hurt you.”
“Zig, love.You don’t have to sort it all out by yourself.I know he’s your dad and he’s messed with your head all your life but, well, he’s only a petty criminal, ain’t he?They have coppers to sort them out.Like the one I’m mates with, remember?”
There was a penny-dropped look on Zig’s face.
“And if the coppers can’t sort him, you’ve got me.And Adam, and Corin, who’s a black belt in the old martial arts.And Sash, and let me tell you, I wouldn’t wanna be the one who’s threatening anyone she cares about.But it ain’t gonna come to that.Chances are, your dad’s breaking all kinds of parole conditions being here.He ain’t gonna want to risk going back to jail.”
“And Trent?He’s worse than Dad, seriously—”
“Same applies.All I gotta do is have a word with Rob the copper.And maybe some of the lads I work with.Just in case.”Si pulled Zig in close once more and kissed him.“We’ll sort it out.You don’t have to worry no more.Now come on, let’s get you home.”
“You sure you wanna?All the trouble I cause you...”
“Ah, but I heard you don’t mean to,” Si reminded him, his voice gruff.“You go grab your shoes from wherever you’ve left ’em.”
Zig’s laugh was small, but it was there.“Sasha nicked ’em.Said if I was gonna run out on anyone, I’d have to do it in me socks.”
“They ain’t your socks,” Si pointed out fondly.“Look good on you, though.”
“Wanted something to remember you by.”Zig sniffed.
“That forgettable, am I?”Si teased gently.
“I never forgot you.Not once.You were the one that got away.”
Gods, much more of this and Si was gonna end up a happy puddle on the floor.He pulled himself together.“We’re gonna take your stuff back home, and go to bed, and in the morning, we’ll make a plan to deal with all this.Together.Andinvolving the proper authorities.”He shook his head.“You ain’t on your own no more.Not now; not ever.”
Walking back home—home—with Si felt unreal.Zig had been so certain he’d never come this way again.Never see the witchy window display of Esme’s shop, dark now but ready to be lit up come morning.Never again climb these stairs, weariness in every limb.
Si made him go first, like maybe he was worried Zig might bolt again given half a chance.Zig couldn’t blame him for that.He was wrong, though.Leaving once, although it’d seemed the only way to keep Si safe, had been hard enough.Zig wasn’t gonna even think about leaving again.Not now he had hope.
And friends, maybe?“Are they really gonna do it?”Zig couldn’t help asking, as Si opened the door to the flat.
“Who’s doing what?”
“Your mates.Are they really gonna stand up to Dad and Trent?They don’t have to.It ain’t their fight.”Zig hesitated on the doormat.
Si pulled him inside and put both arms around him.“Course they are.And course it is.We’re mates, ain’t we?”
Zig sank into that warm embrace, wondering how he’d ever thought he could do without it.“Don’t think I’ve ever had that kind of mates.And yours don’t like me.”
“You’re growing on ’em.”Si chuckled.“Sasha wouldn’t have nicked your shoes if she didn’t want you hanging around, would she?”His voice softened.“And hey, did you miss the bit where Adam was defending you to me?”
“Still can’t believe he did that.I mean, why would he wanna?It’s not like I ever did anything for him.”
“What, he can’t count you making his best mate the happiest he’s ever been?”
“Really?”Zig looked up at Si’s face, desperate to find the truth in it.
