He sighs and looks up at the night sky, the stars obscured by the city lights. “Not a fan of keeping things from my cousin, but I trust you. You’re part of the inner circle now, you know? And I hope you just know how special that is. And how much he really likes you.”
I suck in a breath, slightly overwhelmed. “I do, Roly. I really, really do. And thank you.”
Roly gives me a half hug, then gets in his car as Nick finally exits the building. Our eyes meet, and his smile, the one he hardly shows anyone, sends a bolt of warmth to my chest. He holds out his hand, and we walk up the steps to his apartment, where we make sleepy love to one another, then dream in each other’s arms.
Chapter Twenty
Nick
I can’t believe this motherfucker has the balls to show up at my gym after hurting my sister and trashing my apartment. What the fuck was his name? Oh, yeah,Leonis standing at the front desk with a woman who looks related to him, and Elijah is staring daggers up at him. It does something distinctly fluttery to my chest to see him come to my sister’s defense. Again.
“Turn around and get the fuck out of my gym. I’m not going to ask you again.”
I was gearing up to go after him with both barrels, but the look on his face stops me in my tracks. I see nothing but abject sorrow and regret. Turning to the woman, who I assume is his sister, Leon shakes his head. “I told you this was a mistake. I fucked up. Let’s just go.”
She smiles up at him, her face kind, if a bit strict. She lifts her hand to his cheek, caressing it softly, then turns to me with a determined look on her face. “Are you Nick?”
“Nick Martinez, ma’am. I’m one of thefagswho owns this gym.”
She nods her head and gives a pointed look to Leon. “I’m this asshole’s sister, and I’ve dragged him back here to apologize to you and to your sister and to Elijah here for being an absolute tool. He’s also going to beg you to let him come back to the gym, because if you don’t, I am probably going to kick his sorry ass out of my house. This is the only place he’s ever felt he belongs, and he does not take to change well at all. Which, I’m sure you agree with me, is too fucking bad.”
“I’m sure, then, you can understand that, after leaving a bruise on my sister, and after what he did to my apartment, there’s no way I could allow him back into my gym.”
Leon looks between me and his sister, confusion wrinkling his forehead. “I am so sorry for bruising your sister’s arm, truly. But what do you mean after what I did to your apartment?”
Elijah, awfully spun up, decides to take on that question. “What doyoumean? Two days after you have your little fit in this gym, we go into his apartment to see black paint everywhere, including the word ‘fag’ on his couches. Unplugging the refrigerator to let the food spoil and make everything smell like a dead body was an especially nice touch. I suppose you want us to believe that you had nothing to do with it?”
His eyes go big, and he puts his hands up in a pushback gesture. “No way, man. That was not me. I promise I did not do that.” He pleads with his sister, “Angie, I promise you. I promise, I would never do that.”
Angie clasps her hands together, bringing her fingers to her lips, deep in thought. “Look, guys. My brother can be a thoughtless, troglodyte asshole, but he’d never mess with your property. That’s just not in him. He gets defensive, says stupid shit, and then goes home to drink. I believe him—I believe he’s telling you the truth.”
Elijah shrugs, just as unsure as I am. I look into the man’s eyes, and I actually believe him, too. That doesn’t make up for the fact, however, that he bruised my sister and that I’d really like to rip his face off right now.
Apparently, my go-to action when someone I love is threatened is to rip the bad guy’s face off.
I mean, when it’s someone I care about.
Fuck.
Just as the situation couldn’t get any more awkward—or panic-inducing—my sister walks in.Because of course she does.Leon’s face goes tomato red in an instant, and he looks so uncomfortable and sorrowful that I damn near feel sorry for the guy.
Without waiting for anyone else to intercede for him, he approaches my sister, his entire demeanor supplicant. “Your name is Jules, right?”
She crosses her arms over her chest and nods.
“I’m Leon, and I’m really, really sorry for what I said to you and for putting my hands on you. I left a bruise on you, and I wanted to assure you that I’ve actually never done that to anyone before. My ex left because I’m a head case, but I never laid a finger on her, and I know I shouldn’t hit anybody, but I am so ashamed that I hurt a woman. I know this sounds stupid, but Angie made me watch some YouTube videos, and… I just didn’t know what trans folks go through. I justdidn’t know.”
Jules stays quiet for a moment, taking in what he’s saying. “Let’s set aside for a moment the fact that you shouldn’t put your hands on anyone of any gender. What videos did you watch?”
“Riley J. Dennis. I liked how she talked about things.” He bites the middle of his lip and looks down, genuinely ashamed.
“I met Riley at a conference on trans issues. She’s pretty cool. And taller than you’d expect.”
His smile is painful but sincere. “I know I can’t make it better, but I’m here to apologize and see if there’s any way I can start coming back here again. It’s the only place where I feel like I belong; it’s the only place where I feel like my head’s more or less on straight.”
She glances at me, one eyebrow lifted. “What about my brother’s apartment?”
Leon lets out heavy sigh, and I hold out my hand, speaking for him. “Actually, he says he didn’t do that, and weirdly enough, I believe him. The more I think about it, the more it feels in line with something that Adrian would do.”
