“Intimidating?” Nico echoed. “You made out with him.”
Shiloh’s mouth fell open. “I did not!” he protested. “We just…kissed. It just happened.” When Nico arched a brow, Shiloh rolled his eyes. “Whatever, just…what was he like?”
“He was always dirty, always bruised. Though, it wasn’t like I was much better. His mom would drink until she passed out, whether they had food or not, and my mom would forget to come home. It’s a miracle we didn’t starve to death. Felix may have been small and dainty, but he always had food. He used to sneak us some when he could. Eventually, we just started hiding out at his place. Jericho always made sure we had something to eat.”
“I just wish Levi knew his extended family. He must have had aunts and uncles on his dad’s side,” Shiloh said. “They must wonder what happened to him.”
Nico shook his head. “He doesn’t talk about his dad, really. I don’t think he remembers much about him. I told him Calliope could probably help track down his extended family, but he always shoots me down.”
“I just think he doesn’t want to be disappointed again,” Shiloh said with a sigh.
“Speaking of Calliope,” Mal said, “we need to figure out where to go next. Do we question Leo? Jason and Frankie? Those two morons who beat me up?”
Nico sighed. “I feel like we’re missing something.”
“Do you want me to call Jericho while you guys hang out?” he asked.
Shiloh pushed against Nico’s solid weight. “Uh-uh. I have to shower so I can get to the salon. I have to get my hours in if I ever want to graduate. You guys can work on your investigation. Thanks for crushing me for a few minutes.”
Nico shifted his weight toward Mal carefully, like he was still worried about hurting him. When Shiloh was gone, Nico wiggled until he could bury his face in Mal’s throat. “Morning.”
“Morning, Fidget.” Mal stared at the door for a long moment before asking, “Does it bother you?”
“Huh? What?” Nico asked, lifting his head to show his confused face to Mal. “Did you do that thing you do where you start a conversation in your head and then just think I read your mind?”
“Don’t you?” Mal asked. “Read my mind, I mean?”
“Clearly not. Or I would have known you were secretly running my life,” Nico snarked.
“It was only a secret to you because you weren’t paying attention. Everyone else knew.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was oblivious,” Nico said, shaking his head. “But what is it that you were asking me just now? Do I mind what?”
“That we don’t have our own place? Having to share this small space with two other people?”
Nico seemed to think about it before saying, “I’ve always just been happy to have a place at all. The hostel was great and all. Safe, too. But there were a lot of rules. No overnight guests, stuff like that. By the time Levi and I saved up enough money for this place, we felt rich just having somewhere to call our own. Before the hostel, we mostly couch-surfed in Jericho’s garage or at Seven’s mom’s place.”
Mal nodded. “Would you want us to have our own place?”
“I don’t know. I kind of like our little family. And if we get our own place, the cats will stay here. Won’t you miss them?” Nico asked.
Mal nodded. “Yeah. I would. But we could get our own cat?”
“Do you want our own place?” Nico asked.
Mal shrugged. “It would be nice not to have to worry about how noisy you are when we fuck.”
Nico gasped, then slapped his shoulder. “Shut up!”
Mal grinned at him. “What? No need to be embarrassed. I know this dick is fire.”
Nico groaned. “You’re so lame. I’m going to set your dick on fire if you don’t stop talking.”
“We have to get out of bed,” Mal prodded.
“No,” Nico whined. “I don’t wanna. It’s raining. I want to stay in bed with you and eat junk food and watch anime and have sex.”
That sounded like a great idea, too. But they needed to find Amy.
