He chuckled. “Okay, I’ll bite. Good morning. Why the fuck do you want Hound’s number?”
“Why do you think that’s any of your business?”
“Because he’s a good guy and he’s been through enough. I don’t want you fuckin’ with him, Meals.”
Ouch. That stung. “I’m not fuckin’ with him. I want to check on him and make sure he’s okay.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m worried.”
“I get that, but why? Has he given you any reason to be worried?”
I so did not want to answer that question. Staring at the door like the right thing to say was about to waltz through it, I chewed on my bottom lip.
“Meals, if he’s using again, I need to know…”
“It’s not that. He was in a lot of pain when I saw him a few minutes ago, and—”
“It’s seven-thirty-two am on a Saturday. Where’d you happen to run into him?”
“Levi, I’m a grown ass adult and I don’t need to have this conversation with you.”
“Then answer the fucking question.”
I didn’t want to lie, but I wasn’t thrilled about telling the truth, either. “We live in the same building and there’s this cool hallway outside my room that leads to the communal bathrooms.”
“You saw him in the hall?”
Why did he have to ask me point-blank like that? “Not exactly.”
“Goddammit, Meals, just tell me.”
“He stayed the night, okay?” I snapped.
Silence.
“Levi?”
No answer. His silence was as deafening as his disappointment. Both ate away at me, making me feel like shit. I pulled the phone away from my face to make sure he hadn’t hung up on me. Nope. The call was still connected. And every second that ticked by made me feel worse about myself.
Pissed that my need to get laid had caused this mess, I snapped, “Are you gonna give me his room number so I can check on him or what?”
“Don’t break him.”
More guilt piled onto my shoulders. My cousin didn’t trust me with Hound, and he wasn’t wrong for being leery. “I won’t.” I hoped. “He’s a friend, Levi.”
“Yeah? Well, when I said make a friend, I didn’t mean…make a friend.”
“Ha-ha.”
“You’ve always been an overachiever.”
“Says the veteran business owner who works twenty-four seven. Hound’s room number?”
“Two-oh-seven.”
“Thank you.” I hung up before Levi could grill me further. Slipping on a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt, I grabbed Hound’s shirt, vest, and boots and headed down the hall.
