“And…the other stuff? The stuff to get the money?”
“Well, that wasn’t as easy to quit because it didn’t affect just me. I hadinterestedparties in me still needing money, and they weren’t happy.”
“Stick.”
He shrugged. “Stick’s okay. He stood behind me, still does. It was more of the people Stick works for.”
Visions of every mafia movie I’d ever watched with my father played in my mind. “Just how…deep are you in?”
“I’m not. I’m out. I was never ‘in’ much, anyway, just a…runner, an information gatherer, a cog. There was another guy who needed money right behind me. Shit, there were thirty guys behind me. There arealwaysyoung guys who need money that are willing to do anything to get it.”
“Anything?”
He waved a hand. “No, it wasn’t anything heavy. I don’t mean to scare you, Lily. It was kid stuff in the scheme of things.”
“So…” I needed him to say it, even if I couldn’t ask it.
“Nothing that hurt anyone. Cars, money, some property. Everything was insured. And it was from people who could afford it.”
“My family are people like that,” I said. “My family works very hard for their car, property and money.”
“I know,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean it like that. It was wrong. Of course I know it was wrong. I just didn’t want you to think I was out whacking people or anything.”
I nodded. I knew the difference. And I also knew that Lucas didn’t need to tell me any of this, didn’t have to be so honest. He was either telling this all to me to scare me away, or…or…because he was in as deep as I was and didn’t want anything between us.
“And you’re completely done with it? With all of it?”
“Yes.” I could hear the conviction in his voice. It was the truth, or at least he desperately wanted it to be.
So did I.
“Over. Done. When I saw my mom was back using, I started hanging around here more, making sure she got to work, and that Andy was taken care of. They found out about it where she worked and she was given the choice of going to rehab or being fired. Which probably saved her life. I had some money from…before, and was able to help out for a while.
“Then I got on at Bribury. I was able to do third shift ’cause it pays more. It sucks, but it’s honest work and the benefits are good.” He smiled. “Shit, listen to me talking about benefits. I sound like an old man.”
“No,” I said, running my hand up and down his arm. “You sound like someone who has responsibilities.”
He took my hand, raised it to his mouth, and turned it to kiss my palm.
“How’s your mom doing?”
A shadow crossed his face. “I’m not really sure. They’re still in the no-contact phase.” He said this like I knew the phases of rehab. “I’ll get to see her in a week. She wasn’t happy about going, but it was the only way to keep her job. And I was moving in to take care of Andy.
“That was another reason I wanted third shift; it was great hours for Andy’s schedule. I can take him to school, sleep while he’s there, then pick him up. Some days he does the swim lessons, others we just come home. I get him dinner and to bed. When I have to go to work, my neighbor, Mrs. Jankowski, comes and sleeps here.”
“Wow, that’s nice of her.”
He shrugged. “We have a deal. I do some repairs for her and do her grocery shopping and errands and shit like that. She’s not big on leaving the building.”
“That’s really great of you to move back in here to help out.”
“The truth is, it’s probably saving my life. I knew this was coming as soon as I saw my mom was in trouble. She’s been fighting it, on and off, most of my life.
“I was either going to go down the same path, or turn it around right then. Andy made me take a good look at where I was headed.”
“And your father? And Andy’s?”
“My dad died when I was twelve. Gunshot. Andy’s dad is out of the picture. Has been since the married asshole ran out on my mom once he knocked her up.”
