He blinks. "Excuse me?"
I step closer. No rush. I want him to hear every word. "You knowexactlywhat I’m talking about. Next time you lay a hand on him, you better hope someone else is around to pull me off you." I tilt my head. Smile still there. I can see it. The flicker of uncertainty behind his eyes.
He scoffs. "Is that supposed to scare me?"
He reaches for my shoulder, like I’m some damn stray he can dismiss.
He pushes me.
Oh.
My smile widens.
I laugh. I can feel it twist inside my chest. His hand is still frozen midair, as if he realizes too late.
Don’t kill him, he’s Rava’s father.
Don’t kill him, he’s Rava’s father.
I bite the inside of my cheek. "You should be on your knees thanking every fucking god you’ve ever believed in," I whisper, "that I’m trying to be a better man these days." I tilt my head, eyes sharp.
"But don’t confuse my silence for weakness. Or my restraint for forgiveness."
My pulse is steady. But my head is chaos. I can see it, what I could do.
His wrist snapping beneath my hand.
His face slammed against the wall.
The crack of ribs if I drive my knee just right.
But instead I step back.
Smiling. Dead calm. "I’ll leave now," I say, nodding toward the door. "But do me a favor, Charles." I look at him one last time, that fucking pathetic shell of a man pretending to hold power. "Don’t test your luck again."
…
We’re in the car.
Rava’s head is on my shoulder, his hair brushing against my jaw, and my fingers run through it.
I don’t even notice I’m doing it until he sighs and leans closer.
His hand is on my knee, just sitting there. Up front, his mom is driving. Lorenzo is next to her, legs wide open. "I’m so sorry that happened," she says suddenly. "I really didn’t expect Charles to behave that way. Or maybe I did. I don’t know what to do with this man…"
I look at her through the mirror. Give her a small smile. "It’s okay," I say. "It’s just pies." Then I lean toward Rava and whisper right in his ear.
"He eats my pies, I eat his son."
Rava lets out a choked laugh so fast I think he’s gonna die. Lorenzo’s head snaps around.
"What. What did he say. What are you two whispering about. Tell me. I know it’s something disgusting."
Rava is wheezing into my shirt.
"Tell me!" Lorenzo whines. "You degenerates! I hate being left out, you know that!" I grin and then I lean back in to whisper something else, on purpose.
"Hey, hey HEY," Lorenzo shouts, twisting in his seat like a child. "I swear to God if you whisper ONE more thing I will turn this car around. Let me hear too!"
