“I can try, old man.”
If it wasn’t for the smirk curving the corners of his lips, I would’ve fucked the shit out of him just for the name calling. Instead, I grinned. “You’re a cocky little shit, aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “I’m learning to be one. Around you.”
“Why?”
He slid his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and ran the tip of his sneaker along the edge of a tile. “Because you let me.” Then his gaze met mine. “I want to be like you someday.”
His words had a bizarre effect on me until I remembered they were only here for a short period. Death or desertion were the only two relationships I could hold with this boy. Whichever route I choose he’d be gone soon. Still, the thought filled my bones with irritation, anger stinging the very core of me thinking of the moment I needed to make that decision. I hated it. Strangely, I hated it more that I cared.
Rolling my pointer finger along my bottom lip, I wondered if he’d been sheltered by choice. “Trust me, boy, you don’t want to be like me.”
“Why?” the quick question surprised me yet again.
“Ever heard the phrase if you live by the sword, you die by the sword?” I asked. He nodded. “Would you be prepared to live your life everyday not knowing if the next one will be your last?”
He hesitated briefly then shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“And that right there is your answer of whether you can be like me or not. You can’t.” Giving him a soft smile, I turned to walk away.
“Lorenzo?” I glanced at him over my shoulder. “You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?” He paused then, “intentionally.”
“There are many kinds of hurt, Rayden, it all depends on just how weak you are for it to inflict pain.” I walked away, relatively certain that boy was going to impact the rest of my life in a major fucking way. I just didn’t know how, yet.
Chapter 15
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ZENA (22YRS)
I’d barely fallen asleep when something startled me awake. Sitting up, I stared around the darkened room, my gaze darting into the shadows created by the moonlight outside my window. The shit that went down at the boutique followed by the blowout with Remo had left me out of sorts and I struggled to fall off to sleep.
What I’d done to him was wrong. He’d saved me when he could’ve just left me in those grimy bastard’s hands. I never meant to put him on the spot, but I had to save face. Rayden and I needed each other, and I had to show him I was there for him. I didn’t want to know what the repercussions would’ve been had I not agreed with him. Regardless, I was doubtful Lorenzo believed me, even though he’d sent Remo away. I’d given Remo more ammunition to hate me now and knew it would come back in folds.
“What I wouldn’t give for a glass of warm milk.” I raked a hand through my tousled hair, abandoning the idea since they’d probably locked me in again. Shoving aside the covers, I slid my legs off the bed and stood. “Water it is, then.” Taking two steps toward the bathroom, I paused and backtracked toward the door. I tried the handle and gasped when it opened. “Well, I’ll be damned,” I mumbled then opened my mouth to scream when someone rushed me, pushing me back and clamping a hand around my mouth, effectively stalling the sound in my throat.
