“I grew up in a conservative city with a religious family. I couldn’t be out, and try as I might, I couldn’t get it up with girls. So yeah, I have zero sexual experience except being a toy for Leon.”
“What the fuck does that mean? I thought he didn’t touch you?”
“He didn’t have sex with me, but he touched me. He groped me a lot, masturbated on me. Shit like that.”
My rage grows with each word that leaves his mouth. “Fuck.”
“Like I said, I’m stupid.”
“Last time I’m gonna say this: Don’t call yourself stupid again. I mean it. Choices are sometimes good and sometimes not, that doesn’t make you stupid. You reached out to me, and that was smart.”
Rue nods. “I hear you.”
“As far as what happens next, what do you want to happen?”
He shrugs, avoiding my eyes. “I just want to live my life, you know? I want to figure out what that looks like. Get a job, find a place to live, maybe make some friends. Now I’m always gonna be looking over my shoulder for Leon or one of his thugs to snatch me up again.”
“Well, I can handle Leon.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know what I mean.”
His eyes go wide. “You mean, kill him?”
“Sure. If that’s what you want?”
A deep crease appears in Rue’s brow. “You would kill someone for me?”
“I mean, as long as he’s a piece of shit, which Leon clearly is, I don’t have a problem with it.”
I can’t quite read the expression on Rue’s face, but it’s not fear, which is good. He’s not afraid of me.
“That’s a lot of responsibility,” he finally says softly.
“It is, yes.”
“What would you want in return?”
“What?”
“I don’t have money to hire you. So what could I give you if you were to do something like that for me?”
“Rue, come on. We’ve been over this. My involvement isn’t tit for tat. It’s not transactional. Consider it a favor or a good deed. Mistone will be a better place with one less predator in it. I just need to get it approved by Shadow and I’m good.”
Rue studies my face for a long moment. “Can I think about it? This is a lot.”
“Of course you can. Until then, you’re perfectly safe and welcome here.”
“Thank you. At least one choice I made turned out okay.”
“See? You’re not stupid at all.”
He smiles, and it’s so sweet it unravels a tiny knot in my chest. A virgin. I’ve never even met an adult virgin before. Doesn’t happen in the circles I run in and have for most of my life. He’s too sweet for this world. Certainly too sweet for mine.
“Try to get some sleep, okay?”
Rue nods. “Okay. Thanks for… well, for everything tonight.”
