The line went dead.
Rett slumped and probably would have dropped onto the floor if I hadn’t scooped him up.
“I got you.”
“First, he threatened you, and now Wyatt. He was hurting him, Hiro.”
Carrying him over to the sofa, I sat and tugged the burner from his grip. His fingers were red and angry-looking around the black device. Rage unlike anything I’d felt before swept through me. It was the kind of rage that could threaten the control that made me so efficient. The kind of rage that would turn me from a villain into a monster.
A monster named Hiro.
How ironic. Yet fitting.
Sliding out from under him, I pushed to my feet.
“Where are you going?” Pip asked, his voice small.
“Getting you some water and some anti-inflammatories.”
“How do you know I need those?” he asked.
Because your hands are bright red and warm to the touch. “Doc told me. And I did some reading after you fell asleep on me.”
“I did not fall asleep on you.”
“I have drool stains right here,” I teased, pointing to my pec.
I thought his eyes would linger longer, but they rose to mine instead. “You read about RA?”
“A little. I’ll read more later,” I said, heading into the kitchen. Once I was there, I ripped the battery out of the back of the burner phone, tossed both pieces in the sink, and turned on the faucet.
I knew it was too late to keep them from tracking our address, but that didn’t mean I needed to make it even easier. Plus, if he called back, Rett would just answer again. Once was enough.
I snatched a water from the fridge and twisted off the cap. Once that was done, I shook three red pills into my palm and snagged some Goldfish before heading back to the couch.
“I couldn’t possibly eat. Didn’t you hear the way Wyatt screamed?” Rett said, eyes straying to the Goldfish.
“These are for me,” I said. “Open your mouth.”
His lips parted, and I dropped in the pills and held out the water. He took it and swallowed while I opened the cheese crackers and helped myself.
When he was done, I grabbed his chin and leaned in. “Whose good boy are you?”
“Yours.”
“That’s right. And no one else’s.” I confirmed and dropped a fast kiss against those sweet, sweet lips. With that out of the way, I could get my knowledge on. “Who is Wyatt?”
Rett’s stormy eyes filled with tears. “He’s my friend. Well, more like someone I know from the homeless shelter.”
“You date him?” I had to ask. It was a required question.
“No!” Rett said instantly. “No way. I just met him a few months ago. He started coming to the shelter but not very regularly. He’s young and alone. And seems so out of place.”
“So he’s like you,” I surmised.
Rett shook his head. “No. He’s more innocent.” The doubt must have shown on my face because he said, “I was homeless for years. This seems new for him.”
So he was Rett before the street wore him down?Fuck.
