Page 3

“Pretty night, ain’t it?” she gently offered, wrapping her arms around herself as she flashed a smile.

Her teeth were a little short from grinding, and she always looked just a little disheveled. If her clothes weren’t wrinkled, her hair would be a mess. And if her makeup was done, you could bet her shirt was stained, or buttoned crooked. It wasn’t her fault, the girl rarely sat still. Her anxiety didn’t allow it.

“It will be, once the party is over.” I grinned.

She huffed and tossed her head like I’d told a tired joke, “You ever wish you’d taken the scholarship and avoided all the parties?”

I shifted my head before she even finished the question, “No. This is where I belong. It’s where I was meant to be. What the hell would Dad and Pax do without me?”

She bumped my arm with hers and stared at me, a faint smile resting on her lips.

“You’re good to them. They’re lucky to have you,” she whispered, her hand drifting to her back pocket.

She produced a pack of cigarettes and stuffed one between her lips.

“What about you?” I rarely asked after a Sweetheart’s business, I just assumed most had no real plans besides scoring some dick and racking up wild tales along the way.

“What about me?” She awkwardly giggled.

I swallowed, unsure if I should be real or fuck off and keep the conversation shallow.

“I mean… You came here when your brother got custody of you, but Danny’s gone now. You don’t ever think of going to college, or getting a job that might offer advancement, or benefits, or… Something more than this?”

“I’m too old for college, probably not smart enough anyhow. That’s why the other jobs won't hire me. And… Well, uhm, I’m not a quick learner. I wouldn’t even know where to go, or how to begin to explore other options really.” Her shoulders started shrugging with each excuse she dropped until it looked like she was having some kind of fit, and I suddenly felt terrible for pressing.

I slung my arm around her shoulders and jerked her toward me, causing her eyes to round and her breath to hitch.

“You know there was a sign that hung up in a college I once toured, it said, ‘In life, you’re only too old when you stop trying to learn.’”

Her mouth snapped shut and she gave a weak smile.

“You’re not stupid, Rochelle. Don’t ever let anyone convince you that you are, or that you don’t have options.”

Her smile widened and she gave me a little squeeze, “I should–”

“Damn, they give lunch breaks here?” A voice spoke over her, startling both of us.

“N-no. I’m leaving.” Roach flung her cigarette and hurried toward the back door.

Anger flooded through me and I whipped toward her taunter, just as he reached for my arm.

“Oh,” the word stretched around Royal’s easy laughter, “it’s you.”

I glared at him so long and hard my eyes burned, but that didn’t budge his stupid smile.

“Thanks,” he arrogantly clipped, tipping his chin at me.

The confusion he induced with that one little word broke my composure and my face twisted with disgust. “For what?”

His blue eyes glistened with triumph, and the smile met them a little.

“I saw it when you looked at me just then. Welcome home, Roy.” His voice morphed into an imitation of eager femininity that left me curling my toes against the urge to kick him in the dick.

He knew he’d gotten under my skin, too, the cocky little shit winked and blew me a kiss that nearly unhinged my jaw.

“Yeah,” I numbly spat, shaking my head at just how deep the shit was getting. “You got me, big guy. My hidden weakness is the self-important twats that only feel good when they’re stepping on someone smaller. It just– “

I shrugged and trapped a sound in my throat, “That’s what does it for me, when they open their mouth and aren’t afraid to show the world just how little balls and brains they really have.”