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“Maybe we should.”
I placed my hands on his chest, smoothing my palms over the soft blue cotton of his shirt. His steely muscles flexing to my touch, I licked my lips. He looked very handsome in his button-down shirt, dark indigo jeans, and a sandy-colored suede jacket that matched his boots.
“I would, except that would ruin the rest of my plans. I need the ingredients from the market to feed you.” He captured my hands, gathering them in his, and pressed his lips to my skin. “Taking care of your needs, all of them, is my priority.” His eyes darkened. “Understand?”
My heart fluttering as he peered at me through his spiky lashes, I nodded. “Guess we’d better go then.”
“Apparently so.” He tucked my hand into the crook of his arm.
“Where is the outdoor market?”
“Not far.” He lifted his chin in the direction he wanted us to go, and we started walking.
“I didn’t even know Southside had an outdoor market,” I said as we passed the front entrance to the gym.
“It’s small and new.” He leaned, taking me with him as he pressed the button to cross the street. “A few brave entrepreneurs are giving the area a try. If the factions stay out of it, it just might catch on.”
“It’s hard to justify the risk of starting a business here,” I said, just before I stumbled on a bit of trash in the street.
Righting me, he tucked me more firmly into his side. “Slim profit margins are made slimmer having to pay La Rasa Prima and others for protection.”
“Things haven’t changed much since we were younger.”
I shook my head, noticing gunshots popping in the distance. Sirens wailed. I was accustomed to those things. We crossed another street and a row of graffiti-emblazoned buildings before he spoke again.
“Nothing can change unless someone tries to do things differently.”
I glanced at him sharply, wondering if he meant me. But he wasn’t looking at me, he was staring straight ahead.
Following the direction of his gaze, I saw two men up ahead. One wearing a hoodie to shadow his features took a rolled wad of cash from the other, who was dressed in only a wife-beater tee and low-waisted baggy jeans.
“Let’s go this way.” Barry steered us to the right, skirting around the drug deal.
We lapsed into silence again as we walked by a warehouse that took up an entire block. I wasn’t sure what Barry was thinking. My thoughts were about him. Even in Southside on a deserted side street, I felt safe with him beside me.
I tilted my head. “Is that why you came back and opened Pho B, to try to do things differently?”
“I came back because of you.”
He’d said that before. Now, like then, I told myself not to take him literally. But my heart didn’t care about literal. It beat excitedly, as if it weren’t broken too significantly to be repaired.
“I was referring to your business.”
“I know.” He squeezed my hand. “I haven’t been approached by any faction yet.”
But he would be.
“So, when you are?” I asked, letting him see my concern. Change was fine to talk about, but dangerous to implement alone without any allies.
“I won’t pay off criminals, Addy,” he said firmly.
I halted, withdrawing my arm from his, and he stopped, giving me an inquiring look.
“You can’t go rogue in Southside, Barry. Better to avoid trouble like we did just now with that drug deal.”
“I appreciate your concern.” He framed my face. “In fact, I love that you’re worried about me. But I can handle myself. I’ve dealt with worse elements in worse places. I assure you.”
“Barry ...”
