Connor took that in. “He’s sensitive, isn’t he? To people.”
He didn’t look at her, just waited quietly for the bile and venom. For the acid to come spilling out, for him to hear what a horrible boy he was and had always been. Usually, it wasn’t until the end of the summer that he received the full-on attacks. How gratifying it must be for her to have the whole world agree that she’d been right all along.
“You are not to go near him,” her voice came out low.
Connor frowned. Normally, it went up. Apprehension coursed through his veins when he noticed her gaze, eyes burning with resentment.
“If this was supposed to be some power play or threat, then you clearly don’t understand how fragile your situation is. Trevor has agreed to let you stay here and to monitor your probation, but that is all over the second you threaten his son.”
Threaten? Connor opened his mouth to object venomously, but before he did, it clicked in his head. Her words. Nick’s attitude. The way he’d urged Laurence to get away from him and was furious about Connor’s presence in the house.
“He’s gay?”
“Don’t say it like you didn’t know. How dare you—”
“I didn’t know,” Connor said. Usually, he stoked the flames of his mom’s anger, but the urge to fight fizzled out. She genuinely believed he could hurt Laurence. “I was teaching him how to drive. That’s it. I just wanted to get to know him a little better.” Since Laurence seemed to be the only person in the world that didn’t hate him.
Scepticism radiated from Edith as she stared him down.
Connor sighed. “Whatever. Finish your threat so we can go in for dinner.”
“You’ll go to jail,” she said. “And there’s going to be nobody to bail you out this time.”
She said that as if she showed up at his hearing. As if she picked him up from the detention centre.
“I got it.”
“Stay away from him.”
“We live together. Don’t ask for the impossible,” Connor muttered. “How did you even let me in the house?” How was Trevor beingniceto him when Laurence was gay? He frowned. Even if Connor was his stepson, Trevor should have prioritised keeping his son safe before inviting Connor in for a second chance. What if the charge had been true? What if Connor had been a bigot that attacked gay people?
Laurence could have gotten hurt.
There was such a thing as too big a heart, and Trevor was clearly afflicted. Laurence, too, for that matter. Connor scowled. What had he been thinking getting into the car, just the two of them? Had he no sense of self-preservation?
Chapter Eight
Trevor’s cafe was nestled a few streets inland from the docks. Connor hadn’t ever been here, but he could picture it during the summer. Tables swelling with beach-goers and families, sand and saltwater dirtying the wooden floor, ice-creams selling from the freezer as fast as the drinks disappeared from the cooler.
Connor stood behind the counter and the display of cakes as he surveyed the checkout, the coffee machine, and Nick’s glare. How fun this would be… Laurence worked in the kitchen with Trevor, which left the job of training Connor to Nick.
“Are you going to show me how anything works or just spend the day glaring at me?” Connor asked once he got sick of the looks. He had gotten used to Nick the same way he’d gotten used to the guards at the lab; the difference was Connor had never been apprehensive about Nick’s hate, only resigned to it.
“You’ll clear the tables,” Nick said shortly. “Take a tray and a cloth and bring them into wash-up.”
Connor looked around himself, finding the things he’d need. “Okay.” He picked up the top tray and a washcloth. It was light, and—
“Leave it,” Nick snapped. “There are no tables to clear yet.”
Connor’s hackles raised. He dropped the tray into place with a clatter and levelled a hard look at Nick. He understood Nick’s attitude. Knew it stemmed from concern for Laurence. Understanding didn’t stop the grating effect Nick’s tone had on his nerves.
Nick sneered. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Talk to me like that again and we’re going to have issues,” Connor said calmly, anger bubbling just beneath the surface. “And if we have issues, I promise those two in there are going to feel the hurt from them, too.”
Rage danced in Nick’s eyes. He advanced on Connor, body tensed, fists clenched.
“Don’t even think about it,” Connor said, keeping his voice even as his heart thrummed in anticipation. “You’re not bigger than me, and it’s not going to go well for you.”
