I nudged Ezra to a seat at my dining table and shoved him into it. Kneeling in front of him, I patted his knee before writing down my thoughts.
You don’t need to know where they are.
“Maybe I do,” he said defiantly, raising his chin and staring at me with those vibrant hazel eyes. He looked beautiful thismorning. The bruises had darkened even more in the short time I’d been at work and it made my blood boil. If I could kill those college bullies again, I would.
Ezra was still gorgeous, though, as well as young. Innocent. He had no idea what he was asking. At thirty-six, I’d seen the worst of the world in ways he didn’t understand, even though he’d lived on the streets.
I pointed at him, then my mouth and pretended to chew as a sign of food, asking him if he’d eaten.
“Nice change of topic.” He snorted and leaned closer. “Yes.”
“Good,” I mouthed, then rose and slid off my jacket. I couldn’t help but notice the clothes he had on, too, because they looked far too big on him with my shirt baggy on his slim body. The pants weren’t much better.
We need to get you new clothes.
He scratched the back of his head and chuckled. “Maybe I should’ve looked when I went shopping. Oh. Here’s your card.” He dug in the pocket of my favorite black leather coat hanging over the back of the chair next to him and held out my credit card to me.
I shook my head. “Keep it.”
He frowned down at the card, then back at me. “What?”
I grinned and shook my head.
Keep it. Use it when you need to buy something.
“Are you insane or far too rich for your own good?”
Possibly insane.
“Ah, that would explain it.” Ezra laughed. His entire face lit up, eyes brightening. The sound of his laughter gave me a funny feeling in my chest. I couldn’t rationalize it and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to. “Oh, by the way, did you tell your neighbor that I’m your boyfriend? Some lady named Annabella came over and was having a whole thing about how I’m Samael’s boyfriend and how she thought you were too good to be true. Said we should have dinner one night.”
I blew out a breath and pressed my fingers into my temples. I shouldn’t be surprised that Eleanor ran to Annabella. They’d been friends since before I moved into this house, and they were worse than ten old ladies put together. Their gossip rampaged like wildfire. They’d taken an interest in me from the moment my moving truck had shown up.
I had to come up with an excuse why you’re here.
Ezra stared at the notepad for a moment, lips downturned in thought, then finally after a long minute, he nodded. “Makes sense. You could’ve just told them I was a relative.”
Two birds, one stone.
He grinned in amusement at me. “Because you’re the bachelor of the neighborhood?”
I snorted. “Yes.”
He shook his head and stood.
“So, here we are.” Ezra shifted his weight between his feet, standing so close I felt his hot breath on my neck. He ducked his head and sighed. “Guess I should probably ask the question.”
I frowned at him, even though I knew he wouldn’t see it with his gaze on the floor. Hooking my finger under his chin, I raised his head. “What?”
“How long before you throw me back on the streets? I just want to know so I can prepare. I kind of enjoy the food and heat.” He stared at me in a way that shouted vulnerable, but his jaw also tightened, as though he was trying to act strong. My heart ached for him. I never knew what it was like to be homeless, and I’d been lucky that I had an aunt after “the incident” as I called it. She’d taken me in and raised me with Dalton.
I wanted to tell him never, but he wouldn’t believe me. People who’d been through what he had didn’t trust words, only actions. I’d seen it when I’d tried to give a homeless man a blanket once. He’d asked what I wanted in return and proceeded to keep asking.
Ezra thought he was a closed book, but his soul had been split open for me to see. I saw myself in him.
You’re not going anywhere. I’m guessing you’re in your twenties but how old are you?
He gripped the notepad in his hand so tightly it nearly folded between his fingers. “Um. Twenty-four, still, I think. What’s the date?” He examined the magnetized dog calendar on the fridge. “22nd of November, right? I think I saw it on the receipt from the store.”
