“Wait! How do you know that?”
I stood, not saying shit.
“Shio. Are you watching me?”
I flicked my nose before crossing my arms.
Her arms flew up. “¡Estás violando mi privacidad!(You’re violating my privacy!)”
“You don’t have no fuckin’ privacy!”
“That’s a camera. Right there! Am I wrong?” She pointed toward the painting right above the TV, and although I could feel my body rise in temperature, I played it cool.
“You think I’m gonna bring you ’round my people and not keep watch?”
Her tongue clicked, and she swiped the tears from her face. “Okay.”
We sat in silence. She wouldn’t look at me, but I couldn’t avert my eyes from her face. Watching her in person was so much better. I wished like hell I weren’t attracted to her pretty ass.
“Shio, I am tired…”
Shit,me too.
“When… When all this is done, can you help me find my mom’s living family? That is all I ask. Then, I can make my own way from there. I will be out of your life forever.”
Hell nah, I ain’t helping you find shit. Damn, I sound like my fucking cousins.
I ran my fingertips through my beard. “What you want from me right now, Solana? Not on no future-type shit.”
Those dark, round eyes met mine again.
Pretty-ass, good-tasting-pussy-having little sinner.
“Even if it is selfish?”
“It’s okay to be selfish sometimes.”
“I don’t want you to go home.”
Pulling my pants up on my waist, I walked over to the door. I needed to leave before I went against my word. I needed to get in the truck and call the pastor because the voices in my head were not aligning when it came to Solana.
Without giving Solana a backward glance, I grabbed the handle to the door that was keeping her from the outside world.
“So you are going home?”
“Nah. I’m not going home if going there is going to cloud your head and fuck up your recovery efforts.”
I opened the door, realizing I had never locked it. Stepping through it, I closed it. Fishing the key from my pocket, I stuck it in and turned until the lock clicked.
“Shio…?”
“Yeah, Solana, baby?”
“I’m not your father.”
The fuck?
The first thought that came to mind was that Italian had been down here talking too fucking much. Instead of replying, I walked away from the door before I went against my better judgment and unlocked the motherfucker. No sooner than my feet hit the main floor, my phone rang. Retrieving it from my pocket and seeing Essex’s name, I wasted no time answering. Getting lost in Solana was perfect for the moment, but now that I was out of that room, business was back at the forefront.
