“He thinks I did it.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Because…he…because he didn’t listen tostopwhen I wasn’t able to protect you and he wasn’t going to listen then when I could. So I hit him.”
A thought eased into Kaden’s head. A brief flash. A moment in time. Harris holding him down… Beating him.Oh God.His breathing turned shaky. But when he looked for more, he found nothing.
When they went into the pub, Jalis headed straight for the corner where Kaden usually sat with his dad.
“Have you been here before?” Kaden asked.
“No.”
“What would you like to drink?”
“Whatever you’re having. Actually, I need to use the bathroom. You won’t…”
“What?” Kaden asked.
“Leave me.”
Jalis sounded so vulnerable that Kaden found it hard to swallow. “No.”
By the time he was back at the table with the drinks, Jalis was coming out of the toilet.
“This is the lunch menu,” Kaden told him.
Jalis scanned it. “Fish and chips, please.”
“That’s what I was going to have.”
Jalis smiled.
His face lit up when he smiled. Kaden felt his cock react and was glad he was wearing a long jacket. He placed the order at the bar and came back to sit opposite him. He’d been in here once with Harris who’d sneered at the décor. It was dated but Kaden liked its familiarity.
“This is lovely,” Jalis said. “I like all the pictures of the cricketeers over the years.”
“My dad is up there somewhere. I didn’t like cricket.”
“Too much hanging around,” they said at the same time.
Kaden laughed.
“I’ve never played,” Jalis said.
“Lucky you. What did you play?”
“I didn’t play sports at all. We did things in teams. Exercises. Assault courses. Built structures. Solved puzzles.”
“Whereabouts?”
“Long way from here.”
“You’re not going to answer that question.”
Jalis shook his head. “I’ve read your books.”
