“She broke your nose.”
“I know.” I laugh. “I can’t explain it.”
“You said, ‘it’s her’.”
I can’t answer because I can’t explain what I meant when I said that. Just nodding my head, and relieved when his phone rings.
Glancing down, he picks up his phone, answering it. “Yeah, okay.”
“What is it?”
“Abandoned warehouse downtown.”
“Come on. So cliche.” I scoff out.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I look over at him, somehow knowing that he’s not meaning anything to do with Drew. “Ash asked me not to, wanted you to finish school, told me he’d tell you when he was ready.”
“And after?”
“Honestly, I debated it all after they died, and I wasn’t really sure Ash hadn’t told anyone. But I really had to think, like, if no one knew, should I take this as the universe giving me an out? Do I just go about a normal life and a normal job, not splitting myself in two?”
“What’d you decide?”
“I always told myself that if it’d been anyone else who took over, I might have washed my hands of it, pretended like none of it ever happened.”
He doesn’t say a word in response as we drive in silence for a few moments. He maneuvers us in the direction before we come into the desolate downtown area.
“I think even then I knew I was lying to myself, though.” I don’t need to look over at him to know he’s questioning what I’m saying. “It was alwaysourplan, the three of us, to take this shit over. So, of course, I did whatever was needed to make sure it was good. After everything happened, I wasn’t sure how things would go down, no offense.”
“I get that. I was young as shit running a club.”
“Exactly. Then the longer things went, the harder it got in my head to explain.” I pause, remembering how difficult it was for me to decide. “And would it be better for me to remain on the outside, keeping an eye out for the club?” Glancing over at him. “I decided I’d tell you a couple of years after.”
“But?”
“You got arrested.”
“And you thought it’s be better if I didn’t know that while locked up?”
“Something like that.” I nod. “Thought it may be better if I helped behind the scenes.”
Nodding his head as if so much makes sense now. “House arrest at the clubhouse.”
“Yeah,” I laugh.
He says nothing, but I’ve known him long enough to know he’s contemplating everything I just said, everything that’s been said in the last few days.
“Look,” he says quietly as we look for the building. “I’m not okay with the two of you.” Looking at him, I can see the sincerity in his words. I still can’t help but feel disappointed in what he just said, given that he said he saw us together the other day. “But I’m also not-not okay with it.”
“Z, uh — I —”
“We’re here.” He cuts me off. “Everyone’s around the block.” He tells me as I see a silhouette walking towards us.
“Uh.”
“It’s Zeke,” he tells me as Zeke passes my window, slides the back door open and moves inside.
