Page 81 of Blood We Steal

“Why did you end up with me?” I asked as I broke off a piece of the pastry and forced it down.

Simone frowned. “Given the circumstances, I don’t know that ancient history is the thing we should be focused on. But I’ve been saying that this whole time.”

“Why, Simone?” I swallowed another bite. “I know that Aaron said you were good at math and you are. But that doesn’t explain why.”

She paused for a moment then looked at me. “You know why.” Her voice had an edge to it that I didn’t understand.

“No, Simone. I don’t.”

She scoffed, but then shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s water under the bridge, I suppose.”

She started to stand, but I put my hand over hers. “No. Tell me.”

Her eyes flashed. “Yeah, Aaron said I was good at math. And I am good at math, which was useful since you were extorting him.”

I tilted my head. “Extorting him, is that what he called it?”

“You charged him thirty percent interest, Rubin. That’s extortion.”

I shrugged. “Aaron got in too deep. Should I have let him off the hook?”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have been a criminal at all,” she said.

“Or maybe he shouldn’t have been.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she stood. “Like I said, water under the bridge. Enjoy your breakfast.”

She turned to storm off and everything inside of me told me to go after her, which was why I stayed exactly where I sat and finished the disgusting honey bun.

For lack of anything to do, I roamed around the block slowly. I didn’t have far to go. We’d moved to the second floor. I’d decided I wanted to keep more space between us and the COs. Other than the dead, the first floor was still empty, I thought. I hadn’t gone back there, and with the courtyard overrun now, I didn’t see a reason to.

I turned the corner and stopped short when I saw Damian and Besnik with Aaron standing between them.

The tension that always ran at a low hum was at maximum volume in an instant.

Aaron looked toward me, his eyes pleading, but he didn’t speak. Then Damian’s knee to his ribs had him doubled over and reaching toward the ground. When he was on the ground, Damian kicked him.

Then Damian grabbed Aaron’s arm and twisted it behind his back, lifting it to a painful angle that had Aaron squealing.

“Damian, what’s the meaning of this?” I asked.

My brother brushed his hand across his forehead, though holding Aaron in place was no challenge for him.

“Nothing of concern, krye. Our friend Aaron can’t pay his debts, so his repayment will be in blood.”

“No!” Simone rushed at Damian, who looked at her with hatred in his eyes.

I grabbed her arm and held her in place, my body pressed against hers. She sagged against me, seeming to deflate. I glanced at her as her eyes shifted, trying to comprehend what was before her. She relaxed deeper into my arms, her weight against my body so much like comfort that I wanted to pull her closer.

She looked back at me, held my gaze for a long moment, those brown eyes that vexed me in ways I would never comprehend raw, exposed.

In them, I saw her, the one some part of me had always known was there. Soft, yes, in need of protection, but not because she was weak.

Because she wasn’t.

She blinked and then looked back at Aaron. She tried to take a step but I held her tighter. She struggled against my hold but didn’t look at me, too focused on Damian and Aaron.

“Let him go, Damian,” she said through clenched teeth. As far as I could recall, she had never spoken to my brother that directly. Didn’t speak to him at all unless he left her no choice. But now she stared at him, her eyes locked on his, demanding.