Page 39 of One Breath After Another

The boy smiled half-heartedly, saying, “It’s a lot sometimes. People lie, I know. When people hurt, I see it. Ma says it makes me special. Papa says ... it is what it is.”

“And what do you think?”

“I think you ask about me because you don’t want me to ask about you.”

And just like that, Penny knew he was telling her the truth.

“I should go,” Penny said, pushing up from the ground and brushing the dirt from her backside at the same time.

Cross glanced her way, frowning openly. “Remember when I said I didn’t know you?”

“Yeah.”

“I did know enough about you. I know you must have loved me before you left and made my ma and papa sad, right? Because you made me something to keep—something I would always have.” Cross shuffled his feet against the dry ground, kicking up some dirt and dead leaves in the process when he muttered, “I mean, nobody makes a song for someone else just because.”

Some did.

Not Penny.

“Of course, I loved you.”

Dark eyes of a five-and-a-half-year-old lifted to meet hers when he asked, “Then why did you leave?”

7.

Luca

SMOKE curled upward from the burning cigarette dangling between Luca’s fingers. He was more interested in finishing his cigarette than fucking with the men currently moving back and forth between the pile of boxes in the alley and the shipping truck where they loaded the packages of illegal cigarettes. In a couple of days, the truckload of cigarettes would make their way across the Canadian border to sell for twenty-five bucks a pop.

A whole truck was easy money.

Besides, he wasn’t there to do the work with the crew of guys. Just overlook their work. He could do that perfectly fine from where he sat on the tailgate.

He wished that was all he was doing, but the voice in his ear—his father talking to him through the Bluetooth while Luca kept an eye on the guys—kept him somewhat engaged. At least today, Zeke wasn’t being a total fucking asshole.

Things were looking up.

Right?

“Good to know you’re keeping busy watching Naz’s guys,” his father said. “I’m sure he appreciates the help, too.”

“He’s ... got other things to handle.”

Not that Luca needed to mention what those things were exactly. Everyone in their circles knew that Naz was still trying to get his house and life settled a little more. Months after Penny moved in and changed everything, and some days weren’t any better than when she first arrived honestly.

His friend didn’t give up, though.

Luca respected that.

“Either way,” Zeke murmured on the call. “I’m proud of you.”

Happy, he thought his father meant to say. Zeke was happy his son was doing what he thought he should have been doing from the moment he graduated high school—handling family business.

Luca didn’t call his father out on the distinction, but he also didn’t have to.

“Despite what you may think,” Zeke continued, “because I do know how you think, for the record. I was you once.”

“Were you, now?”