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The pads of his fingers skimmed across my knuckles, and he stepped closer, his cologne invading my senses. His eyes narrowed, but the ghost of a smile flashed across his face, and I knew it was a front he was putting on. I had a feeling there were many sides to Brody, and my instinct was to find out exactly what they were, but reality told me I couldn’t.
I had to get out of that house, and if I got involved with Brody, I’d never be able to leave.
I uncurled my fingers and didn’t move my gaze off his. I wouldn’t show an o
unce of weakness, no matter what my brain was telling me. He plucked the keys from my hand and took a step back.
“Let’s go check out this last house then.”
I cleared my throat, nodded, and followed him down the street, aware of everything and everyone around us. People sat in front of their run-down houses, their eyes following our every move. They knew who I was with one glance, but Brody was a new addition. He’d solidified his presence in Hut’s territory by our house, but obviously not ventured out this far.
“This is the one,” I said, pointing to the next house. Its front lawn was littered with needles and empty bottles, the front door held open by a large rock.
Brody’s arm came out, stopping my forward motion. “I’ll go first.”
I gripped on to his forearm and rolled my eyes. “I’ve seen and been in a lot worse, trust me.”
He turned his head, his dark-brown eyes darkening. “You shouldn’t have to.” He stepped closer, his palm grazing against my hip and making me shiver. “You shouldn’t be put in this situation at all.”
I chuckled. “You trying to step in and save the day, Brody?” I pushed his arm off of me, hating that all I wanted to do was pull it closer. “I don’t need a man to protect me. I can do it all by myself.”
My feet stomped against the ground, my anger fueling each step closer to the house. Who the hell did he think he was? He didn’t know me. He didn’t know what I’d lived through. He didn’t know that each day was a survival just to make it to the next one.
“Fuckin' kid,” I heard him murmur.
I spun around so quickly that I made myself dizzy, but I didn’t care. “No.” I pointed at him as he sauntered toward me, each of his steps measured. “You don’t get to do that.”
“Do what?” He raised his brow.
“Call me a kid.” He stepped closer, leaving only a couple inches of space between us. He knew what he was doing—trying to make me feel small—but I just tilted my head back and didn’t let my anger leave me. “You may be older than me, but you’ve got no idea what my life is like. You have—”
“I’ve got no idea?” He moved closer, his chest hitting mine, and fuck, I didn’t want his touch to render me useless, but I couldn’t help the fire he set off inside me. “You’re nineteen, you live in a drug dealer’s house, you’re gone all day, most probably out running for Hut—”
“I’m fuckin' not!” My hands clenched into fists at my sides, my breaths sawing in and out of my body. “I wouldn’t run anything for that piece of shit.” It was out of my mouth before I could even stop it. When his lips stayed in a flat line, I frowned.
“So what are you doing all day, Lola?” The way my name rolled off his tongue shouldn’t have called to me, but fuck, it did.
“I…” I shook my head and stepped back. “I go to class and work my ass off.”
His eyes narrowed on me, his head tilting to the side, probably trying to work out if I was lying or not. Too bad for him it was the truth. Not that I hadn’t run for Hut at one stage—I had—but I got out before anything too bad happened. It was a time when I thought I knew who my stepbrother was. How wrong I’d been.
“Let’s check this house out and then get home. I don’t have time to prove shit to you.” I twirled around and stumbled into the house, checking every nook and cranny for Crystal, but just like all the other houses, she wasn’t here.
I didn’t say another word to Brody as I walked back to the car and pushed inside. My brain was going haywire, and I couldn’t comprehend what was happening to me. My plan was straightforward and simple. Save money and get the hell out of the house.
Only, it was starting to not feel as simple as I’d thought.
The door slammed shut, and I turned to face Brody, staring at his side profile and cataloging his straight nose and full lips. Why did his scruff make me want to run my hands over it? And why did each of his movements have me squirming in my seat?
I shook my head.
I couldn't go there with him. He was nearly twice my age, and I needed to get out. That was all that mattered.
Right?
Chapter Six
BRODY
