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“You know my main purpose of going to the Bay.”
“To take down your uncle,” he says without missing a beat. “What’s that go to do with Remi?”
I hesitate, not really wanting to vocalize my intentions when it comes to the girl who has managed to bury herself deeper than anyone else. No one other than my brothers get under my walls, but I fear that she’s managed to without my knowledge.
“She’s really important to James. He’s seeing her mother.”
“Ace,” Cruz warns. “You telling me that this is all one big game?”
I shrug. That was my intention, but I can’t help wondering if things have changed too much for that to still be the case.
“I don’t know, man. She’s…”
“Yeah, I know. I see it. The way she looks at you... You’re going to fucking shatter her if you go through with this.”
“She deserves better than me. She’ll get over it.” It pains me to say it, but I can’t deny that it’s the truth.
“Maybe so, but it seems that you’re what she wants.”
I hold his heavy stare with my own until my pocket vibrates, demanding my attention. I quickly scan Donny’s text before switching it off.
“Problem?” Cruz’s brow arches.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Watch your back, yeah? You know Donny doesn’t give two shits if you’re living in the Bay now. You run for him, only he gets to say when you walk away.”
I’m about to tell him to stay off my back when D shouts, “What the fuck are you two doing in there? Remi is planning her first ink.”
Cruz’s eyes light up at the prospect of inking my girl’s virgin skin before all but running from the room.
“Ace’s girl,” he drawls. “You getting ready for your first inking? You want the master, right?” Cruz wiggles his fingers at her and she blushes.
“Hey,” I mutter, slapping him around the head. “Only I get to make her blush like that
.”
“Sorry, man. I can’t help if she imagines my fingers doing other things.”
“I think it’s time we left. Neither of these motherfuckers are getting their hands on your body.”
“All right, caveman. Calm down.” Remi pats the couch beside her, and I have no choice but to sit beside her as she discusses options and where the least painful parts of the body are.
I watch as she soaks up everything he tells her. She continues drinking when they offer us more beer, but I stop. I need to get her home in one piece. I might want to teach my uncle a lesson, but killing us both in the process isn’t part of my plan.
When Remi starts yawning, I make our excuses and we head for the door.
“Call me and we’ll book that appointment in, girl.”
“You’ve got it.” Remi salutes Cruz and he beams at her.
Part of me is glad my friends approve of her and have accepted her in their lives this easily. A bigger part of me hates it. It’s only making what I need to do harder and more confusing.
Is it time I focused on myself for once? On what I want, me, instead of plotting the demise of someone else?
“You okay, Princess?” I ask when we come to a stop beside my bike and she sways slightly on her feet.
“Yeah. I really like those guys, and they’re not scary at all.”
