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Even though I wanted to knee him in the dick, Ireallydidn’t want him to visit the trailer. Nodding, I lowered my eyes like I was ashamed. In reality, I was pissed at myself and Deacon fucking Forrester.
“I hear you, Amir. It won’t happen again.”
“I know it won’t. You’re done. No more handouts from me.”
My eyes flicked up to his. He was still studying me in his Amir way. Silent. Curious. Tucking details away for later use. Ticking off vulnerabilities. I had no doubt Amir Vasquez’s brain was like a war manual. He had a profile to take down each of his enemies and possible compatriots if he needed to.
He knew exactly where to press to get me to fold. My little sister, Luciana. The trailer could go to hell, but not when she was living in it. Unfortunately, she currently was.
“Amir—”
“No, Helen.” He straightened, running his hand along his hardened jaw. “What are you doing anyway? Taking money from Reno, working for me—where do you think it’s gonna lead? You’re here, getting your degree. You need to get out of this life.”
I lifted my chin. “What are you, the pious drug dealer?”
His entire body stilled, except his eyes. They bounded over me, keeping me in his snare.
“Make no mistake. If you go down, it’ll barely be a blip in my timeline. I do not care what happens to you. That isn’t who I am. But when I see someone being stupid, I call it out. You, little girl, are being really,reallystupid.”
My chin shot up even more, and my hackles rose. “I owe you money, so I’m not going to say everything I want to say.”
He folded his arms, his mouth curving into something that would have resembled a smile on anyone else. On Amir, it only looked like a threat. “Say it.”
I sucked in a breath. “All right. You say I’m being stupid, but here you are, hanging out on campus, pushing dope to college kids. You grew up with criminals, and you’re wallowing in the life, even though everyone knows you’re way too smart to be a low-level drug dealer. So, if I’m being stupid, so are you.”
He clucked his tongue. “Yeah, it turns out, I don’t give a damn what you think. Save your concern for one of your friends.” He pointed a finger gun at me and squeezed an eye shut like he was aiming. “Bring me the cash in the morning. Any later than ten, I’ll take a trip out to The Palisades with a gas can.” He pulled the finger trigger. “You feel me, Hells Belles?”
The barbed wire in my throat wrapped around my lungs. The Palisades was the ironic name for the broke-down trailer park I grew up in. I didn’t want to believe Amir would burn it down, but I was smart enough not to test him.
“I feel you, Amir.”
I slipped away from the wall, hurrying back to the sidewalk in front of my dorm. Amir caught me by the arm and swung me back around, his face slashed with quiet fury.
“That’s not how this works. You don’t walk away from me until I’m done with you,” he gritted out.
I yanked at my arm, but his hand was clamped down tight. Panic stirred in my gut. It was irrational. It was broad daylight and plenty of people were milling around. But I hated being grabbed and held. It brought back bad memories I kept carefully stored away.
Someone came to a stop beside us. “Excuse me.”
Amir and I both turned our attention to the frowning blonde. Elena Sanderson had her hands on her cocked hips, her attention shifting from Amir’s grip on my arm to my eyes.
“Go away, Elena.” I didn’t like the girl, but no way was I getting her mixed up with Amir.
She rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to say there are no psycho boyfriends allowed in the suite. Clearly, the person currently manhandling you has severe mental health issues that drive him to commit violence against a girl half his size. While you may be into being battered and bruised by the male variety, it’s my personal inclination to call the authorities when I witness such things.” She drew her phone from her pocket and tapped out 9-1-1. “Since you don’t seem willing to help yourself, I’ll be happy to take matters into my own hands. I’ll also add, you have terrible taste in men, Helen, if this guy is your idea of a good time. Heishot, but no doubt he’d look hotter in handcuffs.”
Amir’s grip on me had loosened during Elena’s whacked-out speech. I tugged my arm free and moved a foot away from him. This brought me beside Elena. I wasn’t sure she was a better choice, but I’d take my chances—especially since I was pretty sure she was helping me in her weird, evil Elena Sanderson way.
Amir tipped his chin at me, then turned and sauntered in the other direction without another word. Inside, I was sighing with relief, but I kept myself upright, covered in armor, unaffected.
Elena gave me a long once-over. “I’d ask if you’re okay, but if you say no, I might feel inclined to comfort you, and no one wants that.”
I snorted. “Thanks for not asking then.”
She hesitated. “I’m assuming that man won’t be around again.”
I couldn’t promise that. He was Amir, and he did what he wanted. “Probably not.”
“Well,” she held up her phone, “I’ll keep the police on speed dial. It seems like the wisest course with a roommate with your type of...connections.”
Needing an out, I tossed my skateboard on the ground. “You do that, Elena.” I pushed off, leaving her and my dorm behind.
If only I could skate away from the wildfire that was my life. Every time I got a handle on it, another spark spread it wider. One day, hopefully soon, I’d be able to breathe without constantly putting out fires. Today just wasn’t that day.
