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Fumbling with the radio, he asked, “Oh? How was the prison sex?”
My shoulders shrugged as I tried to get comfortable in the tiny Jeep seat. “Wouldn’t know. Didn’t participate.”
Dix’s focus fell off the road and onto my face. “Fuck. You held off for that long? Damn, son. That’s a long time. No wonder you fell for Essa.”
Furrowing my brow, I kept my mouth shut, not wanting to start something. His comment made my nerves twitch with anger. Trying to control it, I remembered Dix had never seen me with a girlfriend. Yeah, he’d seen me and Kara fucking a few times, but otherwise, no one serious. Perhaps it was hard for him to see me as someone different than the kid who went to prison.
My face must have given away my attitude because he said, “Oh, sorry, man. Like I said, I’m just not used to seeing you with someone who’s not Kara. But we’ll get you back in the saddle again.”
As soon as we arrived at the garage, my phone rang. My blood froze in my arteries when I checked the ID. It was Bass.
“I gotta take this. Thanks, Dix. I’ll see you soon.” My car was still sitting in the parking lot of The Armstead, and I was hoping Tate would sneak me over there at some point. If Adon found out… that may be the end of me.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Griffin. It’s Bass. Gonna need you to drop a piss for me and visit my office in about an hour. Can you do that?”
Swallowing heavily, I scanned the parking lot to make sure Adon wasn’t watching. “Hey, Bass. Um… I’m at work, but I could do it after.”
“Nonsense. Your brother called and said you’d be happy to come on over and give me some urine. I think we should have a visit.”
Gritting my teeth, I responded, “Yep, I’ll be there.”
Shit. This meant I had to beg for a ride from someone, or Adon would know. When I opened the door to his office, he sat in his seat with his feet perched on the desk. My legs stopped short in the doorway as his deep frown greeted me.
Drumming his crossed thumbs on his chest with a rhythmic beat that set my irritation to rage, he asked, “Where were you last night? Rhodes says you weren’t at home, and I am pretty sure you and Essa broke up. You haven’t been with her, and your attitude is back to where things were before you went away. How bad did you fuck things up with her?”
“Fuck you, Adon. Always waiting for me to mess up. You didn’t need to call Bass. I had it handled.”
Sitting up, he spread his arms wide across the desk. “Oh? Where’s your car, Elijah? Where is it?”
Pressing my lips together, I remained silent.
Adon nodded at me. “It’s at The Armstead.” He narrowed one eye and lifted a lip in a snarl. “Davis called me.”
I’d had it with their low expectations. “Fuck you and fuck Davis.”
“Davis is worried about you, just like I am. I know you weren’tsick. I gave you time after the breakup. But instead of dealing with things like a man, you’re doing childish shit again. I can’t control you, never could. Maybe Bass can.”
Adon got up and came around the desk. Tears were in his eyes, but he held them back with a rapid blink. “Iwill notlose my baby brother again. Get your shit together. Let’s go.” He grabbed his coat off the hook on the wall.
Worried he’d take me straight to the police station, I froze. “Where?”
“I’m taking you to your P.O. Then we’ll get your car.”
It wasn’t long in the uncomfortable wooden chair in the hall outside Bass’s office before he called me back. My urine was clean, so he seemed more relaxed than I expected him to be.
Raising his eyebrows, he asked, “So, what did you do last night?”
“I drank a few whiskeys. Smoked some cigarettes and had a couple of beers. That’s it, I swear.”
“What set that off? Adon tells me you’ve missed some work recently. What’s going on?” His sincere expression made me feel like he actually cared.
Looking at my hands, I told him. “My girlfriend and I broke up. I loved her, but she’s pissed off at me. Told me she doesn’t want to see me again.”
“Hmm, well, maybe it’s good to take a break. You’re fragile right now, just getting back on your feet. If this setback caused you to drink, maybe this is for the best.”
White-hot anger filled me inside—first Dix, now Bass. “No, I don’t think it’s for the best. We love each other, and it’s stupidnotbeing together. I need to figure out how to get her back. She inspires me to be a better man. I’m not giving up.”
