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An arm wound around me, and Jude pulled me into his body. “Let me help.”
I straightened and wiped my damp palms on my pants, then stood up. “I appreciate your offer, but we’ll be fine.”
He walked up the stairs behind me. “Really? And how are you going to hire a lawyer?”
I wasn’t planning on hiring anyone. Instead, I’d disappear as soon as I could get all my safe deposit boxes and savings cleared out. I had enough connections to get a new identity for Lenny and me.
Something must have shown on my face, because Jude stopped me from opening the door to my apartment. “Running away is going to make it worse. Let me help you.”
Too drained to argue with him, I nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
Sighing, he released my arm. He didn’t look like he believed me. But since I had no intention of accepting his help, I couldn’t blame him for his mistrust.
“So you own the apartments?” I asked, changing the subject.
He shrugged, his eyes avoiding mine. “I would have told you eventually. But I liked the way things were between us. Knowing I’m your landlord would have made you back off.”
I didn’t tell him that I was planning on backing off either way. Being my landlord would have made no difference.
Nodding, I turned to open the door to my apartment. “Just so you know, I’ve never missed rent.”
“Sugar, do you really think I’d change my opinion of you because I met your mom?” He shot a boyish smile at me. “And just soyouknow, I wouldn’t care if you did. I’d never kick you out.”
I chuckled at his use of the nickname that I’d hated at first but now secretly loved. “You probably shouldn’t tell your broke neighbor something like that.”
He shrugged, and I shot him a small smile. “I’ll see you later.”
“Later.”
I called out to my brother as soon as I opened the door. “Lenny? Where are you?”
The apartment was empty, the only sound the hum of the fridge.
Jude cursed from where he was still standing in front of the door. “Check his room. I’ll make sure his bike is still here.”
A stone lodged in my gut, and I rushed through the small apartment, looking in all the rooms, the bathroom, and the laundry cupboard.
My hands shook when I pushed the door to our small balcony open. He wasn’t there.
Jude came back inside, his face tight. “His bike is gone.”
Grabbing the keys from the kitchen counter where Lenny had left them, I rushed outside. “I have to find him.”
The keys disappeared from my hand. “I’ll drive.”
Clenching my jaw, I reached for them. “I can drive myself.”
“You’re as white as a freshly bleached sheet. Your hands are shaking.” He held the keys away from me. “There’s no way I’m letting you drive yourself.”
Standing in front of my car, Jude held my glare with one of his own. Only, while mine was angry, his was stubborn. “Fuck. Fine.”
I got in the car, and Jude didn’t waste time. We were on the road, driving to the skate park where Lenny had been hanging out a lot. My eyes scanned the street, desperate for a sign of him. “If he’s not there, we can also try the park. There’s a gazebo he likes. Or his friend Derrick’s place.”
Chewing my finger, I forced the tears back down.He’ll be fine.
We made it to the dark skate park. There was no sign of my little brother, but we got out anyway. Once I was sure he wasn’t there, I sprinted back to the car, Jude close behind.
“Let’s try the gazebo next.”
