AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jude didn’t answer, just followed my directions. There was one streetlight that cast an eerie glow over the wooden structure that had seen better days. The white paint was peeling, and some of the wooden slats had come off.
We did the same thing as last time, calling Lenny’s name and checking every nook and cranny.
I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood, my breathing uneven.Where is he?
Derrick’s place was next. But after talking to Derrick’s mom, I got back in the car, my body deflating. “He’s not here either.”
Jude took my hand, the warmth of his skin on mine a comfort I craved. “We’ll find him. There’s still a lot of places we haven’t tried yet. Let’s go to Tony’s next.”
He didn’t release my hand until we parked in front of the pizzeria. Tony and his wife lived upstairs, the lights shining brightly through the gaps in the curtains.
I’d barely stepped out of the car when the front door opened. Tony appeared, dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. A deep line marred his forehead as he waited for us to approach.
“He’s here. Come in.”
I nearly pushed him out of the way in my haste to get inside. “Thank God.” We followed Tony upstairs. “He took off without telling anyone.”
We made it to a cozy living room, a fire lit in the fireplace. His wife, Emilia, turned to us as soon as we entered. She nodded to the floor in front of her where Lenny sat, Pico in his lap.
I rushed over and dropped to my knees in front of him. He didn’t look at me, and I pulled him into a hug, careful not to crush the puppy. “I was so worried. Don’t ever run away like that again.”
“You lied to me.” His face was still pressed to my shoulder, his voice muffled. “Youpromisedyou’d never lie to me.”
A sharp pain shot through my chest at his words. I had promised him I’d never lie to him. After growing up with a pathological liar, I’d sworn to never do the same. Only now I had. Seemed like I was destined to repeat Mom’s mistakes.
“I didn’t want to worry you.”
He sat back, his face looking years older. “You should have told me. I’m not a little kid anymore.”
A glance at the room confirmed we were alone. I was grateful for the privacy because I didn’t want everyone to know about our sordid family history. “I know you’re not. But Mom is manipulative. I didn’t want her anywhere near you. Still don’t.”
He met my gaze, his eyes flaring with pain. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions.”
I’d been so scared that he would choose her over me, I’d never considered that it was still his decision. “I’m sorry. Truly. But you were still so young when we left.”
“I remember everything. All the times we slept in the closet when she had parties. When we didn’t have enough money to buy dinner. Or schoolbooks. The drugs.”
I thought I’d protected him from the worst of it. But he’d known all along, all my attempts to make our nights in the closet a fun game for nothing. “I’m so sorry, Lenny.”
His lips flattened, his eyes blazing with anger. “How could you ever think I’d choose her over you?”
“Does that mean you’ll stay with me?” My voice was small, hope flaring in my chest.
Lenny looked at me like I had grown a horn on my forehead. “Of course. Sometimes you really are slow.”
“Hey, that’s not true.”
He gave me a small grin, rolling his eyes. “As if I’d stay with anyone else. You let me play hours of games. And you’re not too annoying, even when you make me do my homework.”
Playfully punching his arm, I couldn’t help but smirk, relief washing over me. “So it’s all about the games, then?”
He put Pico on the couch, then got up. “Of course.” He turned back to where I was still sitting on the floor, staring at him. “You coming? It’s past my bedtime.”
And just like that, he’d forgiven me.
Together we went to the kitchen, my arm around his shoulders.
Jude, Tony, and Emilia looked up from where they were talking at the kitchen table as soon as they heard us.
