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“Nah, it’s fine. Come on in.” I unlock the door and we enter. I flip on the switch. “Do you need to stay here for a while? I was serious when I offered.”
He gives me a wide-eyed look. “Damn, yeah, you’re serious. But I’m good. Thank you, man.”
Then what is it?
I bite my tongue not to ask, giving him time to tell me himself, but damn, I’m tired, and desperate for some time alone with Kayla, in my bed, to kiss her and make love to her. Lose myself in her and silence the thoughts and doubts churning inside my head.
Kayla excuses herself to the bathroom, and I hear water running. I want to go after her, wash the tears from her face.
“Hey. I just wanted to thank you for helping me when I was sick and tell you there was a guy hanging out outside your door earlier when I passed by and you were out.”
“A guy?”
“Yeah. Dark hair, blue eyes. Looked kinda like you. Except for the hair, of course.”
“When?” I struggle to keep my voice low and even. “When was that? Did you see him again afterward?”
“It may be nothing,” he says with a shrug. “But he was knocking and kicking at your door, and swearing. I thought I should let you know. Is he family?”
“Might be.”
Raine.
No way. Raine isn’t here. He’d never come here.
Then I remember my phone ringing, and I fish it out of my pocket. Four missed calls from an unknown number.
What is this about?
“Was it your brother?” Jason asks, and I start.
“How the hell do you know about my brother?”
“You talked to Kayla about him when I was staying here. I was sick, not deaf.”
“So you eavesdropped on me?” When I was spilling my guts to Kayla, dammit. “How old are you anyway, five?”
“How old do you want me to be?” he whispers.
“Fuck, Jason, don’t give me lines you’d feed your customers.”
He flinches. “That’s all I know how to do,” he snaps back.
Fuck. Fuck this shit. I can’t even pull my punches with a kid living on the street and selling his body to live. Don’t I know any better?
“Sorry.” I run my hand through my hair, tugging. “I’m tired and have too much on my mind. It’s not a good excuse, but it’s all I got right now.”
“’s okay,” he mumbles. “I’m twenty-one, by the way.”
Jesse told me that already. I open my mouth to say so, when the doorbell rings.
Fucking hell. Is this a surprise party? Did I forget someone’s birthday?
And then it hits me. Raine’s birthday. It’s today.
I throw the door open, and there he is. All six-foot-two of him, the lanky, too-thin frame I remember filled out, packed with muscle, those blue eyes angry.
Well, that at least hasn’t changed.
