Devil You Know(85)

A shiver snakes it way down my spine. He’s voiced my greatest fear. Dylan will keep looking for me. He isn’t the kind to quit.

“Apparently I have a bunch of gang members watching me,” I say wryly.

He gives me a humored smile. “They won’t step in to help you if it’s not their business.”

“Useless bunch of stalkers they are then.” I stare at the floor, calculating what the probability of Dylan finding me is. What if I try another town, perhaps? If we move a little while from here? Get some distance between us?

“Does he have any way of locating you? Any shared friends?”

I stare at him with an eyebrow cocked. “Have you seen many friends?”

“True. I don’t like the thought of that jackass ever getting near you again, is all.”

“You can’t say his name, huh?”

“I feel like I’d vomit if I did, I hate the guy that much.” Malice stares at the wall opposite us, and a storm brews beneath his indifferent exterior.

“Well,” I say, eager to change the subject from one that looks like it’ll make Malice implode, “I did see a couple of houses in the paper the other day that looked okay. Parson Street and . . . damn, I forgot the other.”

“Can you remember who was listing? We can always call and check?”

I nod, and crawl back to his open embrace. He wraps his arm around my shoulders once more, and we stay huddled together as he searches out the listing on his phone, and dials the realtor.

Unsettled business still hangs around us like a fine cloud of smoke, fogging our view of the future we have together, but at least we seem to have the tools to clear it now. Communication has been opened between us, and a much as I hesitate to say it, I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t had that little accident with Ty’s ‘mislabeled’ pills? Would he have come back? Would he have stayed away? How long would it have taken to realize that we’re better doing this together?

I chastise myself for thinking so morbidly. The outcome of that mishap isn’t one I can dwell on, and to be honest, I’d rather spend my time here and now, making the most of what I do have.

A man who loves me—Jane.

A man who I love, too.





BRONX GIVES me a nod as I enter the kitchen, and head for the fridge. The cool air swirls around my feet as I stare blankly into the near-empty interior. It’s Ty’s week to host the boys—our first time without Tigger.

None of us can get in the mood.

“You expecting to find an answer to something in there?” Ty asks.

“Fuckin’ be nice,” I reply. “So much has changed the past few weeks. I’m having trouble knowing which way is up.”

“I hear ya, brother.” Bronx takes a swig of his beer. “How’s Jane?”

I snag a bottle of water, and shut the fridge. “Everything with her is so new. I don’t want to fuck it up.”

“Who says you will?” Ty crosses his legs at the ankles, and leans into the counter.

“It’s what I do; fuck things up. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you know why you do?” Bronx says.

I shrug. If I knew, doesn’t he think I would have done something about it by now?

“Because you think you will, so therefore you do.”

“You’re telling me that if I think things with Jane will be perfect, they will?”

“No. But if you fuckin’ well try, then maybe, yeah, they will. You can’t expect to grow anything if you don’t water it. Perhaps if you start giving two shits about your own state of mind you’ll be a lot more use to her?”

“You bastards are always on at me about this, huh?” I take a swig of the water, irritated that once again my so-called friends have brought the issue back around to me. Only this time, instead of being irritated at them blaming me for the way I am, I’m mad knowing I’ve been thinking the same way.

It’s me. I’m the thing getting in the way of a guaranteed future with Jane.

“I told you she hadn’t spoken to her parents in ages, eh?”

Ty nods.

“She called her mom the other week when I told her to. Just picked up my phone and did it. They’re still finding things awkward, but she managed to put the past behind her and try again.” I sigh, and admit the one thing I know they’ll agree with. “She wants me to call my dad and meet up with him.”

Ty’s eyebrows rise up. “Will you?”

I shrug. “Haven’t decided. Most likely not.”

“Do you think you should?” Bronx asks.

Fucker. “Yeah, I probably should.”

“You know what, Malice? He may actually have a fuckin’ good reason for leaving you alone all these years. Perhaps he’s the same as you; thinks you don’t want a bar of him?”