Chapter 28 #2
“I tie better than you.” I lied. Truth was he tied just fine, but I was so possessive I couldn’t stand for him to tie his own shoe.
“I’m going to work, Kieran. For my entire shift. And then I’m delivering after that,” he said. “And this weekend, I’ll go to my cleaning job too.”
“You aren’t cleaning up after other people,” I growled. It shocked me that he even knew how! I’d just watched him wipe dirt on his pants, for criminy sakes.
“I’ve taken care of myself my whole life. When it was hard, when I thought it was unfair, and even when I didn’t want to. They might not be the fanciest jobs, but they’re mine, and I’m proud of it.”
I made a sound. “You’re too good for those places.” What I should have said was I was proud of him, but some habits were fucking hard to break.
“No. I’m not. No one is above hard work,” he admonished. “And I like the Neon Reef. It’s my chance to have some fish for a little while since I haven’t been able to have my own.”
I glanced up. “You want fish?”
Those innocent eyes skewered my heart as they lit with excitement. “Oh hell yeah! Someday I’m going to have a huge tank, big enough to fit two hypostomus plecostomus.”
“A what?” I asked, completely out of my depth but seeing he was clearly in his.
God, there was so much I had yet to learn about him, and this made me realize how badly I wanted to know it all.
“Plecos,” he said. “They’re tropical freshwater fish that are part of the armored catfish family. They have sucker mouths and are bottom feeders.”
They sounded dirty. And ugly.
I rocked back, sinking onto my ass right in front of him. “Tell me more.”
His eyes lit up all over again. “Really?”
“Mmm. Everything.”
“They eat algae and aquatic plants and help keep tanks clean. They have scutes that cover the upper head and body for protection, and there are all different types and colors. Most of them don’t get that big, but other fish don’t really harass them because of their armor and semi-aggressive nature.
We finally just got some new ones in at the Neon Reef, and I set up their tank.
I can’t wait to go in and see them. I hope Scop is still there. ”
“What’s a Scop?”
Haz smiled. “Oh, it’s the name I gave one of the plecos.
It’s an albino bristlenose. I think it’s a girl because it doesn’t have the bushy nose feelers the males do.
But it could just be young, so I’m not sure.
” He paused. “I know I shouldn’t have named it.
Mr. Wasashi told me not to get attached because he was selling it the first chance he got.
” He gave me a sheepish look. “It’s kind of hard, though. ”
“Why not just get a tank and buy her for yourself?” Ghost asked.
I’d forgotten he was even there. Over my shoulder, I gave him a dirty look. He didn’t even look the slightest bit apologetic that he was listening in on our conversation.
“Tank supplies are super expensive,” Haz answered. “And my place is kinda small… and unsafe. Could you imagine if I’d had them there when those guys broke in? They probably would have shot the tank.”
Anger bubbled inside me at just the suggestion.
“But someday.” He went on, hopeful. “Until then, I’ll just see them at the Neon Reef.”
I reached for him, but he was already on his feet. “We should go so I’m not late.”
He went for the door, and I hurried to put shoes on and grab my coat and the spare gun on the counter.
“I call shotgun!” Ghost called from behind as I was rushing out the door.
I stopped so abruptly that he collided into me and bounced back. I turned, and he knew just by the look on my face.
“Aw, man,” he complained. “Fine. I’ll sit in the back. Won’t make a peep.”
“You’re staying here,” I told him.
“But—”
“Meet me at the Neon Reef at one. You can stay with him while I’m out.”
“You know what? Fine,” Ghost said. “You don’t need backup anyway. Your chest is like stone anyway. Bullets just ricochet right off. Probably your head too. God knows it’s hard enough.”
I patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks.”
I turned to go, but he caught my arm. I glanced back around.
“You’re gonna buy him that fish, right?”
I sighed.
“‘Cause if you don’t, I will. Did you see his face? Bullets might not work on you, but that look? Brought you right down.” He made a sound. “And did you hear what Mr. Wasashi told him? Gonna sell off his favorite little fish. Poor Scop. That’s just villainous. I’ve killed for less. So have you.”
I shoved his hand off my arm. “I’m leaving.”
“Vaughn.”
I heaved a sigh. “Of course I’m gonna buy it,” I said low. Hell, I already had a barstool and two half-dead plants in the middle of my living room. Might as well add a dirty, ugly fish too.
Ghost beamed. “I’m gonna be an uncle!”
“I’m leaving!” Hazard yelled from down the hall as the elevator dinged open.
I pushed Ghost into my apartment and started forward. “Don’t even think about getting on that elevator without me,” I said as he literally stepped into the box and the doors began to close. “Hazard!” I bellowed.
I could have sworn I heard him snicker as I ran forward, my hand sliding between the closing doors just in time. They popped open, and I strode in, railroading Haz up against the back wall as the doors latched and the car lurched.
He gulped, head leaning against the mirrored wall so he could gaze up at me. I stared at him hard, hoping the weight of my stare was almost painful.
“I’m proud of you,” I said, gruff.
His eyes rounded, shock making him look like an owl.
“Your whole life, you did everything you had to do to survive, and you did it without becoming bitter shells like everyone else. I’m proud of you and fucking grateful, and I will do my best to understand you want to work.”
His head bobbed, and I leaned a little heavier into him just because having my body on his was my new obsession. “But I need you to also understand that I love you, and you said you love me back.”
“I do.” He confirmed.
“That means I get to help take care of you now, and I can’t do that if you’re running around all willy nilly and getting into elevators by yourself—”
“Willy nilly.” He snickered.
“Pay attention,” I barked. “I’m giving you a lecture.”
“Right.” He agreed, not contrite at all.
“Someone is trying to kill you, Hazard,” I deadpanned.
His face went pale. Good. Maybe now he’d listen.
“Someone who is very powerful right now and has the resources of the mafia.”
The elevator stopped, and the doors started to open. I smacked the button to keep them closed and turned back.
“The least you could do is not make it harder for me to keep my fucking heart beating.”
His brows furrowed.
I grabbed him by the front of the button-up and yanked until our bodies collided. “You,” I snarled. “You’re my fucking heart.”
He stretched up on tiptoes, wrapped his arms around my neck, and tugged himself farther so our lips could seal.
I lifted him off his feet and kissed him back with desperation, growling as my lips devoured his. When I finally pulled back, we were both panting, and his dick angrily poked my belly. I set him down and stepped away, holding my trench in front of me to conceal my own erection.
“Kieran,” he complained, pushing his down.
“Leave it,” I demanded.
He made a face.
“That’s what you get for being a brat and running off by yourself while murderers are stalking around.”
“Even if they weren’t, I’d probably still get a lecture,” he muttered.
“Probably.” I allowed and shifted to stare at the tent in his pants. “But I might have taken care of that for you.”
He whimpered, and I grabbed his hand, folding mine around it. The elevator door slid open to the parking garage, and I tugged him behind me, using my body as armor for his.
“Come along then, little hazard. We have a car to fetch.”