7. Milan Rivers #3
I could’ve heard those gunshots and kept walking. I could’ve waited until security or somebody else got there. Instead, I ran toward a man I’d never met because leaving him out there bleeding wasn’t even an option in my mind.
Vice gave a slow nod, my silence telling him everything he needed to know.
“Exactly. You could’ve kept going. You could’ve waited for somebody else to help him, but you didn’t.”
“He was hurt.”
“And you helped him.”
“Anybody would’ve done the same thing.”
He shook his head.
“No, they wouldn’t.”
Something about the way he said it made me believe he wasn’t just saying it to make me feel good. It sounded like experience. Like he’d seen enough people walk away to know better.
Vice leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs as he looked me dead in the eyes.
“Sam was my family. Whatever he got caught up in, you ain’t have shit to do with it. You went to work that night, ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now somebody got you looking over your shoulder because of something involving him.”
I swallowed the knot that had formed in my throat.
“You know this isn’t your fault, right?” I let him know. I could see on his face and hear in his voice that he blamed himself.
“Didn’t say it was.”
“Then why are you acting like it is?”
He held my gaze for a long while before answering. “Because whether it’s my fault or not, you’re in this shit because of my family.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
The conviction in his voice made it impossible to argue. He wasn’t trying to take responsibility for Sam’s death. He was taking responsibility for me, and somehow, that hit a lot harder than I expected.
“And until I figure out who killed Sam and know your life ain’t in danger, I’m not leaving you out here to deal with it by yourself.”
His answer was so simple that I didn’t know what to say to it.
I still remembered Sam’s blood on my hands. The way I’d kept talking to him even when I wasn’t sure he could hear me. The way I’d wanted him to hold on long enough to make in the hospital.
“I couldn’t save him,” I said just above a whisper.
Vice didn’t respond right away and when he did, he assured me with, “That wasn’t on you.”
“I know.”
“You sure you know that?” My eyes moved back to his.
I wanted to say yes, but the answer wouldn’t come as easily as it should have.
Vice studied me for a minute before saying, “You did more for him in those last few minutes than most people would’ve done.
Don’t carry what happened to him like you had something to do with it. ”
Something about hearing that from him hit different.
He was Sam’s cousin. He had every reason to wish I’d done more, yet he wasn’t blaming me.
I slowly nodded. “Okay.”
“A’ight.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Will you stop saying, a’ight, to everything. I feel like you’re doing that on purpose.”
“Maybe.”
I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling a little. Somehow, the conversation had gone from me questioning why he was doing so much for me to him getting on my nerves again, and I was starting to realize that might just be who he was.
My phone vibrated on the table again, pulling my attention away from him. I reached for it, and the smile disappeared from my face the second I saw the message.
Evan: I know you’re back in Atlanta. We need to talk.
I stared at the screen with my stomach tightening.
I should’ve known the flowers weren’t going to be the end of it.
After ten years together, Evan knew Atlanta was home.
My sister was here. My aunt. My nieces. Even if I hadn’t told him I was moving back, it was only a matter of time before he found out.
Whether somebody mentioned seeing me or he simply started asking questions, I had no doubt he’d eventually put the pieces together.
I just hadn’t expected him to care... or pretend he did.
As far as I was concerned, Evan had already said everything he needed to say the moment I found out he was marrying someone else.
“You good?”
Vice’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. I locked my phone and set it back facedown on the table.
“Yeah.”
His eyes moved to the phone before coming back to me. “Evan?”
I sighed. “You said you didn’t care.”
“I asked if you were good.”
“I’m fine.”
Vice looked at me long enough to let me know he didn’t believe me, but he didn’t push. I appreciated that more than I wanted to admit. For a man who seemed determined to take over every other part of my life, he somehow knew when to leave something alone.
After a few seconds, he stood and reached for his keys. “I got somewhere I need to be. You need anything?”
I stood too, following him toward the door. “No, I’m good. I’m off tonight, so I’m going to sit here and start looking for another apartment.”
“A’ight.”
I narrowed my eyes, and he grinned. “You really are annoying.”
“So you keep saying.”
“And I mean it every time.”
He opened the door, then looked back at me. “Don’t go back to your apartment by yourself.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Look at us agreeing on something.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Bye, Vice.”
He stepped into the hallway, still looking entirely too amused with himself. “Later, Milan.”
I closed the door and stood there for a few seconds, surprised to find that I was still smiling.
My phone vibrated again and the smile disappeared before I even picked it up.
Evan: Milan, please. Just give me five minutes.
Five minutes… After ten years together, that was all he wanted now.
I stared at the message before locking my phone without responding. Whatever Evan had to say, I wasn’t ready to hear it, and maybe I never would be.