talked about.” He glances over. “You sure you don’t want to leave? I can’t get out Kyla. It would kill him, but you can.”
I bring his hand to my lap and stroke my fingers up and down his arm. “I’m never changing my mind about that, Johnny Marx, so you can stop asking. When you’re ready to leave, I’m ready to leave.”
“There’s no saving me. I see it in your eyes. I know that’s why you want me to work with your friends. I’ve done too much fucked up shit. The only life I’ll know is this.”
“I refuse to believe it.”
He gives a quick shake of his head. “This is my life.”
“The gang itself isn’t all bad,” I tell him, trying to reason. “Maybe you could make it better. Maybe you could...”
He’s already waving my thoughts away. “He’s ruined me.”
“Fuck that,” I growl. “You’re not giving up.”
Johnny wraps his hand around the back of my neck, squeezing a little. It doesn’t hurt. In fact, it does the opposite. I lick my lips as need burns through me.
“My father has shit on me. He has shit on everyone in the Crew. That’s why no one gets away, Kyla.”
“You could change it.”
“He’d have to die, and that’s not happening. He’s the most protected man in the Heights, and he’s still my father. Family has to mean something.”
I worry over my lip and cuddle in next to him. He lifts his arm so I can get closer, even though I’m careful not to touch his bruised ribs.
In a way, I understand what he’s saying. I would do anything for my family. Hell, I am doing anything for my family. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m making amends. I’m getting them justice.
As far as Johnny’s concerned, he’s doing the same. He’ll stick with his father until his father does something irredeemable. Something Johnny won’t be able to look past. Not even a black eye and some bruised ribs can convince him, so I don’t know what it will take to get him to see that Kingston Marx is not his family. Family doesn’t treat each other like that.
Somewhere deep inside, I think he knows that. But maybe like I think Johnny can be saved, he thinks his father can, too.
I lay my head on his shoulder, knowing K will never get that far. Even if he could, I’m not allowing him the chance. Just like he didn’t give my parents.
20
The next morning, Johnny and I discuss my return to school as we sit on the couch after breakfast. We decide I should wait until after the fight is over. It’s only another week, and I can keep up with my studies through the online schooling anyway, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. Somehow, schooling just doesn’t seem as important when bombs are going off and bullets are whizzing over my head.
Instead, we decide it’s more important that I train with Jax and Finn while he calls a meeting with the Candy’s workers to get that up and running as a nightclub facility again. “Be careful,” Johnny tells me, squeezing my fingers. “Call me if something happens. Anything. I want to know about it.”
“Don’t worry,” I tell him, knowing he has a bunch of shit on his plate. “Do what you have to do. Mag, Brawler, and Oscar will be there with me. Not to mention Finn and Jax. I’ll be surrounded by a bunch of badasses.”
Johnny smiles, shaking his head in disbelief. “How you got so many people on your side in such a short amount of time is mind-blowing. Finn jumped at the chance to see you when you were away you know.”
I give him a teasing smile. “I’m just that good, I guess.”
He reaches his hand around to cup my ass over my tight training pants, bringing me close to him in a possessive move. “Mmm, that you are.” He bites my earlobe and gives it a playful tug.
My breath whooshes out of my chest. Now that Johnny and I have taken our relationship to the next step, I can’t stop thinking about it. “Keep that up, and neither one of us is going anywhere for another hour or so.”
Chuckling, he kisses a trail down my neck, nuzzling me and breathing me in. He pauses before trailing his lips over my sports bra straps until he hits my collarbone. “I don’t know. I think I should send you off with something.”
As amazing as that sounds… “Magnum will be here any minute.”