“Make sure you’re doing bug sweeps from now on and be careful what you talk about in there.”
Mag nods. He’s been doing all of his bug sweeps in front of me now. He checked the apartment when we got here, and every time we see one of the guys, he checks their phones like someone may have slipped something inside in the middle of the night. Honestly, it could be coming from two sides. Or more. Detective Reynolds, who wants to see me go down for a murder I didn’t commit, and Gregory’s people, or the Dragons, or K. Literally, everyone.
“You should rub some Arnica gel on that,” Jiko says, motioning toward my hand. I raise my eyebrow at him. I actually have it down on my grocery list of things I need, but that’s usually a fighter/martial artist remedy. He smirks. “What? Didn’t pin me as a fighter?”
“Not exactly,” I say.
He shrugs, brushing off my slight. “I hear you have a big fight coming up.”
I don’t know what Johnny’s said to him, so I just nod. “Yep, Brawler and I are going at it, and I think I just might kick his ass.”
Without looking away from the TV, Brawler raises his middle finger in the air. It’s so unlike him that it makes me laugh. Not that he wouldn’t throw someone the bird, but me? That seems like something Oscar would do. Who, by the way, thinks Brawler’s fuck you to me is extremely funny considering he’s doubled over on the couch.
Johnny snickers beside me. He gazes at the scene, and I would give anything to see it from his point of view. What does he think in that devilishly handsome head of his? Is he wishing I hadn’t done this? Is he timid, like stepping into the ocean for the first time with the waves crashing over one another mere feet away?
Me? Having them there, like this? It only solidifies that I’m doing the right thing.
“We still have twenty minutes until dinner,” I tell them, grabbing Johnny’s hand and pulling him closer to the living room. “Let’s hang out.”
“Looks like we’re going to need to get another couch,” Johnny says, voice low. His tone is indecipherable.
I squeeze his hand though, and he squeezes back. “There’s that chair in the bedroom I can bring out,” I offer.
“I’ll get it,” Johnny says, kissing my temple.
He strides toward the bedroom, and I waver about going after him. I’m about to take a step his way when Jiko Cardinale’s voice stops me. “He’s got it bad for you, girl.”
Despite the fact that I don’t like those words coming out of his mouth, they make me smirk. “Yeah?”
He peeks toward the door and then leans in conspiratorially. “I’ve never seen him go against his father’s wishes like he does for you.”
I swallow hard. This conversation is suddenly taking a turn for the worse. “Yeah, and he’s got the bruises to prove it,” I say before I can stop myself.
Jiko blows a breath out of his nostrils, making them flare. “Par for the course.”
“Well, that’s a pretty fucked up game then, isn’t it?”
“You don’t know the half of it,” Jiko says, his ominous tone stoking apprehension inside me.
Darkness overrides his features. Shadows dance over his face, making the red tints I saw in his hair at the dinner where Dunnegan got shot stand out even more.
Jiko’s handsome. They both come from the same type of families, and if what Jiko is insinuating is true, he’s probably gone through the same shit Johnny has. It’s not shocking Johnny found a friend in him, if that’s what they are.
Johnny’s told me he’s cool, so maybe I should let my guard down around him. Paranoia in the Heights, however, is something that jumps out at you and clings like a bitch in heat. It’s hard to trust anyone around here.
Johnny comes out carrying the chair, winking at me as he settles it beside the couch. My heart fills just watching him.
I shake my paranoia away. I’ve already proved to myself there are good people here. I just wonder at the end of all of this, which way the scale will tip? Good or evil?
23
Johnny watches as I say goodbye to Magnum. Jiko left first, claiming he wanted to get to bed early for tomorrow. He actually hadn’t been all that bad during dinner…or afterward. Brawler left after him. Hesitation slowed his movements to the door like he didn’t want to leave