with him. Those prep classes he gave you, they’re after school, yeah?”
I was surprised Bryan had told him. It was a thoughtful and extravagant birthday gift, one that probably depleted a good portion of the money he’d saved from working this past summer.
“I’m going to walk you to those classes and home from school from now on, not him.”
“But your voice lessons and—”
“Choir lessons are over. The other commitment is too.”
“Okay,” I said, though I wasn’t sure if my agreement was even required. War’s words sounded more like orders.
“Good.” He tilted his head. “Are we okay now? You and me?”
“Yes, we’re okay.”
“Ah, babe,” he purred, his lids lowering. “And now you’re seventeen. There are so many things I want to do to you.” He slid his hands lower, cupping my ass and rocking his erection into me.
Unable to stop myself, I responded. He was sexy, and he was hard. I was wet, but I wasn’t ready to have sex with him. Not tonight.
“I can’t jump right into bed with you. Not after all that’s happened.”
His eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry, War. If that’s an ender for us, then we’re ended. I need more than just words to believe the things that are important to me matter to you.”
“It’s not an ender,” he said through gritted teeth. “But it sure as fuck is disappointing.”
He released me. Without his embrace, cold air rushed over me.
“I’m sorry for the disappointment.” I wrapped my arms around myself.
“Where’s your jacket?” he asked.
“Where’s yours?”
“Gotta say.” He grinned slowly. “Missed your attitude.”
I raised a brow.
“Did you miss me a little?” he asked, showing me a touch of vulnerability.
Knowing and understanding that part of him, I was quick to affirm. “Yes, I did. Though I’d miss you more if you had a jacket to share with me.”
He gave me a meaningful look.
“How about we keep each other warm?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“A mutual shared plan,” he said, getting in a dig while throwing his arm around my shoulders. “Probably oughta get you somewhere warmer. Too bad it’s such a long walk to your uncle’s place from here.”
“Not far to my old apartment building. We could stop on the way.” I could see the outline of it just on the other side of the railway tracks, about halfway to my uncle’s. “We could duck inside the stairwell to get warmed up. Most people use the elevator, and the stairwell is easy to access from outside.” Dizzy and I had often hidden from our mother there whenever her clients or pimps were inside our apartment.
“Sure.” He gave me a long look. “Aren’t you worried that you’ll run into your old lady?”
“I don’t even think she knows the stairwell exists.” Or that I did. I hadn’t had contact with her in years.
“Okay. Let’s get going. You’re shivering,” he said, and we began walking.
The night darkened as we walked away from the hospital. Stray dogs wandered around overfilled trash dumpsters behind it, and some scary men loitered around the train stop. It looked like they were panhandling for money or drugs, but they didn’t approach us.
Seeming to note them too, War tightened his arm around my shoulders, and I tucked myself closer into his side. His hip bumped mine as we crossed over the tracks. It was a little awkward, walking so close together, but I was grateful for his warmth, grateful to have him back in my life.
War was thoughtful in his own way. Not nice, maybe, like Chad, or thoughtful and gentle like Bryan, but he was protective and loyal. Maybe I was being too prideful about my own stuff.
“We have a gig tomorrow night,” War said, breaking into my thoughts again.
“Where?” I asked.
“The Troubadour.”
“Downtown?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow. They must really have liked the acoustic set you and Bry did for the tryout.”
His eyes narrowed. “Stripped down, a lot of things become clear.”
“I’m not getting naked with you tonight, War.”
“Can’t blame me for trying, Lacey.”
No, I couldn’t. What if War decided I wasn’t worth the wait or trouble? He wasn’t bragging when he said he could have any woman he wanted. He’d had his pick before the band started up. He had even more lined up for him now.
“Did—” I swallowed and tried again. “Did you sleep with anyone else while we were apart?” I hated how weak I sounded asking, but I had to know.
“No,” he said without hesitation. “I don’t want to fuck anyone else. How about you?”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t with anyone.”
“Good. Here.” We’d reached the gate outside my old apartment