Page 70 of Tainted Love

“He’s the youngest of the crime family,” I explain. “Got it in his head that he knows more than his daddy does and wants to take over the business by force.”

“He wants to overthrow his own people?” Lilah asks. “That never ends well.”

“That’s what he told me before I shot him.”

She chuckles. “Why’d you do that?”

“He asked me to join him.” I fold the cloth over to the cleaner side. “I declined.”

Elijah points up. “That doesn’t explain the beautiful ballerina upstairs in need of a career change.”

“The news broke out about Snake Eyes and they figured out who I was.” I grip the crutch tighter to scrub off a stubborn bit of grime. “Marty survived the bullet and went after her to find me.”

“Why her, though?” Lilah asks, her voice pushing me to come clean.

“Because…” I sigh. “Lucy and I had been seen in public together.”

She smiles. “On a date?”

I ignore her. “He killed everyone at the ballet academy including her father, beat her up, and burned down the theater with her still inside.”

“Shit…” Elijah mutters, flinching slightly. “And here I thought I knew what a bad day felt like.”

“She wants payback.”

“She deserves it,” Lilah says, leaning her clean crutch against the table.

“I ain’t arguing against it but running back there right now is suicide and I…” My tongue swells. “I don’t want that to happen to her.”

Elijah stares at me across the table, his lips twitching on his face. “Well, isn’t that something?”

“What?”

“Big brother cares about someone other than us. I must admit — I’m a little jealous.”

“Me, too,” Lilah says.

I look down and focus on the crutch.

“Dante, is this serious?” she asks.

“Lilah.”

“I’m just curious.”

“You’ve known her for two whole days, according to her,” Elijah says.

Lilah gasps. “Two days?”

I look at her to find her smiling back at me. “I know, but… it doesn’t feel that way.” I pause, unable to believe my own words.

“I’m happy for you, man,” Elijah says, beaming.

“Well, don’t get too attached to her,” I say. “Lucy’s not exactly happy with me right now.”

“Then, go talk to her.”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t want to talk to me.”

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