Page 10 of Love and War

Shaking my head, I couldn’t bring myself to answer him. They had no idea about her, and for some reason I wanted to keep it a secret.

“I’m going to ask something, but we’re not going to talk about it,” Zane said after I’d been quiet for too long.

“Of course,” I said, no hesitation. Zane was never one that talked much about his feelings, ever really. Out of the six years I’ve known him he’s talked about them maybe twice if that. He was closed off for the first year when I basically forced myself onto Dimitri’s team. So besides when Tobias was born, when he almost cried, which could have been from the fact he was there, delivering Tobias himself, or the fact he was actually feeling something about a new baby, Zane never spoke about his feelings.

“Have you ever been in love?'' That was not what I expected him to ask.

“That’s, well…” I had no idea what to say. Do I lie? Do I tell him about her? I had no idea what to say. “It’s a loaded question.”

“I don’t know who she is.” I could tell he was struggling to get whatever it was out. “But yeah, I… I love her man.”

It was uncomfortable watching Zane struggle with what words to say. I was never a person who got uncomfortable either. I could talk about just about anything, but here watching him unsure of himself, was suffocating. It was like he was swallowing a lemon; he couldn’t look at me.

“Yeah, I’ve been in love before.”Still am.

Zane nodded his head, lost in thought of whatever it was until finally shaking his head riding it. “Alright I’m done with this pussy shit.” And just like that, the conversation was done, before it had even started. Which was fine by me. I just wanted to get back to the house and find out where she lived. Now that I knew she was here, that she lived here, I needed to see her again. She was like a drug in my veins, a drug that no matter what wouldn’t leave.

“You’re right, let’s g—” My words were cut off as I watched Aziza walk out a few shops down from our parked car.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She stood in the middle of the sidewalk, those white converse, flared jeans with holes in the knees, white cropped top, with a… my flannel. She was wearing my red and black flannel. The ends reached mid-thigh, the sleeves rolled up to her wrist. My heart squeezed as I watched her, tipping her head to the sky before turning down the street heading away from us.

“Follow her.” I pointed towards Aziza. Did I know why I was willingly telling Zane to follow her, no. But I had to know what she was doing, where she was going. I had to know all of it.

“Who?”

“The blonde. Come on, before she gets too far.”

“Who is she?” he asked. Both of us watched as she got into her SUV. Zane put the truck into drive, pulling away.

I didn’t know how to answer him. He’d already asked if I loved someone. If I was in love with someone. And I was. It was her. She was the one I’ve always been in love with since we were teenagers. No matter what, she was it. No one else, just her.

“The girl, the one I’m in love with.” I couldn’t take my eyes off her SUV as it drove away from downtown, stopping at the light. “Her,” I mumbled under my breath.

“She looks oddly familiar.” We turned left and then right. Where was she even going?

“I think her and Salem are, uh, friends.” I wasn’t actually sure if they were. But it's the only thing that would make sense on why they would be together.

Thankfully, Zane didn’t speak, and he continued on following her. We stopped at three different stores, some local coffee place, a damn Michaels, and then a shoe store. I wanted to know what she was getting at each store. I wanted to know why I couldn’t find her. I knew I couldn’t get to Salem, but Aziza? She’d eventually tell me.

Even if she wanted to act tough, like she would win this game. She was wrong. Too wrong. She’d submit to me, eventually.

“What the fuck does she need here?” Zane asked. Breaking me from my thoughts I glanced around as he parked. Sure enough Aziza walked into DICKS Sporting Goods. I had no idea what she could want there.

“I have no idea.” I shrugged watching the door.

“How long do we plan on following her?”

Again another question that I didn’t exactly have an answer for. If he wasn’t here, then I’d follow her the whole damn day. Follow her all the way back home.

“You plan on staying here?”

“Here as in?”

“North-fuck-olina.”

Chuckling, I shrugged again, even though the words flew from my mouth. “Yeah.”

Thankfully, neither of us spoke again as we watched the front entrance. I don’t know how long we stayed here, watching, waiting for Aziza to come back out. Finally, after thirty minutes of waiting, she stepped out. Walking casually, a small spring in her step, slightly limping, favoring her left side. I couldn’t take my eyes off her until I saw something swinging at her side.

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