Page 70 of Smith

“I do.”

“Then you’re not getting it.”

He was right, I wasn’t getting it and I didn’t have the patience to play whatever mind games Zane was playing. I wanted to understand why Smith’s soul had left the conference room. But more, I wanted to know how to make sure that never happened again.

“It was horrendous,” I told him.

“I have no doubt.”

“It was…painfulto watch.”

Concern morphed into pain—Zane’s pain for a friend. It was shockingly poignant and something that would’ve warmed my heart if it wasn’t frozen solid.

“I’m sure. But you know it was more painful for him, yeah?”

I felt tears threatening, the fuck of it was I didn’t know why.

Zane being kind and gentle was part of it but the bigger reason was Smith. Did he have flashbacks to his youth—of his mom and dad doing and saying mean, horrible things to each other, to him? Did our conversation about them last night bring up the bad memories? Did I say something to trigger a memory?

“Was it?—”

“Sorry,” Kira interrupted, looking at Zane. “It’s Layla, she says it’s urgent, and you’re not answering you cell.”

“If someone’s not bleeding or bullets are flying tell her I’ll call her back.”

“She says it’s urgent.”

Zane’s eyes sparked with menace which in turn had Kira’s mumbling, “Right, boss, you’ll call her back.”

“You should—” I started.

“You’re still not seeing me, Aria. This is important, honey, so listen closely. You took this on when you took Smith on. Youdidn’t know it at the time, but you did. You know it now, so you got two choices—walk away or stay and fight. The battle will be long and bloody and it’s you who might get chewed up, but this is the part you need to see—really see—I got your back on this.”

None of that sounded good.

Actually, it sounded scary and really freaking bad.

“Is it his parents?” I whispered.

Zane reared back and looked down at me under hooded eyes.

“He told you about his parents?”

Oh, shit. Talking about Smith’s parents wasn’t my place.

“Forget I said that.”

“Aria,” Zane all but growled. “He told you about his parents?”

“Yes.”

Why do I sound so meek? Oh, I know—big scary blue-eyed monster is staring me down.

“You gonna stay and fight or are you gonna tuck tail and bolt?”

Zane no longer sounded like a gentle, menacing giant. He sounded like he was issuing a taunt.

Normally I’d tell him to shove his dare up his butt and best him at any challenge he laid in front of me. But this was different, this wasn’t a challenge. Or it was but it was one that had to do with hearts, with emotions, and not just mine. Smith didn’t need me jacking him around.

---