Page 129 of Tainted

“I didn’t have sex with him. We barely even kissed.” Another clear difference in my feelings. I had never even thought about sex with Romello. “So if you want him. Have him.”

Brandy shrugged as if it was the first time she’d considered the thought. Jewel laughed because Brandy was often on another planet than the rest of us.

“The DDs are having something Friday. We should go so Brandy can be reminded howniceRomello is,” Jewel suggested, but there was a chance I’d run into Kenyon.

I wasn’t sure if I could face the disappointment of him being unbothered while I was barely holding on.

“No thanks,” I replied.

“You need to do something other than stare at that damn phone,” Jewel complained.

“You have a lot of advice about men for somebody I never see with one,” I mumbled, flipping my phone over.

My jab was accurate, but so was Jewel’s. Brandy tried to smother her laugh with her hand but failed.

“It’s a one-strike system over here. Piss me off, and it’s on to the next, unlike the two of you,” Jewel pointed at Brandy and then me.

“Now, how did I get in it?” Brandy exclaimed.

“You should’ve been the first one in it, but it’s your life, so I try to respect it,” Jewel replied, rolling her eyes.

That was one thing we had in common. Brandy could do much better than Otto. Secretly I think he knew it, too, justifying the way he criticized her over bullshit.

“Anyway, are we going or what?” Brandy asked.

I wasn’t opposed to going out. I just didn’t want to run into Kenyon if I did.

24

Kenyon

The drive felt endless, hours of asphalt and the low hum of tires on the road, my thoughts running in circles the whole way. I pulled up to the apartment building as unremarkable as the inside. My heart wasn’t racing, but my mind was as I planted myself on the worn couch.

I checked my phone, hoping that Zara had crossed the picket line and ended the strike, but it was only a missed call from Mom. Minutes dragged before I heard the jingle of keys in the lock. The door swung open, and she grabbed her son and froze when she saw me. I couldn’t tell if it was fear, guilt, or both, but I sure as hell was about to find out.

“Jesus Keyes!” Tasha sighed, resting her palms on her thighs to catch her breath.

“Are you okay, Mommy?” Christian asked.

“Of course, lil’ man,” I smiled, rising from the couch to grab the grocery bags she’d sat down to unlock the door.

“It’s okay. Go to your room, and I’ll bring your snack.”

“But you never let me eat in my room,” he objected.

“You can today, now go!” She gently nudged him toward the back room. Once he was out of sight, she turned back to me, eyes wide with fear and disbelief.

“I thought we had a deal.”

I wanted to kill because letting her live was a big risk. I planned on it, honestly, but she was just like Sydney. Innocent yet paying the price for someone else’s decisions, and I couldn’t do it.

“What are you talking about?”

“Somebody got questioned about yourmurder,” I stated.

“I kept my end of the deal. I wouldn’t risk getting shot again,” Tasha groaned, unloading the groceries from the bag, “My arm hasn’t felt right since.”

“It was either that or the alternative. Otherwise, you'd be dead for real.”

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