Page 84 of Stay Toxic

“They try,” I said, voice kind of shaky now.

The water was dripping down his face, and his clothes were soaked.

Yet, he didn’t seem to care.

He stared at me with such intense eyes that I felt like I was being undone.

“I’ve tried really hard,” he said out of the blue.

I blinked. “Doing what?”

“To stay away,” he admitted.

My eyes refocused on him, taking in the look on his face.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because it’s dangerous in my world,” he said. “People get kidnapped here. I don’t think I could do it again.”

“What makes you think it’d happen again?” I pushed.

“Because I’m a bad person, Brecken. Good things don’t happen to bad people,” he continued.

The rain let up, going from a downpour to a thick, misty rain.

“‘Bad’ seems a little too harsh,” I said. “I haven’t seen you be a bad person yet.”

His eyes changed then, becoming incredibly serious, as he said, “And you never will.”

I fully expected him to back out of my doorway and retreat like he always did, but this time, he surprised me by staying and saying, “Are you sure, Brecken Navy Sweat? Because if you’re not, you need to tell me now.”

“Do you kill innocent people?” I blurted.

“No,” he answered.

“Do you kill women and children?” I asked.

“No,” he repeated.

“Do you hook little kids on drugs?” I wondered.

His eye twitched and his mouth quirked up before he said, “No.”

“Then I’m sure.”

He backed away and shut the door before tapping the top of my Jeep.

I wondered if that was supposed to mean I was supposed to leave.

Guessing that it was, I cranked the Jeep up and started out of the parking lot.

I kept an eye on my rearview mirror for the man that I knew was behind me, but I didn’t see him until I pulled up at my apartment complex a half hour later and saw him sitting in my guest spot, waiting for me.

A quickie a day keeps the attitude away.

—Brecken to Shasha

BRECKEN

---