Page 10 of Fitch

Benji could thank me later... A full week later, after he’d lain low, was well-rested, and well-railed.

It was early afternoon by the time I got back to our place and gave Ky the full rundown. Well,fullminus the actual details of who sent the men to look for Benji. Ky knew it was someone bad, someone Benji had to hide from, but he also knew not to ask questions.

Ky wasn’t really like me and Benj. He was way more serious, quieter, and would happily stay in his room and away from people any and every chance he got, and sometimes that included me and Benj. He just needed time to decompress and recharge his social batteries, and I could respect that.

He had his own shitty childhood demons to fight, from what we could gather anyway, and it was an unspoken thing with Ky that if information wasn’t offered freely, don’t ask.

There was a certain solidarity in that.

He was one of us, and we loved him like a brother. I knew, if and when shit ever got real with Benji and his arsehole father, that Ky would do everything he could to help.

“You working tonight?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Probably. Just some quick jobs, nothing more.”

A quick job in our line of work was usually a blow, sometimes a hand.

“Saving yourself for tomorrow night?”

He smirked. “Hm. Giving my arse a night off, anyway.” That made me snort. “How about you? You working tonight?”

I sighed. “I probably should. I did get paid a bonus last night though, so I technically could have a night off.”

Or two.

Ky quirked an eyebrow at me and he almost smiled. “Oh really? Do tell what skills deserved the bonus?”

I laughed. “An all-night skill.”

Now he smiled. “Damn. Was it good?”

“So fucking good,” I breathed. “Like oh my fucking god, Ky. Soooo good. But I’m gonna need a nap.”

“He didn’t let you sleep much?”

“No, he did not.” I had flashbacks of what he did to me and a warm shiver ran down my spine. “Totally worth it though.”

But the mere mention of sleep was all it took for my body to want it. I yawned and heaviness settled over me. I went to my room and stopped by the door. “Hey, if you go out or go to work, leave me a note or text or something. I don’t wanna be freaking out like I was today with Benji.”

He gave me a nod. “I will. Go sleep.”

I yawned again. “Already on it.”

I closed my door, fell face down onto my bed, and slept.

I wokeup to an empty apartment. It was getting dark outside, and with nothing else to do, I hit the street. Maybe I’d work, maybe I wouldn’t. Maybe a night off, giving my arse a break, as Ky had said, would be in order.

Lord knows it had gotten a thorough workout the night before.

I went straight to the Wylde Street corner, our corner, but Ky wasn’t there. He’d texted me that he was working so I didn’t worry too much. And with Benji safely tucked away at Nolan’s place, it was quiet...

It felt weird being solo.

Whereas Ky was very happy in his own company, I was more a pack creature. I liked it better when they were with me. Maybe it was a safety-in-numbers thing. Maybe it was a fear-of-being-alone thing.

But whenever I found myself solo, especially when it got late, I tended to hang by Mr Stephanopoulos’s store.

There was more foot traffic, more familiar faces. More overhead lighting. More escape routes.

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