Page 20 of Escape From Me

Fuck. Now I did look away. What the hell was just spilling out of me? This time she was the one tugging at my chin, making me face her.

“Don’t you dare look away from me, Zeiden… Well, what is your last name? It doesn’t matter really. I shouldn’t have trusted you, but something about you speaks to my soul. You fill the emptiness, and that’s damn scary. It’s scary to think that even after everything with my family, something or someone could still break me.”

Break her? “More like break me, little dove. I could have a million more piercings. Hell, I don’t even think getting tats hurts all that much, not compared to the idea of losing you. And what’s fucked about that is that I just met you.”

I pulled her into me, just holding her. Hugging her. When was the last time I’d hugged someone? My mother when she took her last breaths? I’d been maybe five then. No one except maybe Miss Winnie had hugged me since. Sure, X and Cas and I might have hugged it out once in our darkest hours in those early years, but this?

For the very first time in my life, when I breathed in, my lungs seemed to know no limits and they took advantage of filling up with air that smelled of Daisy.

“Come on, Daisy. Let me feed you and let your pussy have a bit of a break. But make no mistake. I won’t be letting you go now. Controlled as I am, I no longer have the ability to let you go.”

The way her arms tightened around my neck as we just sat there in an odd and comfortable silence said it all.

“My father. He’s a dangerous man, Zeiden. I- I don’t want you getting hurt.”

It wasn’t a joke, I was certain of that, but it was no less funny to me.

“Okay. But be aware that I might be more dangerous than he is. Welcome to hell. When he sees me, he’ll question everything he’s ever known. But tell me something. You mentioned your father lost his brother? Specifically through a gang. What gang?”

She sat back so I could see her face again. She seemed to be thinking.

“I think I heard him say something about a snake. Cobra? Rattlesnake? Viper? Is that a snake?”

My hands found calm in tracing little lines over her lower back.

“Viper. The three main gangs are Vipers, Ravens, and Spectors. There are several smaller operations, but for the most part, they have allegiances to one of the main three.”

She looked so innocent right now. How strange that she fell into my arms.

“Right. Okay. Vipers, I guess. I dunno. He doesn’t talk much about it. But he does speak out a lot about gang violence and wanting to stop it.” She lowered her voice a few octaves as if mimicking him when she said, “Take back our city.”

I heard her, but my mind was already looking for patterns. Looking for connections. I could feel the answer, but it still wasn’t clear yet.

“Speaking of my dad. I… well, my uncle’s funeral is in a couple of days. I actually did like him. He was always good to me, not like my dad. Want to come with me?”

“Another dead uncle or is this the one involved with the Vipers?” I asked. Where did this piece fit?

“Another. The last uncle I had, I think. He was a detective. I heard my dad say once that my uncle got on the wrong side of a gang and he wasn’t going to let this slide. I don’t know.”

Detective?

Her stomach rumbled.

“Right. Okay. Well, I think it’s time to get you fed.”

I reached over the side of the bed where I saw one hoodie. I pulled it over her head and watched as her adorable little innocent eyes peeked out from under it as she slipped her arms into the too-long sleeves.

“Wait here,” I said and moved her to sit on the bed next to where I had just been.

I grabbed a pair of shorts from the closet as I headed to the door.

“Zeid, where are you going?”

I held up a finger and opened the door.

“Cali or Rylee, who has an extra pair of shorts or something that my, uh…” What was I supposed to call her? “Friend could borrow?”

I watched as X and Cas watched me from the barstools at the island. Rylee licked her fingers and hopped up.

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