Page 31 of Rue

“No disrespect,” Trey snorted. “Just sayin’ she’s a tiny lil’ bitch is all. So she your new lady?”

“Just a baby mama.”

“Seems like you fuckin’ with her.”

“Just passin’ time. Anyway… she got some brains, too. Apparently, she’s like a hacker ‘n shit.”

“Ain’t all them kids her age hackers?” Trey laughed. “Always online on computers ‘n shit.”

“Naw, she like the real deal. Knows how to, like, grift from banks ‘n shit.”

“She makin’ you some money?”

“Nah. Not yet, I need shit first.”

“That’s why you asked me to come tonight,” Trey laughed. “What you need?”

“Mig has a list. I’m’a have her look it over ‘n see if she needs anything else, but I need the whole setup.”

“Yeah, aight, man. Lemme know. We’ll work out a trade… you know the shit you need ain’t cheap?”

“Yeah, Mig looked it all up. We can cover it.”

“No doubt, no doubt… but we talkin’ like some serious firepower here, you know that?”

“Yeah, man, I told you. He looked it up. I’ll have her check off the list, too.”

Sailor turned and glared up at Geo, and he looked down at her with a smirk.

“You got somin’ ta say, Rue?”

She said nothing, turning her face back to his neck, staring at the three numbers covering the front of his neck.

He kept talking to Trey, and Sailor finally turned and looked over the crowded room. It was darker now, but she still saw Davon across the room, leaning on the wall. A new girl was in front of him on her knees now, and he was still staring daggers at Sailor as he held the girl's hair. As she watched, he caught another girl as she passed by and pushed the blonde off his dick, pulling the brunette down to her knees to take her place. The girl didn’t hesitate to take over, though the blonde seemed lost as she hovered close momentarily as if waiting for her turn again.

Sailor looked away, her heart aching.

“That fool is pissed,” Geo chuckled. “He got it bad for you, huh?”

Sailor didn’t answer, rolling her face into his shoulder to stifle the tears.

“Aight, I’m ’a take this girl to bed, then,” Geo told Trey, standing, lifting her to hold her in his arms as he did. “Mig! Keep this shit low-key, yeah? Turn down the AC, put it down to 58. Don't let no one bother us.”

“Yeah,” Mig answered, pushing up off the chair nearby.

“Don't forget tomorrow either!” Geo called over his shoulder as he took her back to her room.

Chapter 17

Sailor assumed he would put her to bed and leave, but he got in bed with her after stripping down to his boxers. She curled up on the far side, away from him, but he didn’t say or do anything. He just laid on his back and let a long breath out, then went still and quiet.

Sailor lay there a long time, listening to the noise from out front that she could barely hear now.

Why was he sleeping here? Was it because of her? Was it because he didn’t want to go home? Was he going to hurt her or go to sleep? How could she sleep with her nightmare sharing a bed with her?

“Close your eyes and sleep, Rue,” he murmured, his voice gravely with sleep.

“Are you…”