Page 17 of Luna & Andres

"I don't think it would dare," he teased.

I raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He cringed. "I mean, I'm sure you haven't, ma'am."

"Leila."

He paused and blinked up at me. "Huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "My name's Leila, not 'ma'am.'"

He smiled. "That's a nice name, and it matches your hair."

It was my turn to look confused. "How?"

He returned to his work. "Because it means 'dark beauty.'"

"How'd you know that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that's what it means."

I studied his down-turned face. "So what do you do for a living?"

Vincent paused and cringed. "I. . .I don't really know."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He seemed to sink deeper into his coat. "I don't do anything."

"Then how'd you pay for the apartment?" I questioned him.

He shook his head. "I had the money on me. It was in a roll. There was just enough for the apartment and some food."

"So what did you do before you rented the apartment?" I wondered.

He bit his lip and turned his face away. "I. . .I don't know."

My frown deepened. "You don't know or you won't tell me?"

He shut his eyes. "I really don't know. I. . .I can't remember, okay?"

"No, that's not okay," I persisted. My voice was higher than I intended. Vincent flinched. "You have to know something about yourself."

"I don't!" Vincent jumped to his feet and half-turned away from me. He balled his hands into his fists at his sides and shut his eyes tight. "I don't know who I am or where I came from. I don't even know if Vincent is my real name. All I know is I have to get out of here. I have to go north."

His face was tense. His body quivered. Tears pooled at the edges of his eyes. And all because of me.

"I'm. . .I'm sorry," I spoke up.

He relaxed his body and turned to me. His emerald eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly agape. "Sorry for what?"

"For pushing you into telling me things you don't know yourself," I told him.

A smile slipped onto his lips. "You don't need to apologize. It's a little frustrating for me, too." He gazed into the distance and frowned. "With my memories gone all I have to lead me now is this feeling inside me. It's telling me to head north. I. . .I think it might lead me to some answers."

"Maybe for us both," I agreed. I shifted my partially wrapped hand and hissed. "Damn thing. . ."

He turned to me and his face drooped. "Sorry about that. Let me finish." He knelt in front of me and reached out for the rags. I pulled my hand against my chest. He raised his head and blinked at me. "What are you doing?"

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