Page 55 of Before Now

The little girl always tries to help.

As I put the fabric back in place, I glance down.

Roman touches my other cheek, and I look up. I look up, and Iseethe tear inside him.

“I would kill him if I could. Fuck, I’d report it if it would do a damn thing besides make it worse.” His thumb sweeps back and forth before his hand returns to the back of my seat.

“I don’t have that long left,” I say, putting more behind it now. “I got approved to graduate early.”

I haven’t told anyone since Sage will doom about me leaving her. But when his lips twitch the tiniest bit, I feel less alone in it.

We still lived in Hunts when I started taking extra classes freshman year. My mom pissed off a boyfriend before locking down a new one, which meant nowhere to go after he kicked her out.

Us out.

At four in the morning, lying on my back on a merry-go-round, staring at the sky for another night, I needed a reason. Coming up with a way out that kept me from having to sleep on playground equipment or hold my pee to avoid cracked-out creeps near the park’s restrooms served the purpose. Graduating early became the first item on what developed into the escape plan.

“So,” I tell Roman, “I only need to last in the step-house for a little over a month. After that I won’t have to worry about finishing school without a place to live.”

“You don’t have to worry now if you move in with me.”

I sigh. “Because harboring the chief’s teenage stepdaughter would turn out well for you? I’m eighteen, so Daniel can’t have you arrested, but I have a feeling he’d fire you without hesitating.”

Roman snorts and gives me aI dare him to trylook. “I’m one of two officers in that department who isn’t white. He won’t fire me without a legit cause—just like he hasn’t tried to kick me for being his wife’s ex. He can’t even have the other guys give me shit, given how much of it Martinez and I already put up with every shift.”

Another reason to hate it here. But I’m so fucking close, and despite what he says, we both know it could get worse for him. They’d probably target Martinez, too, for being his partner. So incredibly convenient the only Latino man on the force was partnered with the only Black man.

“It would make sense for me to move in if we finally got married.” One side of my mouth curves, and I sink into the seat. “I asked you to marry meyearsago, so…”

He smirks, but it turns soft. “I’m going to steal you away more then, and you’re going to text me more.”

Once I nod, he blows out a defeated breath. His gaze sweeps over me one last time, then he turns off the light and drives.

I adjust the arm warmers once we’re close. This time less to hide anything but because I’ll need them in a second. Roman eases to a stop by the curb a few blocks from the step-house. My throat’s actually tight as I climb out, and his jaw’s clenched again.

“You’re too pretty to not smile, officer,” I say.

He gives me one. “Same goes for you, pretty girl.”

I give him one, too. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime.” His brow furrows. “Do you want to maybe?—”

A flash of headlights has his eyes darting to the side mirror. Without another word, I quickly shut the door, heading to the sidewalk while he drives away.

I don’t recognize the car that passes, and my muscles relax, even though I’m freezing within thirty seconds. Thank God it only takes a few minutes before I’m rounding the corner to the house. But all that tension returns with a vengeance when I see the chief’s unmarked car in the driveway.

The trellis it is, then.

Except, the front door opens, and Daniel charges out in uniform. His head jerks up, destroying any hope I have of him not noticing me. He halts by the hood of the sleek BMW—better known as most of last year’s department budget.

I have every intention of ignoring him on my way inside, but he has other plans.

“You went out looking like that?” he spits at me.

With a sigh, I stop closer than I prefer to be to him. “I went to the carnival.”

But the tracker app he installed on my phone likely already told him that. Other than location, it doesn’t give him anything, so I haven’t bothered fighting him over it. It’s not like I go many places but school anymore. I have more important shit to worry about, and if the need does ever arise, I can set it to Airplane Mode.

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