Page 68 of Defect
“What’s up, Ezra?” One of them called out. I nodded and kept walking. Solana tucked her hand inside of mine and I squeezed it a little letting her know she was okay as long as she was with me.
“Yo, is that your girl, cuz?” Another one asked moving closer.
“Yeah, why?” I was tired of the bullshit already. I squared my shoulders and stared every one of them down. I never let go of Solo’s hand though.
“She’s bad as fuck. How the hell did you pull her?”
“Wow, is that how we talk about people who are standing right here?” Solana said with a frown.
“Yeah, bad bitches shouldn’t talk. Just stand there and look good.”
I dropped Solo’s hand and stepped chest to chest with the disrespectful motherfucker. “What the fuck did you say?” I fisted my hands at my side. Solana tugged on my shirt trying to pull me backward but she was too tiny to budge me.
“It’s a compliment. Chill out, Defect.”
“Ezra, fuck him. Fuck all of them. I’m not with them. I’m with you.” I was ready to throw my fist through his face but Solana stood in front of me wedging herself between the vortex of negative energy.
She was right but I hated hearing anyone disrespect her. “Solo, move. Now.”
“We don’t want any trouble after the way you fucked Toni up.” He held
His hands up and backed away then Solana pulled me inside the diner. “Ezra you don’t have to defend me.” She frowned once we were tucked away inside a booth.
“Are you mine?” I asked, my jaw flexing. I was still riled up on adrenaline from almost knocking that motherfuckers head off.
“I am.” She nodded.
“Then I’m going to protect you no matter what. That’s something you have to understand.” I sighed and touched the ends of her hair. “Solana, you’re all I have right now. I feel like I don’t know my own mother anymore and Everett is gone. I’d die to protect you and I know that’s some heavy shit but it’s true.”
“I understand, Ezra. I’m not mad at it. I just don’t want you to ever do anything that could get you taken away from me. What if you started a fight with those ignorant assholes? What if you got locked up or hurt?” Tears shimmered in her brandy pools and it hit me in the gut. She was scared of losing me.
Me.
The fucked up broken kid.
Someone cared about losing me.
“If I lost you, it would kill me.”
I nodded quietly and leaned over to kiss her lips. “I didn’t know you were afraid of something happening to me.”
“I didn’t either until right now. You mean the world to me.”
“I’ll keep my temper in check,” I said rubbing her cheek.
“Good. If you keep yours in check, I’ll keep mine in check.” I noticed her eyes trailing over to the counter where I saw Sierra Gellar staring at me. This had to be the worst fucking day to ride around Inglewood. “Doessheknow you too?” Solana asked.
“Yeah, that’s Sierra. Remember the girl I told you about?” I rubbed my forehead and waved at her since she wouldn’t stop staring. She sucked on her straw like it was something else and waved back at me wiggling her fingers.
“Oh, yeah. I remember,” Solana laughed a little and looked at the menu. Sierra hopped off the stool and swayed her hips over to our table while Solo leaned against me, flipping through the laminated menu pages.
“Hi, Ezra,” she purred. “I’m so glad to see you’re feeling better. I’m sorry about Ev.”
“Thank you, Sierra.”
“So where did you move after those guys jumped you?” She moved a little closer and looked directly into my eyes while she sucked on her drink.
“Radcliff,” I said. I needed to take a page out of Solana’s book because she wasn’t bothered by Sierra’s presence at all. She had a silent confidence about her that refused to be rattled. I kept stealing glances at her, amazed that she was mine.
