Page 116 of Treason's Temptation
Ward smiled wider than ever, listening to me recite those four words from the doorway.
“What are you looking at?”
He quickly surrendered as Fallon returned.
“Can we talk now?”
“I’ll call you later, boo. Save my plate,” Rylo volunteered.
“I got you,” I replied, sounding too much like Tre.
Rylo grabbed his phone, waiting until he passed Fallon, winding up his fist, making me laugh.
“He’ll appreciate this,” she spoke, softer than her previous tone. “You really like him?”
“What do you want?”
Fallon chuckled as if she couldn’t believe I was being rude to her, then got straight to the point.
“This looming list has people on pins and needles. Morris included. We can’t afford to lose him.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“An interview would shut down questions about Sloane’s past and pictures with Lorenzo to connect you to it.”
“I’m not talking about him, and trust me, discussing Sloane will only cause more issues. Ignore it and let it die.”
Fallon belted out a laugh. “That’s not how this works. That list is someone’s golden ticket. When they use it, we’re all fucked, Tre included. I thought you loved him.”
“Ifthere’s even a list,” I countered.
“Unless Sloane can tell us otherwise, we have to believe there is one. It would help to show people you’re not a carbon copy of her. That means dispelling rumors about you and Lorenzo. Tre said we need to find another way, but unfortunately, there isn’t one.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I think you’re full of shit and hiding something. Tre refuses to entertain the idea, but I’m not enamored by you like everybody else around here. I can see the bullshit for what it is.”
“Did it ever occur to you that maybe I’m not hiding shit fromhim. Not everything is campaign business, so if he said find another way, find one. Or do you need me to do that for you, too?”
Fallon’s hand rushed to her mouth to stifle her laugh. She’d even gone as far as to put her hand up, trying to compose herself to reply.
“I’m sorry, it’s just you made this sound like a real relationship. Let’s not lose sight of what this really is. A fuckin business arrangement that kept you from going to jail.”
“Call it what you want. He said find another way so do your job,” I replied dismissively.
“Noted.” Fallon stomped out of the room, irritation evident, but she wasn’t the only one.
It wasn’t lost on me how our relationship started- an arrangement that indeed kept me out of jail. It had only been a few months, but that night felt like ages ago. Meeting Treason. Getting caught. Treason, breaking into my apartment.
Was I insane for thinking this could be something? That I could have the life I secretly craved underneath the image I portrayed?
That question played over and over in my head. The happier Treason and I became, the more my past haunted me. Most of it wasn’t even my shit, and that made it worse. Nothing silenced the overthinking from television to coloring, but turning on a playlist and dancing around the kitchen while I cooked helped.
After wrapping up Rylo’s plate, Ward and I sat at the table because eating on the couch wasn’t an option for him either.
“Preciate it. You didn’t have to cook.”
“I wanted spaghetti. The least I could do since your boy has you babysitting.”
