Page 74 of Treason's Temptation
“Only if I can ride in the front,” I replied, using the red light to climb through the middle while he complained.
“You’re not supposed to be up here.”
“Why not?” I asked, pulling a bag of gummy bears from my purse.
Ward didn’t answer, likely because he didn’t have an explanation. That’s how Treason wanted it, so that’s how it went. I cracked the window, allowing the fresh air to brush against my face.
We picked up Treason’s dry cleaning first, and Ward handed me the ticket. On the way to our next destination, the skyscrapers gave way to public housing units, abandoned lots, and brick buildings. Ward put the car in park, ordering me to stay inside while he grabbed an envelope from the middle console and climbed out.
June wasn’t listening to shit Ward said. He was too busy looking at me through the windshield. Tired of his roaming eyes, Ward grabbed his shoulder, turning him around. They had a brief conversation before leaving June with the envelope and joining me in the car as I let Treason’s call go unanswered.Again.
“Why are you so hard on my boy?”
“He’s hard on me.”
Ward smirked, shaking his head, “He went a lil hard to get you here, but Tre’s good people. Cut him some slack.”
“How long have you guys known each other?”
“Since birth, it feels like. We grew up together. Shit, his mama had permission to whoop my ass. Might as well say we’re brothers.”
“I’m sorry. That’s such a cruel punishment.”
Thankfully, Ward didn’t ask about my childhood friends. Chaos and Solitude were my only friends, my best friends, because they were always there when life was good or bad. We were so much alike, always bracing for the worst-case scenario.
Looking down at Treason’s name for the fourth time, I answered.
“What?”
The line stilled, and he asked, “Where are you?”
“I broke out. Even prisoners deserve recreation time,” I teased, making Ward laugh.
Treason snickered, not in a humorous way. It was riddled with irritation.
“You know what else happens to prisoners when they don’t respond to texts or calls?
They get locked in solitary confinement. Is that what you want?”
He rambled about how he came home early to an empty house and didn’t know where I was. The longer I listened, the less it sounded like anger. His breath wasn’t steady, and the edge in his tone wavered in a way only I would catch. He wasn’t furious that I hadn’t picked up. Tre was worried. The kind of worry that sits heavy in the chest until it spills out as frustration.
“I can’t keep you safe if you don’t do your part, and that will have you locked up like a prisoner. Anything could’ve fuckin’ happened to you.”
“Relax before you have a heart attack. It’s probably already weak from the caffeine.”
“Thanks to you, I haven’t had any of my vices today, so I don’t have patience for the bullshit.” My eyes skirted to the bag of gummy bears I had stolen last night. I’d gotten a text about that too before he cancelled our tennis date, “Where are you?”
“I’m with Ward. He let me tag along running errands because he cares about my feelings, unlike myboyfriend.”
Treason’s breathing settled. “We’ll finish this later.”
I didn’t bother responding. There wasn’t anything to say, so I hung up, dropping the phone in my lap.
“You love pissing him off,” Ward commented.
“Trust me, it’s not lopsided. He does his fair share.”
Ward flashed me his phone and Treason’s name on the screen. Taking it from him, I answered.
