Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 684(@200wpm)___ 547(@250wpm)___ 456(@300wpm)
"Fuck me," I whisper when I get to Kaleo's see Titan's bike parked out front. I pound my fist on the steering wheel, equal parts pissed off and disappointed. My best friend is running around with Curtis Kaleo.
That's why the son of a bitch hasn't retaliated. Titan sold himself to the bastard to keep him away from me and January.
Why didn't I see it before now?
Titan's been distant and moody. He's rarely ever home. When he is, he'll barely acknowledge me or January. He damn sure doesn't tell us what he's doing these days or who he's with when he does it. Even when I ask outright what's going on, he tells me that he's handling it and to worry about January.
He didn't want me to know that he took care of the problem I created by sacrificing himself to Kaleo.
I press the palm of my hand over my heart, trying to rub away the way it aches, but it's no use. Titan's running around with the son of a bitch who made our lives miserable for years…and it's my fault. I shouldn't have gone after him when Tony attacked January. Hell, that's not even the first time I've started shit with him. I've been doing it for years, pushing his buttons to keep him off my back.
I park down the block and watch the clubhouse, my chest hurting and my throat tight.
A few minutes later, January texts me to ask where I'm at. I tell her that I'm running late, but I'll be there soon.
Fifteen minutes later, Titan and Kaleo step outside.
Titan has his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. He looks pissed to be anywhere near the fucker who's been trying to wedge his way into our block for years. But he stands there and listens as Kaleo talks. He towers over the smaller man and could easily take him, but he doesn't even try.
Kaleo slaps him on the back a couple of minutes later. Titan stalks to his bike and hops on.
I contemplate riding away, but I can't do it. Instead, I wait until Titan pulls off, and then I follow behind him. Kaleo's already gone back inside, so I'm not worried about him seeing me riding by his place. I'm not sure I even care if he does see me.
Titan takes a left at the end of the block, headed toward the high school.
"What are you doing?" I mutter under my breath, watching as he pulls into the school parking lot and then circles around to the football field.
He parks in an empty space.
I hang back, trying to keep hidden behind a couple of cars parked beside the gym.
Titan stays on the bike. A few minutes later, a kid dressed in football gear comes jogging up. He glances around before pulling a wad of cash out of his pocket. He holds it out for Titan, who takes it and hands him a little baggie.
The kid looks at it, grins, and then waves before jogging back the way he came.
A couple of seconds later, Titan pulls off, headed away from the school.
I don't follow him this time. There's no point. I've seen more than enough to know what I've been missing for the last year. Titan is dealing for Kaleo.
I feel like I'm going to throw up, but I don't. Instead, I do the only thing I know how to do…I go back to my girl.
I'm waiting on the front porch when Titan gets home a couple of hours later. January and Jana are in bed for the night. I told January I was going next door to Ma Lucia's to crash. I've been out here since, waiting for her brother to get home. I still don't know what to say to him.
"You sleeping on the doorstep now?" he asks when he sees me sitting on his front porch.
"You're dealing for Kaleo."
His body goes rigid, his jaw clenching. He doesn't deny it, though.
"What the fuck, Titan?" I growl, pissed he's not even going to respond. Pissed he's doing this in the first place. It would kill January and their mom to know he's selling dope to kids at the high school.
"Mind your business," he growls right back at me. "I told you I'd handle shit. I'm handling it."
"By slinging dope for him?" I shake my head, acid burning up my throat. "That's fucked up. You aren't like Kaleo, man. You shouldn't be doing this shit."
Titan laughs, the sound bitter and mocking. "Wake the fuck up, Kincaid. I've always been more like Kaleo than you. The only reason I was never part of his crew was because of you. Because you convinced me there was a better way to keep January safe. We made it work for as long as we could, but shit isn't that simple anymore."