“For the record, I don’t know much more about what’s going on than you,” I tell her. “It may be nothing. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way while I’m here.”
“Yeah, right,” she responds skeptically. “Everyone knows that you’re the golden child. A true criminal mastermind in the making. Of course, you know what’s going on because our fathers are grooming you to take over the business one day. That’s what living in Miami was all about, right?”
I don’t respond to that rhetorical question and peer outside her living room window instead. I parked my truck in front of her building and I covered my bike in the cargo bed. I need to keep an eye on it until I figure out where I’m going to store it.
“That’s yours?” she asks, walking up behind me.
My dick stiffens when I get a strong whiff of Gigi's perfume. I discreetly adjust myself as I answer her.
“You sound unimpressed.”
“Do you even care about the planet we’ll give to our children one day? That thing is a gas guzzler.”
“Children?” I scoff. “Are you even fucking yet?”
Shit, I didn’t mean to say that. The perfume made me do it. I probably sound exactly like the jackass she thinks I am. I’m not thinking straight ever since I saw her new and improved ass and that dude staring at it. It’s all I can think about.
Has he touched her?
“Thanks for reminding me why you had no friends ever,” she bites back.
She’s right. I never had any real friends in school, only minions to do my bidding and girls who wanted to fuck me. Truth be told, outside of my little brothers, Gigi was my only friend.
“How long have you been going out with that dude?”
“A long time.”
I think she’s lying.
Gigi and I haven’t had a meaningful conversation with each other since we were kids debating the rules of UNO cards. She’s never going to go for this line of questioning, but I try anyway.
“Does he know who your family is? Were you careful about what you told him?”
“What’s with the twenty questions?”
See.
“Just making polite conversation while you figure out where I’m sleeping. This is a one-bedroom apartment, right?”
“Since you’re so interested in talking, why don’t you tell me where’ve you been the last five years.”
“I didn’t think you noticed.”
“I barely did. I’m just being polite.”
“You’ve gotten meaner.” I point out as my lips curl into a smile. I like mean Gigi. “I was in Miami.”
“Obviously, I knew where you were, but why were you there?”
“I was living with my Aunt Kat for a while.”
“Again… the question of the day is why?”
I’m not dumb. I know what she’s really asking. Gigi must have heard whispers between her parents about me being in trouble after high school. If nothing else, every kid in Philadelphia knew that I had a short fuse and that I loved to fight, especially when I felt justified. Thankfully, times have changed.
“I think my folks were afraid that I was going to actually hurt someone if I didn’t get out of town. I was having some anger management issues back in those days.”
“And you worked all of that out, huh?”
“Something like that.”
“How did you magically do that?”
“Lots of mind blowing sex. Are you familiar with that?”
I did it again, saying things I shouldn’t be saying, but a tinge of self-satisfaction creeps through my veins as I watch Gigi’s reaction. A flush of heat creeps up her neck and into her cheeks. And then… I duck just in time as a white Converse sneaker comes flying towards my left eye.
“You missed,” I taunt.
Gigi’s pissed as all hell and it’s sexy as fuck. Angry heat blends perfectly with the fragrance she’s wearing, and it rolls off of her in delicious waves. My dick is practically shuddering behind the zipper of my jeans.
“Obviously, I wasn’t actually trying to hit you or I would have. How can anyone miss that humongous head of yours?”
“You sure about that because you never really had good eye hand coordination. Don’t you remember fifth grade softball? You struck out every time you went up to bat.”
“Why was a sixth grader even paying attention to what us fifth graders were doing in gym class anyway? You were so weird.”
“Our classes were out on the field at the same time,” I say plainly. “Of course, I saw you. Plus, somebody had to make sure that they picked you for a team. You would have fallen apart if they had picked you last. You were always so dramatic when your feelings were hurt.”
“What are you talking about? They always picked me for a team and picked me early, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, because I made sure of it. Whenever Penny or Kim or Layla were the team captains, I asked them to pick you for their teams and to pick you third. Didn’t you notice that they always selected you third?” I ask with a sense of superior satisfaction. “Didn’t that seem strange to you?”
“You’re lying.”
“Scout’s honor.”
“You were never a Boy Scout and you have no honor.”
“Yeah, well, that’s fucking true.”
Another sneaker flies through the air and I side swipe it to the ground with my hand with the exaggerated reflexes of a ninja.
“I’ve been watching out for your ass longer than you’d like to admit, and I still am. You know it, I know it, and our parents definitely know it. That’s why I’m here. You are like a never ending assignment.”
Speaking of Gigi’s ass, I gnaw uneasily on the corner of my lip as she stands in a huff and walks over to the fridge to grab a flavored sparkling water. She’s dressed in a matching red knit lounge wear set that clings to her rounded physique like it’s begging for mercy.
This may well be the longest month of my life, because while the two of us have been at odds ever since I can remember, I can’t deny that she is one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen and is growing sexier with each passing minute.
It’s a dangerous feeling. Being attracted to your adversary like this. It completely clouds your judgement. And if either one of our fathers had any idea what I’m thinking right now, they’d both kill me.
Maybe she would too.
Eight
Knox
* * *
Last night I had a vivid dream that I beat up Gigi’s new boyfriend, Matt, and then fucked her senseless while he laid bleeding on the floor a few feet away. Then I woke up, poured two shots of Valencia Rum down my throat, and jerked off until I fell back asleep.
I wonder if she heard any of that?
I rub my hand back and forth against the fuzz on my head to wake myself up and grab my phone from the floor when it dings. It’s a text from my father.
Dad: Confirmed there is indeed a possible danger. Keep a close eye on Gigi and yourself too.
Me: Is mom okay?
Dad: She’s fine. I’ve got her.
Me: And the twins?