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“Are you sure?”

“Oh, yes, I’m going to take a hot bath in the twelve-jet tub he’s got. Then take a good nap.” She smiles at both of us. “Oh, and get me some Sour Skittles, those sound sooooo good.”

Gabriel was already shoving his feet into his shoes.

“Oh, how could I forget donuts. Get some donuts, the chocolate filled ones, God those sound so amazing right no–”

“Okay, okay,” Gabriel rushes out, throwing his hands up to stop her from talking. “You’re on your period, got it.” He shakes his head, muttering something under his breath before he leaves out the front door.

“Zion…” Izel calls after me as I reach for the door. Looking at her over my shoulder, I nod my head, already knowing what she wants to tell me.

“With my life, Red,” I promise her. Earning a smile, I close and lock the door behind me, only to find Gabriel frowning at me, and I already know from that look he is about to bombard me with questions.

“Apples or bananas?” Gabriel asks as we stand in the produce. When I prepared myself to answer whatever question he wanted to ask, this is not what I thought it was going to be.

I thought maybe why the mask? How did I find his sister? Who am I? Anything honestly.

Not this.

“Uh, apples,” I answer awkwardly.

“I love bananas.” Gabriel giggles, grabbing a bunch of them. “You know why I love them?”

Shaking my head, I grab the cart following behind the twelve-year-old like a child following their damn mother. I was a fucking killer for fucks sake, and for some fucking reason I’m being a shy awkward teenager.

“They remind me of dicks.”

I choke on my spit. My eyes widen at his bluntness. I shouldn’t be all that shocked; he is related to Izel. And she has no filter—whatever comes to mind she says.

“They come in all different shapes, and sizes, and man…” He glances back at me, and I swear his eyes drop to my crotch. “They’re delicious.”

“I, uh… I…” What the fuck am I supposed to say to that? And thankfully I don’t have time to think or say anything before Gabriel is moving on to another topic.

“Aren’t you a little young… to… know about, you know…” I trail off, feeling extremely uncomfortable.

“If you grew up with the men we did, you’d be surprised I’m not worse.” He mutters, eyes dropping to the ground. “How did you find my sister?”Gabriel asks before I comment.

“She was locked in a basement that had someone else locked up.”

“That makes no sense.” Grabbing a whole box of spicy ramen noodles, he throws them into the cart.

“A friend of mine was also in that basement, and I was told to go get Izel out.”

“Hmm.”

I didn’t like that “hmm,” that way he nods his head but continues on walking down the aisle is different.

“Were you sent to kill her or save her?”

“Neither really,” I mutter. Gabriel stops in his tracks, swinging around at me.

“Excuse me?”

“I mean, I guess I was sent to save her. I’m not really sure–”

“You were going to kil–”

“No,” I growl. “No, and even if I was, I wouldn’t have killed her, Gabriel. I was asked to get her out, and the reason I even went was because Izel saved someone very special to me.” I tower over Gabriel. I don’t want to frighten him, but I’m going to make him understand that I’m no threat to him or my girl.