Page 31 of Arseni

“Get your fucking hands off me before I start crying police brutality.”I wave toward his car.“Matter of fact, get the fuck out of here altogether.I’m not pressing charges.”

“What?”he asks, his nose scrunching.“Arseni, the guy almost killed your dog.”

“It’s my roommate’s dog.He probably left rat poison out.Now excuse me.”I turn to walk away, but Hudson follows.

“You don’t want to deal with the police, that’s fine, man.But shit, let me help you as a friend.I’m wearing a uniform.Those people are going to listen to me before they listen to you.”

“I have my ways.”

“What are you going to do, threaten the kid?”

That has me pausing.

No.No, of course not.The kid likes me.We have a thing going.He’ll tell me what he saw.

I suck my bottom lip into my mouth while I stare at the front door of the squatter house.He bolted in there to getawayfrom me.I barge in, every ounce of trust we’ve built is shattered, and I give him nightmares for a week.

“Come on, Ars.”Hudson lightly tugs my shoulder.“Let’s go back inside.We’ll take a second to breathe, then you can do whatever you gotta do.”

“Are you condoning violence, Officer Hudson?”

He’s quiet for a second, but then he laughs.“That’s the gig, isn’t it?”

Passing by me, he gives me a wink before heading inside.

Of all the people from my childhood, the kid who broke into Ms.Thornberry’s house just to piss in her potted plants would be the one to become a cop.Shaking my head, I go inside after him.He’s sitting on the floor, his feet stretched out, his back against the wall, beer in hand.

He takes a swig when I sit beside him.When he hands me another beer, I take it and twist off the cap.

“Just how crooked are you?”I ask.

He turns to give me a curious look.“What makes you think I’m crooked?”

I gesture to the beer.“You’re a little lax with the rules, don’t you think?”

He laughs and takes another swig.“Yeah, well, not everything changes.”

In spite of my anger, I find my lips twitching.I fan my hand over him.“How the hell didthishappen?”

He shrugs, the stupid grin I remember so well plastered on his face.“Met a girl who digs power.”

“You’re telling me you sold out just to get laid?”

He rests his blond head against the wall.“I’m gonna be honest with you, Ars… I’d put a bullet in you right now if it meant I’d get laid.”

I laugh, my hands sliding down my face as I bring my knees in.“You’re a fucking idiot.”

“Yeah, well, good to see you too.Thanks for the warm welcome, by the way.”

I turn toward him, my head shaking in light disbelief.“How long has it been?”

He takes another drink and stares at the ceiling while he thinks about it.“I was at Saint Francis, and you were at a…” He snaps his fingers while he thinks, but I already know.My memory comes flooding back.“That hot bitch’s house.What was her name?”

“Margot.”

“Margot, yeah.”His lips purse.“She was fine as hell.”

“Still is.”