Page 43 of The Vows We Keep

“But you said we were going to talk to—”

“I know what I said. But I can’t. This won’t wait.”

Shit. “I can stay here, start without you. You can ask your brothers to help me out before you leave.”

Niro shakes his head. “Not gonna happen. Your best choice is to come back to my house with me and Bates and wait for me there until we’re done with our run. I haven’t got any secrets. You can shower, whatever, and relax until I get back.”

“Why can’t I go back to the place Neva and I are using?”

“Because if you leave, I’m not going to come chase you.”

“You’re not?”

He shakes his head.

“I’m confused.”

“By what?” He takes his coffee cup in one hand and takes a large gulp.

“You’re jumping around. We’re not finishing one conversation before you’re talking about something else.”

Niro looks me in the eye. “I do that a lot. Where did I lose you?”

“If it’s brothers before others, why did you still go to hit him?”

“You ever watchXena? The warrior princess?”

I shake my head. “Can’t say that I did. Probably before my time.”

Niro smirks. “How old did you say you were?”

“Twenty-five. How old are you?”

“Nearly twenty-seven. You’ll have to respect my wisdom as your elder.”

“Now we’re even farther off course. Xena. My age. Why did you almost hit Spark?”

“Xena was tough. Could take care of herself. Came up with solutions when men were just standing around looking dumb. She also happened to be fit as fuck. I used to watch her reruns. You remind me of her.”

“You almost hit Spark because I remind you of this Xena?”

He shrugs. “Not in looks, but in attitude and presence. I think it would be fun to hang out with someone like you.”

I want to dismiss the whole thing as ridiculous. Yet he’s as intrigued by me as I am by him. I already see he doesn’t process things the way I do. “That’s the best you’ve got?”

Niro looks around his room, taking in the notebook and the receipts and the piles of clothes. “Yeah. Unfortunately, it is.” He looks genuinely sad about it, and it tugs at the tight strings around my heart.

“Fine. I’ll go with you to your house.”

“You will?”

“Sure. Aren’t you worried I’m gonna steal from you?”

“What are you going to steal? Some cash? If you’re that desperate, take it.”

“You’re so confusing.”

He brushes a kiss across my lips. “Get used to it.”