Page 122 of Until August

“Until Damon sold me out,” August finished.

“He narced on August to the cops. That’s how August got caught.”

Oh, my god. “Why would he do something like that to his friend?”

August shook his head. “That remains a mystery. But I guess he was trying to save his own skin. He must have made a deal with the cops. He was working as an informant.”

“He ruined your life,” I said quietly.

“Nah. I did that all on my own.”

Nash pinned him with a look, brows raised in surprise. “You’ve forgiven him?”

“I wouldn’t go that far. But he had his own demons to deal with. Always had.”

“He wouldn’t have made it to thirty if not for you,” Nash said. “Hell, he wouldn’t have made it to twenty-one.”

“He used to get bullied at school,” August explained. “His mom used to abuse him too. She was a junkie. In and out of prison for most of Damon’s life. And Damon turned to drugs because he couldn’t deal with all of that. I had a passion for cooking, and even when life was shit, I always had big dreams. I always knew I’d get out and make something of myself. Same with Nash. We knew there was something better waiting for us.”

“But Damon was so fucking lost,” Nash said. “He never really found his place in the world like we did.”

“He couldn’t hold down a job to save his life.”

“Couldn’t hang onto a girlfriend either. Every time a girl broke up with him, he would spiral. Jesus, he would get so low we’d have to put him on suicide watch.”

“It’s sad,” I said finally. “But it’s also really shitty that he turned on you.”

“You won’t get any argument from me. But I’ve made my own peace with it. I’m just looking to move forward. I’ve spent enough time looking in the rearview mirror to know that it won’t change a damn thing.”

“In answer to your question earlier,” Nash said. “August has always been August. He might have been more hotheaded, but he always knew exactly what he wanted. And he always went after it. So all in all, I’d say we did good,” Nash told August. “Two kids from the hood with shitty childhoods. We could have ended up like Damon. But I couldn’t have done it without you, man.”

“Same, bro, same.”

I smiled, happy that August had such a good friend and that they’d had each other during the tough times in their youth.

“He’s the wind beneath my wings,” Nash joked, reminding me of Cruz again. That was the kind of joke he would have made.

“Sure you don’t want some of this paella, Honey Bun?” August asked a minute later, trying to tempt me with a clam.

“Honey Bun?” Nash said with a laugh. “I’m surprised you’d even answer to that.”

I sighed. “It surprises me too.” I rolled my eyes dramatically. “The things I put up with.”

August put his hand on my thigh and leaned close to whisper. “Might have something to do with the size of my cock and what I can do with it.”

I slapped his hand away, but my cheeks were burning.

August just laughed, amused by my embarrassment.

“So…” Nash said when we were saying goodbye. “Do you have any sisters, Nic?”

I smiled. “No. But I have a cousin. She’s pretty, and she’s single.”

“Sounds like I need to get myself down to Costa del Rey.”

“Sounds like you do,” I said with a wink.

CHAPTERFORTY-TWO