3
NICCO
Glancing at my phone for what felt like the millionth time in the last twenty minutes, I was beginning to worry. He said he’d be here, and yet, it was past the time he said, and now I was sweating bullets, thinking it meant something had happened.
Shit. This would be so bad.
On the one hand, I felt proud of myself for being concerned about his well-being, but the other half of me was worried how much Loren would want to kill me, and well, that felt a bit selfish in the light of Jude being potentially kidnapped, so I tried to pull that thought back in.
Instead, I focused on the fact the little weasel had wormed himself into my life and I cared for him. Sighing, I glanced at my phone again to see if there were any new messages in the last five seconds, despite not feeling it vibrate.
When the random text had come through earlier, I’d been confused. When Jude’s message followed, stating he needed help, I’d dropped everything and told him I’d be here for whatever it was. Based on the first text, I assumed they were connected. He’d agreed to meet me at this park across from the apartment building, but now I reconsidered the brilliance of that plan with how isolated I was.
Footsteps sounded down the path, and I looked over, relaxing when I spotted Jude. Getting up from the bench, I waited for him to reach me. He bent over, breathing heavily as he caught his breath. I started to ask him a question when he held up his finger, telling me to wait.
Hiding a smile, I cleared my throat, waiting for him to be ready.
“Sorry, I thought it would be quicker to jog, but I clearly didn’t take into account my out of shapeness.”
“No worries, kid.” I chuckled, feeling immense relief he was here. “You know, I bet you could get Wells to give you some exercises or work out with you if you wanted. It might give you some muscles on that lanky frame of yours.”
Jude screwed up his nose, but I caught the look on his face that said he was considering my idea. “So, um, thanks for not telling me to take a hike earlier. I panicked and didn’t know what to do. For some reason, your number was stuck in my head, so I used it.” He paused, beginning to fidget as he twisted his hands on the strap of his messenger bag.
“I’m glad you reached out. I know I haven’t always been the most… receptive, but I am here for you, kid. You’re important to Loren and Immy, making you, by default, important to me.” I paused, looking him over. “I’ve grown fond of your little quips and genuineness, and I don’t find you annoying, so, winning.” He snorted, shaking his head, but the nervousness he had a minute ago fell away. “So, you need help? I’m guessing it has to do with the other message?” I asked.
Jude nodded, pushing his shoulders back now. “That was my brother. He cornered me outside of Ignite.”
“And that wasn’t a good thing? Not the happy family reunion you wanted?”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “No. Cameron… I think he tried at first to be a good brother after our parents died. We were all each other had while living on the streets, but once we separated and entered the system, it was like he changed. When he turned 18, I didn’t see him for a whole year. And when I did, it wasn’t good then either. Each time he comes back into my life, it’s followed by trouble. A few months back, he got me arrested, and I just don’t want to lose everything now.”
“Okay, understood. What can I do?” I asked, acknowledging what he’d revealed. I wanted Jude to know I took what he said seriously.
“I don’t really know, but I figured you’d have a better idea than anything I’d try to do on my own.”
“Why not tell Loren?”
“I’m not going to keep it from her. Just at the moment, I figured one of my new daddies might be able to help.”
I stared at him, blinking. “What the fuck?” I choked out, laughing. “Kid, seriously.”
Jude laughed so hard, he bent over at the waist again, clutching his stomach. When he finally stopped, he stood, wiping his eyes. “Sorry, sorry, it’s just too funny, and it felt like a moment to laugh.”
“I see why Loren likes you. You’re good for each other. Okay, now that we got that part of the situation out of the way, what do you think your brother is involved with?”
Jude shuffled his feet, looking me over, and I could tell he was debating something, and I wondered if this would be the moment he asked the underlying question. He’d been around the mansion long enough and knew from his time on the streets the kinds of people that went bump in the night. If he didn’t have some idea of who we were after the events that had transpired, then I’d be shocked.
“I know you and the others, you’re not just family in the sense that you all share the same DNA. I think… I think you’re more. And, I believe Cameron‘s gotten himself involved in something bigger than he intended this time. Part of me wants to tell him good luck and wipe my hands clean of him, but I know my parents wouldn’t want that. He’s my brother, and I do care for him. I just don’t want him to ruin my life in the process. So, I figured, you could help me by being the bigger baddie or through the endless amount of connections Imogen’s brother seems to have. You could maybe, I don’t know, find what he got himself into?”
“You’re a smart kid.” I studied him, debating what to do. “Okay, I’ll look into it with the understanding that you’re gonna tell Loren the second you see her. She deserves our honesty, and I’m not going to hide anything from her ever again.”
“Does that mean you’re going to tell her who you are, then? I think it’s only fair if you give her the full scope. Lor, she’s tougher than people think.”
“You’re right, kid. I want to; my hands are just tied to a degree. But that’s between her and me. You just worry about being open yourself.”
“Fine, I will, but if you want to stay at the top of my favorites, you’re gonna have to try harder, you know.”
Swiping at him, I laughed. “Listen here, kid,” I countered, “I’ll be your favorite if you want to keep seeing Immy. I’m her favorite.”