The Rules of Survival (Mercer #1)

RoS Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Two

Kalen had a girlfriend.

Justice kissed me.

Kalen had a secret girlfriend.

Justice kissed me more than once.

Kalen had a super-secret girlfriend.

And I let him do it.

My brain was on a constant loop, and for the life of me I couldn't get my thoughts to derail and head into neutral territory. What I wouldn't have given to be thinking about something inane like trees or global warming - anything to avoid pondering how little I actually knew about my brother, and how good Justice's lips felt against my own.

Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep after our little 'chat'. Sal's interruption couldn't have come at a better time, and while he'd staggered about, gaping at us and blinking like his eyes were deceiving him, I'd had a moment to gain some perspective, coming to the obvious conclusion that what we'd done was wrong. Or more so, what I'd done was wrong. Kissing a guy was one thing, but kissing Justice Montoya? Whole. Other. Story.

He was a notorious gangster who led a very chaotic, dangerous life. A life I'd unwillingly fallen into when people decided to slap a target on my chest. And after experiencing a little of what his world had to offer, I was more than ready to get the hell out. I'd only been under fire for about three weeks and already my paranoia levels had hit the roof. I was conscious of every sound, every moving shadow. I couldn't get my hands to stop shaking when they weren't occupied doing something. My nerves were shot to hell, and my sanity was seriously considering heading that way.

When Sal had finally recovered, he'd handed the phone over to Justice without a word and left the room at a speed one step short of a dead run. All business, Justice had taken the call with a few brisk words, snatched his coat and car keys from the end of the bed, and headed out. A bucket of cold water wouldn't have worked faster. His hot then cold attitude was an even bigger reminder that I had no business with someone like him. I could never hope to understand him, and the only certainty I did have was that he was a man used to being in charge and getting what he wanted. I was not about to become some docile little lamb in an attempt to appease his alpha tendencies.

Gin arrived as Sal and Justice were leaving, and we spent the night in the lounge watching over Ray who hadn't twitched in the last six hours. She didn't say anything about my run in with the TLF or Ray's resulting injuries. Instead she hugged me, asked if I was okay, and helped me apply the cream Justice had given me to my face and stomach.

The front door opened just after nine the next morning. Gin had not long left, taking the kids to school. Ray had roused himself as well, and the first thing I did when he opened his eyes was drag him into the bathroom so I could get a look at his cuts and make sure everything was okay. He moaned and groused the entire time, complaining incessantly that he never would have guessed how much being knifed hurt. To my amusement, he was adamant his absolute worst injury was the split lip he'd somehow acquired during the fight.

Once I was done prodding and poking him and turned to leave, he reached out to tug me to a stop.

"Muñequita preciosa, are you okay?" His eyes were just a little too intense, his hold a little too firm for my liking.

"I'm fine," I said, staring somewhere over his shoulder. "Why do you ask?"

Using his free hand, he tilted my face until I gave up and met his gaze. Sometimes he could be so serious and so adult for a fifteen year old boy. "Because your hands are shaking, and you keep glancing over your shoulder even though the door's closed."