Page 42 of Iron Heart

“She died eight years ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

Tori is silent for a few seconds. “Savannah — that’s my roommate, the one you met here the other day — said you have three other brothers, besides the one I met.”

I nod. “They all left town as soon as they could, after high school.”

“Why did you stay?”

I shrug. “Leaving only makes sense if you’re goingtosomething, not if you’re running from something. I’m gonna be the same person, no matter where I am.”

She frowns. “You never wanted to… I don’t know. Go off and see the world?”

“No reason I can’t do that, and still come back here.”

The fact is, I’ve never thought about it all that much. The rest of the world is probably filled with good people and bad people, just like here.

But sitting here with Tori, I can almost imagine wanting to leave town for a while. Take a trip. See something new. With her.

Jesus, what the fuck is wrong with me? One good lay, and I’ve lost my fuckin’ mind over some chick.

“I guess you’re right,” she says softly. “I haven’t taken a single trip anywhere since I moved to Ironwood. Except back home to see my parents. Funny how it never even occurred to me that I could.”

“You feel pretty trapped here, huh?”

“Is it that obvious?” Tori chuckles. “It’s weird. I used to really love it here, when I was a kid. I spent all my summers here with my Aunt Jeanne. In this very house. Ironwood used to be my place to escape.”

“And now?”

“Now…” She sighs. “Now, it feels like a prison.”

“What changed?”

Tori bites her lip, avoiding my eyes. “But like you said. I’m the same person, no matter where I am,” she murmurs, almost to herself.

It doesn’t escape me that she didn’t answer my question. But I don’t push it.

Tori reaches for another piece of pizza from a box on the coffee table, but I pull it away out of her reach. “Hey!” she cries, raising her eyebrows at me. “What’s that about?”

“That’s enough pizza for now,” I say firmly.

“Are you seriously policing my pizza intake right now?”

“Hey, later on, you can eat the entire rest of the pie. I don’t care.” I shut the box and stand up, then reach out a hand to her. “But not right now.”

“Why not?” she asks as she takes it.

“Because right now,” I continue, pulling her to her feet, “you’re going to take me upstairs to your bedroom.”

Tori’s mouth drops open, and then her lips curve into a smile. “Is that right?”

“That’s right. And once we’re up there, I’m going to make you come so hard you’ll forget your own name.”

“And what if I still remember my name afterwards?” she asks breathily, her eyes teasing.

“Then the next pizza’s on me, too.”

17

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