Page 56 of Easy Steal

“Just don’t touch the yellow ones,” I said.

“Ew,” she said with her mouthful.

“Shut up.”

“You like yellow iced donuts, and you don’t like music. Tell me Samuel, what the fuck is wrong with you?”

I rolled my eyes.

“I’m serious,” she laughed, “what else am I gonna learn. What? You don’t like puppy dogs or rainbows either?”

I shrugged, “I’m more of a cat person.”

I could almost hear the sound of her eyes roll.

“Of course you are,” she mumbled with her mouth full of donut.

We pulled into the street, and I parked further down the road than usual and put the car in park.

I looked at my watch.

It was already near midnight, and I had no idea how long we would have to wait for him to return - or if he would at all.

I snatched the donut box from her and picked out a yellow one, and began to nibble at it as we watched on. Livie’s phone vibrated in her hand and she looked at it for a moment, before throwing it to the floor.

I raised an eyebrow, “Sierra?”

She nodded.

“What did she say?”

“Saying sorry for her message the other night.”

I shook my head, “what do you think she’s trying to do?”

She shrugged, “hurt me.”

I nodded.

“At first the messages were apologetic, you know. Asking to meet up, asking to talk things through, saying how much she missed me. But ever since the wedding, she’s been angry.”

“What does Rome say?”

“I don’t tell Rome much, because I know how hotheaded she is. Her solution will be to go kick her ass, when I know that’s not gonna solve anything. I know that she’s just hurting, that’s why she’s picking things to say that she knows will hurt me.”

“Okay,” I cleared my throat, “I know I said I wouldn’t ask, but…”

“No, Sam. I don’t actually have a son.”

I frowned, “so why would she ask if I know?”

She sighed, looking out the window for a while in silence. I felt bad for bringing it up when I said that I wouldn’t - but the curiosity was killing me.

“When I was fifteen, I was with this guy named Evan. He was a lot older. Things weren’t great, but I guess I was desperate for the attention and validation from a guy after everything with my Dad. Eventually, I fell pregnant.”

I nodded slowly.

“One night,” she began, “a few weeks after the fire, we were driving down the highway. We were arguing. To be honest, I don’t even remember what it was about,” she chuckled once. “Then, uh, he started hitting me.”

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