Page 53 of The Beginning and End of Everything
Kyan is a dog. Pussy, booze, blow, and fighting are all he knows. We don't talk all that much, other than when Larry sends him over here to sober me up for a fight.
“I'm Kyan." He reaches for her hand, but she yanks it away. "You down for seconds? I'll take you out for dinner and everything." He glances in my direction with a smirk. "And I'll do you better than that one and his permanent weed dick."
"As charming as that sounds," Poppy's gaze strays to me. "I think I'll have to pass."
"Ah, you're breaking my heart." He hands me the smoldering pipe and clutches at his chest.
"Poppy doesn't want your STI’s, Kyan."
I shake my head.
A wrinkle forms on Kyan’s brow. "If you know her name, does that mean youdidn'tbang her?"
"Oh my God." Poppy wrinkles her nose.
"No bang zone," I say, pointing at Poppy while eyeing Kyan. I don't miss the way he’s dragging his eyes all over her, and I don’t like it. “Repeat after me: no bang zone.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He sighs. “Just checking you’re alive. I’m going down to the pub. One-eyed Larry wants you there in a half-hour.” He gives Poppy another quick once over. “You should come down and watch the fight. I’ll introduce you to Madame Wrinkles.”
“I’m sorry, who?”
I toss my head back on a groan.
“Madame Wrinkles,” he says again. “She’s the bald pussy Larry keeps behind the bar.”
“Dear God…” Poppy tosses her hands up in the air.
“All right,” I point at the door. “Out. Fuck off." I set down the pipe, get up, and open the door, shoving him through and locking the deadbolt behind him.
I reach for the pipe on the table again, but Poppy snatches it away, tucking it behind her back. It’s enough to make my temper spike, and I rise to my feet, towering over her
"I didn't ask you to come here. You want to stay, stay, but I'm not looking for a mother. And you're not coming to my fight."
"You don’t get to order me around."
I smirk, leaning closer to her until I'm in her face. "You won't last five minutes in there,princess."
"I was just fine the other night. Besides, Kyan asked me to come. Not you. I'll go to see him." She looks pleased with herself as she pops her hip to the side.
"You'renotgoing!" I shout, and she flinches away.
My fists clench and release as I try to get ahold of my temper. The weed usually numbs it, keeps it locked down, but damn, if she doesn’t bring it right to the surface again.
She turns around, storming to the front door and slamming it shut behind her.
"Shit!" I pick up a beer bottle from the table and throw it at the now-closed door. It smashes, bits of glass firing in every direction.
She can go to that fight, but I'm not helping her when some guy decides to cop a feel. She's on her own.
I stand up and head to the bathroom, pulling my shirt over my head as I go.
Poppy can judge me all she likes. I don't care. We both know this is exactly where I would have been all along without Connor.
It's almost fitting that, in his absence, I should become everything he tried so hard to save me from.
31
Poppy
