CHAPTER 87

I shouldn’t have said anything more, but him thinking I’d leave my sister made me angry. “My brother’s inside too; he’s fifteen. I work some days and some nights; whenever I can get the hours. It’s not ideal, but it’s our only choice. My brother is very responsible.” I spoke so fast, my words tumbled together.

Reed gave a loud sigh. “Fuck.”

I did have some pride left because it came flaring back to life. “Don’t fucking pity us.”

I threw open my door and so did he. He followed me up to the door and Don Gato rubbed against his pant leg.

Traitor.

I was back in my territory and feeling stronger. “You need to leave now.”

“I’m coming inside.”

“No.”

“Yes.” There was steel in his voice.

“You’ll upset my brother.”

“Too fucking bad. Open the door.”

It pissed me off, but I had little choice. I knocked on the door. The small curtain to the right of the door moved aside. An inside light came on and a slight thump sounded when Jon lifted the two-by-four barring the door. Our lock broke a few months