Page 26 of Silver Edge
“Since I arrived. It’s quiet. Trust me, it’s a good place.”
He took a long breath and shook his head, the dark waves of his hair falling over his face then back to reveal his perfect, dark eyelashes. “You surprise me. Not many women can do that.”
“Scarlet, up. Drake.” The barista set two paper coffee cups on the counter, capping them with plastic lids with a nod. Drake looked between us but released my hand, retrieved his coffee, and slid it into a cardboard sleeve.
Usually by that point, I welcomed any physical contact to end, but my hand was cold, almost like it was lost from its home. I shook my head and placed my own cup into a cardboard sleeve, all the time imagining his fingers laced through mine once more. A moment later, my wish was fulfilled when he snagged my fingers and we exited to the downtown Atlanta noise pollution.
Drake sipped his coffee and we walked along the main road to the skate park then turned toward Bands. “You walk this every night?”
“Yeah, it’s not that far.”
Drake quirked his head to the side. “I know, and I’m not your big brother, but you shouldn’t walk out here alone at night.”
“You’re right. You’re not my big brother. I don’t want another one of those.” I rolled my eyes at the memory of Ton getting arrested for beating up a guy who had me pinned against the wall in the subway.
“You have an older brother?” He lifted my hand to guide me over a skate ramp as if I were a princess on the way to a ball. Geesh, this would take some getting used to.
“No, not really. My friend, Ton, back in New York City. He was like a big brother to me. He’s the one who set up the Community, where I lived before I came to Atlanta.”
“What kind of community?”
“It’s a place for people who have trouble staying clean, or who struggle with life in general. Ton started it with help from the Straight Edge community, and he works with a certain sect of the Straight Edge community in New York to keep things going.”
“Do you keep in touch with him?”
I shrugged. “No. I tried to call him once after I got here but it went to voicemail.”
We walked in silence for a moment until we reached the front door to Bands. “Why don’t you borrow the phone inside? I’d lend you my cell, but it met its demise last night. I’ll go straighten up my bathroom a little before you come up.” He chuckled. “Not that I don’t think you could handle it.” He unlocked the door and we entered the dark dungeon-esque entryway.
“You’d be surprised. Dark spaces don’t scare me, but you know your fear of rats? Well, mine is of sticky surfaces.” I winked.
He pointed to a phone at the bar. “Come up when you finish your call.”
I wiped the phone receiver down with my shirt and dialed Ton, half expecting it to go to voicemail again, but after two rings it clicked. “Hello?” His deep voice sounded perplexed.
“Ton? It’s Scarlet.”
“I’ve been worried about you. Why’d you take off like that?”
“I told you I wanted to do this on my own,” I argued.
A pause, then he said, “How are you doing with your sobriety and maintaining the lifestyle you’ve chosen?”
“I haven’t gotten high,” I said with a little hint of pride.
“And?” Ton waited.
“And what?”
“Come on, Scarlet. Don’t play games with me.”
“I haven’t fucked a guy in a back alley after knowing him for five seconds if that’s what you’re asking, okay?”
“I see Atlanta hasn’t changed your foul mouth and attitude.” He chuckled.
I smiled, imagining his sweet laugh despite his massive frame and scary Rock look. “I got a job.”
“I know, and then you got fired,” he retorted.
