While returning to Franco's to pick up my bike, a police car wailed past. The car had stopped at the end of the street in front of his restaurant.

Panicked, I gave Dom a call. He picked up after the second ring.

"Hello?" He sounded harried but not afraid.

I let go of the breath I was holding. "It's me. Are you okay?"

His answer was abrupt and stiff. "I turned my dad in." 

"You did?" Worry flooded me. If he turned his dad in, would he also be in trouble?

"I can't believe it all was right under my nose Matty. I knew it wasn't in the boxes. He had a secret pocket in the delivery bags. Police found it when they came to search.  In each pocket were different colored powders. Pretty sure It was drugs."

I rubbed my forehead wearily as I realized just how much trouble not looking in the bags could have caused me. "God, sorry I never looked in the bags, Dom. But what about you? Are you okay? They aren't going to..." 

Would the police arrest him?

"Police want to question me, but I'm not in trouble. Sheez, I'm such an idiot!" His voice raised, and I heard something crash.

"You're not an idiot. People we love aren't always worthy of our trust."

"I also told the cops he threatened you with a gun. My father was screaming that they should arrest you too. Be careful about coming back here. I don't think they'll do anything... but my family doesn't have the best reputation with the police. Still, I had to say something."

"Dom, I ... don't know what to say. That's just - wow." My heart swelled at the thought of him worrying about me after everything going on.

"You don't need to say anything about it. You'd do the same for me, I'm sure of it."

"What are the police going to do about the restaurant?" I asked, ignoring his subtle question. I didn't know if I would stick my neck out for anyone like that. Maybe Luis, but anyone else? I couldn't answer that question. 

"I don't know yet, but I might be late to our meeting at Bertha's. Please wait for me because I want you to tell me everything, Matt. It's unbelievable how little I know about you after all this time."

I waved my free hand around, frustrated. "I know, Dom. I swear I won't leave anything out when we talk. I know it's dangerous to go to the restaurant, but I have to get my bike."

 "Matty, I can buy you hundreds of bikes. You know I have money."

I squirmed at the offer. Yes, I knew Dom had money. He'd made a fortune with crypto with the pay he got from his father. Dom was sweet and pleasant, but the man was also good with money.  He was the reason why the restaurant was so successful, not his dad. 

 I wasn't going to take his money. He had offered time and again to help get me out of Aisa's treehouse and into a place of my own, but I didn't like charity. "Yeah, I know you can, but it was an early birthday present, and I can't leave it."

Luis had bought it for me several days before.

Dominic muttered under his breath. "I'll call you if I can't make it."

"You better make it, or I'll be coming to the police station to get you."

His surprised puff of laughter warmed me. I didn't realize how smoky his voice sounded over the phone. He had a radio DJ kind of voice. "Okay, I gotta go. And I..." There was a long pause; then, he spoke on an exhale. "Well, be careful, Matty."

My call to Dom disconnected, and I stared at my phone as I tried to decide if I should be worried. If I didn't see him at Bertha's, I would be at that police station like a B movie action hero. They better not arrest him!

But with  Franco arrested, I could disappear with Dom and Luis before he could set anyone on our tail. At least, I hoped so. I called Luis since I figured he'd arrived at Aisa's soon enough to grab his phone from the treehouse as I thought of this.

"I got your stuff already. Are you at Bertha's yet?" He asked me when he answered the phone.

"Not yet, but I have some news. Dom turned his dad in." I was still in shock that Dom did that for me, and it showed in the high pitch of my voice.

There was silence on the other end for a minute, then Luis said, "How do you know?"

"There are police cars at the restaurant, so I had to stop. I called him."

"Don't go near that place while the cops are there, Matt. Don't make more problems."

I rolled my eyes, "Please, Dad. I wanna get arrested. Please?"

He growled in response. I rolled my eyes again, not wanting another stormy scene when I saw him again. So, I deflected. It's my superpower. 

"Glad you grabbed my money and clothes. After we talk to Dom, I want to get us out of the city as soon as possible." 

 "You've decided to bring me along," He sounded so pleased. His tone became warmer, and I found myself comparing it to Dom's. Luis's voice was lower, with a darker tone, and he sounded more like a hot villain in an anime than a radio DJ.

"Yes, and Dom, if he wants to come." Dom had a car, which would make things convenient if he still wanted to come after everything I told him.

The ice returned, and he sounded more like an anime villain than ever.  "That's not a good idea, Matt. Do you need another demonstration of why?"

I got a shiver down my back and cursed myself for it. Yes, I would like another demonstration, please and thank you. 

No! Bad Matt! You do not!

Of course, I would simp for the villain's voice more than the DJ voice. After taking a steadying breath, I said.  "No. But I also don't want to argue with you. I made up my mind."  If he tried to argue with me again, I would hang up.

"Fine. Get to Bertha's, and don't go near Franco's until the cops leave." His voice was clipped and angry.

The line went dead, so I put away my phone, grumbling over his bossiness. Of course, I would wait until the cops left, and of course, I would stay at Bertha's. Sheesh!

I saw the cops leave after twenty minutes of waiting. Dominic followed them in his red Jaguar. That was comforting. I figured he would be okay since he wasn't being led out in handcuffs. Once they left,  I started walking again, only to find six people on motorcycles pulling into the back alleyway of the restaurant. I assumed they must be customers, so I sped up my steps to let them know that Franco's would be closed for a while. I hoped Dominic remembered to lock up.

As I entered the back alley to the restaurant, I saw my bike was there against the wall. However, I was wrong about the customers. When the frontman took off his helmet, I knew who he was.

Adrian. The mole over his full, unsmiling lips was the first thing that gave him away.

It had been four years since I last saw him. At the time, he was only thirteen and small for his age, but he had quite a growth spurt since then. I raised my head to gape at him. The scar on his sharp chin, which he'd gotten while trying to defend me the day before I abandoned him, had a gold stud pierced through it. His hair was cropped close to his skull and had shaved designs in it. He wore a pair of black running shorts that showed off his cocoa-colored, muscular legs and a red t-shirt that enhanced his tapered torso.

 Despite my attempts not to look, I couldn't tear my eyes away, and not because they weren't impressive to behold, because they were. The reason my eyes were locked on his legs was that he'd inked an elaborate hummingbird on his calf, and I felt a bit of unease when I saw it. On the night of my attack, I'd spilled a lot of secrets about myself, including my childhood nickname of Hummingbird. The friend who'd betrayed me used to call me that, and I wondered if the ink was there because I crossed Adrian.

 Finally, my gaze shot to his eyes, which were still the same bright hazel, with those long, curly lashes.  But they looked hard and unfriendly. 

Adrian lounged against the door of the restaurant while I gawked at him. His slender fingers, laden with silver rings,  plucked at the tape on the door as he arched a fine brow at me. His five companions also took off their helmets as they stood by their motorcycles.

Six against one. Lovely. None of the men looked friendly, even if they all looked like they belonged in a Benneton ad.

I nodded at him. "Adrian."

"Matt." He pushed off the door and turned to face me completely. 

"What are you doing here?" Why was I even asking? He'd come to kick my ass, obviously. Why else would he be surrounding me with his gang? Yep, this was me, asking the real questions here.

He flashed a brilliant smile, and every bone in my body melted, and my brain short-circuited for a minute. One more smile like that, and I might let him go ahead and stomp me. Jeez, what was wrong with me today? Was it because the curse was already weakening and I was about to change to a girl?  Was this really little Adrian?

"Don't you know the answer to that, Matt?"

I staggered back and tried to look nonchalant like I hadn't been drooling over his physical beauty. Yes, I knew the answer to why he was here. He was here to kick my ass for leaving him.  "Do you think we can do this tomorrow? I'm busy today." 

I looked around to see if I had anything to use as a weapon nearby, but anything useful was behind the guys. Of course, I had my backpack with cans of cherry coke, but It was doubtful that I could get to them before Adrian grabbed me.

"We could, but I have a feeling I would lose you again." He plucked the police tape once more with a significant look. "In trouble again, Matt?"

"How did you find me?" Had he looked a bit worried when he'd asked that question? Naaaah...

Another flash of that smile. Good heavens, it was lethal. "Franco's pizza is awesome. I get deliveries every month. I never got you as a delivery driver, so I didn't know you worked there until I saw that social media post they did for their anniversary."

"Dang it! I didn't know I was in that shot!" I heaved a sigh as I stepped back. If I stayed out of the alley, it would give me more ability to run. "You're here for revenge, I guess."

He barked a laugh. "Revenge? Is that why you think I'm here?"

I blinked at him. Yes?  Right then seemed like a good time to start apologizing.  "I'm sorry I left you behind. But are we going to continue with this tea party, or are you going to just go ahead and beat me up? I have someplace I need to be."

 I deserved at least one hit. I just hoped it wouldn't hurt too bad.

He laughed, and my wits found a ticket to Hawaii and bailed. When did he get such a smooth tenor voice? Who did he borrow that laugh from?  Was this seriously the same little kid that clung to me all the time?

  "That's not what I'm here about, Matt. I want to talk about something else."

The night before I left, I'd been alone with Adrian when another friend I trusted attacked me and stabbed me.  Adrian had been my only companion as I struggled to hang on because the knife had been poisoned. Then, he embraced me and cried because I was losing consciousness. I thought that was the end, but I'd woken up the next day with Adrian draped across my chest, asleep, and with me completely healed. I couldn't remember what had happened, but Adrian wouldn't let me be the next day. He'd clung to me like a koala and kept saying he needed to talk about things. I'd been to busy running away from the law to listen. If he wasn't here to get revenge, then he must want to talk about that night. I was curious, of course, but I didn't have time to go into it with him.

"I  really can't talk, Adrian. You're right about me being in trouble. If you're not here to bash me, then I need to go." 

"Ade, why are we even here? You want that little punk with us?" A boy wearing cornrows in his light brown hair sneered.

"Shut it, Jace. Matt's special." His eyes glittered with danger as he looked me up and down. "You don't even know."

"Adrian, I really can't talk to you right now." 

"Then, we have a problem. It took me a long time to find you, Matt, and I can't tell you how long I tried." Adrian said as all the boys moved towards me. "I need to ask you to come with me because you owe me."

Oh, that was it. Adrian wanted to beat me where there were no witnesses. Guess the idea that he was going to explain what happened that night was gone.  With a hiss of regret, I decided on fight instead of flight. "How about this instead - if I kick all of your asses one by one, will that be enough?"

Adrian bunched as though he had prepared for me to run, but what I said made him laugh again. His silky laugh enticed dark fantasies in me, which made me shake my head and curse myself. Adrian was not my friend anymore, idiot. Stop drooling.

"You're hilarious, Matt. Just listen for a moment."

I crossed my arms and waited, pretty sure I was making a mistake.