Nero (Made Men #1)(31)

“Just don’t lie to me again. I’m not going to put up with it the next time.”

Elle knew she should really start cutting down the lies. “Fine, I won’t lie to you anymore.”

Nero looked at her, and when he was satisfied with her answer, he started the car. Once he was on the road, Elle decided to ask the question that had been bothering her all last night.

“How did you know I’m seventeen?” She kept her eyes on Nero.

“All the seniors are either seventeen or eighteen. I just went with the one that popped in my head first. Lucky guess.” She watched Nero not move his eyes from the road. She knew Nero had only had two options. There was a fifty-fifty shot.

“How old are you?”

“Turned eighteen in August.”

“Feel any different?” Elle was curious if she would feel like an adult, even though she felt like an adult already.

“Other than the fact I can buy cigarettes and get charged as an adult, nope.”

Elle laughed hard. She’d figured that was about how it would feel.

Nero looked at Elle and she quit laughing as he grabbed her hand. Looking at his hand woven in hers, she noticed again it actually looked much worse than yesterday.

“Was there another face that needed punching?”

Nero smiled. “Nope.”

“Nero, you can’t lie to me if I can’t lie to you.” She was going to make sure everything was going to be fair between them.

Nero looked at Elle. “I’m not lying. I didn’t punch anyone.”

Elle knew he wasn’t lying. Liars don’t look you in the eye when they lie.

“Will you do me a favor and quit punching people and things?”

He squeezed her hand. “I don’t make promises I can’t keep, Elle.”

“Well, will you do me a favor and try to quit punching people and things?”

Nero took her hand and placed a kiss on the back. “For you, I will.” He kept her hand on his side, putting it in his lap. She thought about snatching it back, but the look he gave her made her reconsider.

She relaxed in his car for the rest of the way to school. She wished she didn’t have to go, content with staying in his car, but she needed to be there for Chloe.

They pulled up into the parking lot and Elle scanned her eyes across the lot for her friend. When she didn’t see her, Elle started to get anxious to get out of the car.

She figured Nero had caught on. “Elle, I told Amo to go ahead and take her to class. She will be right there when we get there.” He held her hand a little tighter. “Together.”

Elle decided to calm her nerves. “Okay.” I’m sure she’s fine with Amo.

Nero finally let her hand go and she exited the car, grabbing her bag. She decided to trust Nero, and instead of running to her classroom, she stood by the car. As Nero reached her, he took her hand and they both started walking in the building together. Elle did walk faster than she thought Nero would like, but she didn’t care—she just wanted to see Chloe.

When they got close to the classroom, Elle noticed Amo leaning against the lockers. He looked even rougher than Nero did this morning.

After she finally reached the door, she poked her head inside. Relief flooded over her when she saw Chloe right in her seat at the back of the class. She could tell Chloe might have been a little pissy, but she would take that.

Grateful, she did something she was sure she would regret later, yet she was too happy Chloe was safe. I may finally have someone else I can trust with her.

Elle hugged Amo’s side, then she leaned up as high as she could and kissed him on the cheek, barely making it. “Thanks.”

Elle ran off into the classroom to go be with her best friend. She couldn’t be happier.

*

Nero couldn’t be more pissed. He didn’t understand how Amo could get a fucking thank you without asking. How he could get a kiss without asking. How come she never throws herself at me for a hug? I want a fucking hug.

He decided to keep his cool, though.

“Did she just do what I just think she did?” Amo asked, pointing in the direction Elle had run away from Nero, again.

“Yep, she did.”

Amo held up his hands. “Hey, man, I didn’t do anything.”

Nero grabbed Amo’s shoulder. “It’s fine, man. Someone looks like shit today. Rough night?”

“Try rough fucking morning.” Amo lowered his voice. “That girl is fucking nuts. I can’t babysit her anymore. Tell Vince to do it; he’ll like watching her.”

“That’s exactly why he can’t watch her. Elle ain’t going to trust him with her.” Hell, Nero wouldn’t trust his sister with Vincent. In five seconds, he could have any girl drop to her knees.

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you. She practically screamed when I almost touched her, and it wasn’t the kind of scream I made Christa do last night.”

Nero knew this job wasn’t going to be easy. The girls were possibly tighter than him and his crew.

“Listen, you know our job. We want in, don’t we?”

Amo nodded. “Okay. Fine.”

Nero decided to change the subject. “Christa, huh?”

“Yep, and Christa has a shit ton of friends waiting to meet some prep school guys tomorrow.”