Chloe (Made Men, #3)(40)

Amo’s voice turned sad again. “Everyone just thinks I’m more violent than I actually am.”

“You have to be joking.” Chloe couldn’t help busting out in laughter.

“No.” He stopped walking, clearly not liking her laughing at him. “What reason have I given you to think I’m such a mean person?”

Does he have brain damage from all the fights he’s been in? An image of him dangling a teenage boy by their neck flashed before her from when Elle and she had caught them at Poison in a fight.

“Um, how about when you were choking that guy Friday?”

“First off, Vincent was the one who started that fight, and I was keeping him from double teaming on Nero. He wasn’t trying to play fair, and I didn’t want Nero to get hurt.”

Chloe blinked at him, trying to process what he had just said.

Crossing her arms, she had another instance come to her. “Okay, then, I saw Sebastian with the black eye as we went home the first day you all sat and ate lunch with us. I’m sure that was you.”

“Wow,” Amo told her like she had just shot him. “Nero was the one who gave him that black eye, not me.”

She didn’t want to believe him at first, but he didn’t look like he was lying. He actually looked a bit offended.

“You swear you didn’t give him the black eye?”

“I swear.” Amo put down the hand he had held up.

Chloe was satisfied he was telling the truth then and was able to somewhat relax.

“Nero and Vincent are the mean ones, you know. I’m the nice one.”

Glancing at him for a moment, she began to think she might have been too harsh on him. This clearly was a touchy subject for him.

“I guess you will have to prove it.” She smiled at him.

He smiled back. “I can do that.”

Getting to the door, Amo opened it for her and she rushed inside to hand Mrs. Saylor the hall pass. Sitting back down wasn’t as bad as she had expected. Most of the students were focused on their assignments, and Amo’s big body blocked their view as they walked down the aisle.

Chloe opened her notebook, settling her nerves so she could start the assignment written on the chalkboard.

Well, I won’t tell if you don’t. Chloe was going to take this whole thing to her grave. Elle would kill Amo if she ever found out he had gotten her to go to the bathroom. All in all, it wasn’t so bad … She had looked death in the face and survived without Elle having to take a hit for her. Amo might even have a cape underneath that expensive shirt he was wearing.

I’m the nice one.

Gathering her courage, she looked over at him to see him copying her answers. Chloe scooted her chair back to the edge of her table so he couldn’t. Mm-hmm, you’re off to a great start of proving it.



*

Amo tried not to smile when she took her paper out of view. He honestly couldn’t blame her. Mrs. Saylor was a bitch when it came to copying, and he was just trying to come off … not as nice. He obviously wasn’t a momma’s boy, but out of his friends, he could at least pretend to be the nicest.

Nero was the one who gave him that black eye, not me.

Hey, I wasn’t lying. I was just omitting the fact that I had kicked his balls in so hard I made him into the bitch that he is.





Thirty-Two





The Backyard That Looked Absolutely Stunning





Chloe spent the evening at a dinner party her parents were throwing for some city officials. She had grown used to pretending to listen and smile at these things if she didn’t want her father to come to her after it was over. On the inside, though, she was keeping her mind elsewhere, thinking about her encounter with Amo earlier. This time, when she thought of him, no thoughts of the devil came to her, and his dark eyes no longer reminded her of evil black ones.

Elle had been her only friend in years, yet within a week, she felt like she might have gained new ones in Nero, Amo, and Vincent. Yes, it scared her—they scared her—but they were also the best things to happen to Elle and her since their high school year had started. Now all that needed to happen was for Elle to take Nero back.

It was hard for her to believe he had gone out on her, especially after today when he had done nothing but follow them around a few feet back, making sure they were okay. Something was nagging at the back of her mind that it hadn’t been what it had looked like. He’s clearly in love with her …

Excusing herself with her father’s permission, she went to take a break from it all to get a moment’s peace and recharge.

Rinnng.

Chloe answered her cell the moment she saw Elle’s name. It was going to help her get a distraction.

“Hey.”

A male voice came over, instead. “Hey, Chloe.”

“Nero?” Immediately, her nerves were shot. Something wasn’t right.

“Elle is fine”—he cleared his throat—“but she was attacked on the way to work. I got her to my house where my doctor is taking care of her. She just suffered a concussion and needs to be monitored through the night.”

“I-I—” It was hard for her to even think.

“I promise you she will be okay. I was hoping you would cover for her and tell her parents she is spending the night with yo—”