fto

floor lounge, slouched into the leat

d snapped up. A fake smile stretched across his face

you find Ju

t. "High-Elo ranked. Kid slid in

words made Clifton's b

space. "Don't think you can build

hrew his hands up. "Come on, cap. I

ll churning. Eighteen months. Eighteen months since that rainy alley, and

as l

corner and coll

ustice stumbled backward, clutching the cups li

Sharp cheekbones. Shadows under his eyes. Skin that hadn't seen sunlig

," Clifto

w breaths. He tried to squeeze past Clifton's shoulder, desperate to escape wit

on one of the cu

r the rim and splashed onto the

of pain escaped his throat-the kind of sound made by someone w

hout thinking. Muscle memory older th

Justice's peripheral vision, someth

dodge. He did

t... s

retreating into its shell. His whole body went rigid-not like someone avoiding a

hand stopp

lder. Something carved into the boy's bones l

pended hand, then at Clifton's face. Something like

caught the metal trash can behind h

ed over the sofa. "

s scalded hand, tucked his chin into

as still hanging

inward. Formed a fist. Shoved

That wasn't guilt he'd seen in Justice's eyes. It was expect

ell happen

ng at the mess. "Jesus. The r

und. The look in his eyes ma

th. Or I'll sh

rd the stairs. But his mind wasn't on Branson,

ay Justice had

n doing it hi