“Some crush isn’t worth throwing your life away. Not for me. I'm not the man that you need or deserve. You have a chance of making something of yourself. Living an honest life. One that doesn’t have room for someone like me . . . “

Danni placed her finger over his lips, getting him to stop talking.

“I don’t care Dustin. Call me crazy, but I can see the real you. I always have and, I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon or ever. Just let me have the chance to love you.”

Her words were soft but crashed against him so heavily as they were spoken. Love him? Love? He was nowhere near ready for love. To let someone in like that? To allow himself to be vulnerable. Dustin was at a loss here. It went from wanting a date, spending time with him to, loving him. Feeling himself pull away from her but she held onto him not letting go.

“Just let me.” She pleaded to him.

Wrapping her arms around his neck pulling herself up kissing him on the lips gently. Her cheeks were still stained with tears.

“It’s okay to let someone in.” She whispered. “Let it be me.”

So much of her wanted to be the one for him. Standing here begging for Dustin to give her a chance to do so. Wanting to show the love she had for him. To love him like she’s always wanted. To be the one that filled that void she could see in his heart. The one that called to her as a little girl wanting to stop the pain he felt showing him that not all relationships were bad.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He spoke looking her in the eye.

He didn’t want to bring her down and ruin the life she had before her. Mess up anything she had going that could get her out and away from all the shit they currently lived in. He saw great things for her and he just wasn’t one of those things.

“You won’t.” Danni smiled, lighting up as she let him go.

Wiping the few tears that ran down her cheeks. Shocking herself by asking him to let her love him. Something Danni had yet admitted to herself but knew it was true she loved him with every fiber of her being.

Dustin let out a heavy sigh standing back up straight. Checking his emotions, they weren’t something he dealt with well at all. Bottling them up was what he normally did and that worked for him so far. Not understanding how Danni was able to read him like a book, footnotes, and everything.

“Let’s get you home Mike he’s going to start wondering what took me so long.”

Agreeing with her he got in the passenger side, the seat still pushed all the way back from the last time. Danni backed out of the gravel parking lot heading towards her home. Eyes glancing over at Dustin as she reached out for his hand, lacing her fingers with his thinking everything was going to be alright. Dustin couldn’t help but ask again if he had taken her v card. Still not wanting to believe she went without her entire life. He had no choice but to go without but she had options out here.

Her response was letting go of his hand punching him in the shoulder telling him to shut up and stop picking on her about it. He wasn’t trying to pick, he was just honestly curious and flattered by it.

“I was starting to think you were avoiding me.” Laughed Mike as Dustin walked in the front door behind Danni.

Mike gave Danni a double-take before nodding for her to go upstairs and heading back into the kitchen himself where he waved for Dustin to follow him. Danni gave Dustin a quick wink before she went upstairs, wishing he was headed that way instead.

“Just been busy with my parole officer on my back and starting my new job the other day trying to get my shit straight you know.”

“Yeah,” Mike responded by pulling two beers out from the fridge for them sitting down at the table across from him.

“I came by the other day but you weren’t home when you asked for me.”

This caused Mike to give him a questioning look as he took a long drag on his beer.

“I didn’t ask for you the other day.”

“But Tink,” Then it hit him. “Nevermind, I’m here now.”

“Right, so we can’t wait for you to get off parole. I need you back like yesterday. Well, I’ve always needed you. I’m not asking this time either. The next shipment is coming in and I need you there for the pickup. I’ve been informed the last two have been short and the Trips aren’t too happy about it.”

“Since when did we start dealing with the Triple Threats?” Dustin, upset by this news to him.

“Since we got fucked over a few years back.” Mike not caring for the questioning of his leadership. “It’s been so fucking rocky. I just figured everything out and now the supply is coming up short on our end and I don’t know who it is yet. I hope with you there you’ll be able to spot something for me.”

“That’s not even my normal position. You call me after you find out who it is. I don’t need to get caught up in some shit again that doesn’t even involve me.”

“Last time I checked you were part of this family and I’m the head of that family. You will do what’s asked of you and that’s fucking final or we can burn if you prefer that.”

Dustin pushing back in his chair ready to go off on Mike for even thinking about mentioning that to him completely floored.

“That’s what I thought. Trevor will let you know when the drop comes so you can be there and I expect some news.”