Prisoner 4-0-9 novel Chapter 18

Ocean's POV

Ever since that night, I haven't been seeing Trevor around as much. He left early in the mornings and was always tired when I tried to talk to him in the night. As much as he was attractive and seductive, I wasn't gonna keep tripping over a man who obviously didn't want to be tripped over.

Things with Rasco have been going great, and I feel like we'll actually find something valuable soon. On top of that, college was flowing on, and even if it felt like my head was bursting, I actually had a feeling that I'd be successful this time.

It was another lazy Sunday, and Trevor would usually disappear by this time; 1:02 pm, but instead he was laid up on the couch watching football. I wondered if I should bother him...

Nah.

But then again I may never get this opportunity to speak to him so I took it.

"Trevor?" I call out, entering the living room and his eyes leave the screen and lands on me.

"Yea?"

"Can we talk?" He was hesitant before he nodded and sat up. I plopped next to him.

"How you been? It feels like ages since we sat and spoke like this," I begin calmly and he clears his throat.

"I'm fine." He says awkwardly and I sigh.

"Alright, what's the problem?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's so awkward between us, we don't joke around, heck, we can't even hold a conversation anymore... did I do something?" He looks at me, like really looks at me, before running a hand through his hair.

"I can't do it." He mutters and I almost didn't catch it.

"Do what?"

"I can't just be friends." My face contorted into one of shock, unsure of what to say. "Look at you, what you're wearing, how you look at me, you're tempting me. It's the simplest things you do and I need to run take a cold shower."

I let out a little laugh at the last part.

"And don't tell me that I can have you because I can't," He whispers, leaning forward and gently caressing my cheek with his thumb. I couldn't do anything but stare. "You're not ready, and even if you were, I'm not right for you. Cliche, sure, but factual."

"Trevor... "

"I guess I was being kinda salty, just a few weeks ago I was so close to being inside you, crazy, but believe it or not that soup saved the both of us." I cleared my throat at his bluntness. "Two things would've happened, I got inside and both of us would've ended up being sealed to each other... or I got inside and my heart would've been sealed... but yours wouldn't, and in this type of lifestyle, you can't afford to have a broken heart."

Trevor's POV

I slam my car door and enter the tattoo parlor. It was looking good, now flowing with the most artistic ex-criminals I could find. I could see it quickly climbing to the top in a matter of a few months.

"Hey Mr. Vatore, Hailey wanted me to give you these records." Tim, my store manager handed me some files. Hailey was his assistant, covered in tattoos, with pale white skin. Heck, even her half-shaved head had tattoos. She was always unprofessional, and I've had to ask Tim to get her under control a few times before I simply give up and fire her. Now I guess she was mad at me because I was putting down my foot? I don't have time for these childish games.

I enter her office to find her with her feet up, lazily chewing on gum.

"Oh, it's the big man," She mocked.

"Are you drunk?" I wrinkled my nose at the small smell of alcohol. if Tim wasn't so good at what he did probably fire him too.

"Oh please, as you haven't had a bad once in your life?" She scoffs sarcastically.

"Pack up your stuff and leave," I tell her. "I'm giving you a chance to make yourself, to do something different than crack, but you're taking advantage of it. Are you even listening to me?" She starts hiccupping as if she was about to cry, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Tim!" I call out and he quickly enters the room. "Please guide a very drunk Hailey out of the shop, help her with her stuff."

"You can't fire me!" She starts yelling and I take that as my queue to leave. I ignore her, not wanting the drama. I give the store a quick survey to see that it was running just how it was supposed to be. In a few days will be taking a trip to Italy to visit my parents, and I was thinking of bringing Ocean along.

Come to think of it, I definitely have to bring her now as she was snooping around, and I needed things to die down so my men could get rid of that investigator,

One way, or another.