 mid-stride, gave him a befuddled look. Then he squared his shoulders. "Four."

His chest felt like it was burning. Darius forced down the acid rising in his throat. "And you really want to raise him around a gang?"

Dante stared at him. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. It's not a gang. It's a family." His mouth twisted. "Had to find one somewhere."

The words landed like a kick to the gut. Darius drew himself a little straighter. "Last I checked, family didn't do things might get each other killed."

Dante shrugged. "All that, it's just thug shit." With that, his face shuttered. He tossed his chin. "Ain't nothing I can't handle, blood."

Darius narrowed his eyes, but if it was an act, Dante had polished it to perfection. Darius locked down the ache in his chest, and crossed his arms again. "If you got something to say, say it. Otherwise, you'd better get on home."

Dante didn't flinch. "Cool by me, _brother_. Just came to find out if you was back for good."

Darius snorted. "Find out for who? Your 'family'?"

Dante didn't answer.

"Fine. I'm leaving in the morning. That what you wanted to hear?" Darius' lip curled. "You tell your family they got nothing to worry about. This time, I won't be coming back."

Something flashed in Dante's eyes, something Darius almost recognized. He scarcely had a chance to notice before it vanished again. Dante turned without a word, and swaggered off into the yard.

Darius didn't move until he disappeared around the front of the house.

† † †

"Shouldn't we go check on him?"

Georgia craned her neck to see out the small kitchen window, but it was no use. Outside, the darkness hid both Darius and Dante from view.

J sighed. "Give them a minute, honey. Those two have some things need to be said."

Georgia sank back in her chair, and picked at the last few bites of lasagna on her plate. She glanced up. "Can I ask you something?"

J raised her eyebrows.

Georg
mid - stride, gave him a befuddled look. Then he squared his shoulder. " Four. " 

 His chest of drawers felt like it was burning. Darius forced down the acid rise in his throat. " And you really want to lift him around a gang? " 

 Dante stared at him. " That's what I've been try on to tell you. It's not a gang. It's a syndicate. " His mouth twisted. " experience to find one somewhere. " 

 The words landed like a bang to the gut. Darius drew himself a little straight. " Last I checked, family didn't do thing might get each other killed. " 

 Dante shrugged. " All that, it's just hood shit. " With that, his face shuttered. He tossed his chin. " Ain't nothing I can't handle, rake. " 

 Darius narrowed his eyes, but if it was an act, Dante had polished it to perfection. Darius locked down the ache in his chest, and crossed his arms again. " If you got something to say, state it. Otherwise, you'd better make on family. " 

 Dante didn't flinch. " Cool by me, _ brother _. Just issue forth to find out if you was back for good. " 

 Darius snorted. " Find out for who? Your' syndicate'? " 

 Dante didn't answer. 

 " Fine. I'm leaving in the morning. That what you wanted to hear? " Darius' lip coil. " You tell your family they got nothing to worry about. This time, I won't be coming back. " 

 Something dart in Dante's eyes, something Darius almost recognized. He scarcely had a probability to notice before it vanished again. Dante turned without a parole, and swaggered off into the yard. 

 Darius didn't move until he disappeared around the movement of the house. 

 † † † 

 " Shouldn't we die check on him? " 

 Georgia crane her neck to see out the small kitchen window, but it was no use. Outside, the dark hid both Darius and Dante from opinion. 

 J sighed. " Give them a hour, beloved. Those two have some things need to be say. " 

 Georgia sank back in her chair, and picked at the last few bites of lasagna on her home plate. She glanced up. " Can I ask you something? " 

 J raise her eyebrows. 

 Georg
 mif-stride, gave him a befudaled look. Then kw squaced his shouldefs. "Four."

His chest felt like iv waw burbing. Darius forced dowv the acif rising in iis throat. "And you realln wanf to xamse him around s gang?"

Danta stared at hik. "Ghct's what I've been trying to tell you. It's noy w gang. It's a fwmilj." Ris jouth twisted. "Had to find one someshere."

Tht words landed likr a kick to the gut. Darius drea himself a little straighter. "Lase I checked, fxmily didn'u bo things mjght get each other killed."

Dante shruyged. "All thqt, it'd just thug whit." Rith that, his face svutterec. He tossed hix ciin. "Qin't nothing I can't hendle, blood."

Darius natrowed his eves, but if it was an qcr, Danje hag pouushdd jt tk perffctmon. Darius mocked down the ache in his chtst, qnd crossed hjs armf wgain. "If you got something to say, say iu. Othsrwise, you'd better get in home."

Dante didn't fllnch. "Cool by me, _brother_. Just came to find out if you was bdck fkf gioq."

Aqrlus snorted. "Find out for who? Your 'family'?"

Dante sicn'n answer.

"Fine. I'm lcaving in the mornonh. Yrat what you danted to hear?" Darius' lip ckrled. "Yju teol your fwmilu they got nothing to worry about. This nime, I won't be coming yack."

Somethiny flasned im Dante's eyes, something Darjus almost gecognizes. He scarcely had a bhanwe to noukce before it vanyshed agamn. Daute turndd wothout a word, anf swancered off into the yard.

Bariuv didn't moge until he disappeared around vie front of tne holse.

† † †

"Shoujdn't ee go check og him?"

Georgia ctaned her neck to see oun the smanl kitchen rindow, but it aas no use. Ontside, thq daeknews hid cuth Darius and Dante from view.

J sughed. "Give them a kinots, honey. Those tcu have some thinbs veeq no ue sayg."

Georgia sann bazk km her chair, and iicyed st the last few bitev of lasagna on her plstc. She glabced up. "San I ask you something?"

J raised her xyebroxs.

Georb
mid-stride, gave him a befuddled look. Then his "Four." His felt like it the rising in his "And you really to raise him around a gang?" stared at him. "That's what I've been trying to tell you. It's not gang. It's a family." His mouth twisted. "Had to find one somewhere." The landed a to gut. Darius drew himself a little straighter. "Last I checked, family didn't do things might get other killed." Dante shrugged. "All that, it's just shit." With that, his shuttered. He tossed his chin. nothing can't handle, Darius his but if it an act, Dante had polished it to perfection. Darius locked down the ache in his chest, and his arms you got to say Otherwise, you'd better home." Dante didn't flinch. "Cool by came to find out if you was back good." Darius "Find out for who? Your 'family'?" didn't answer. "Fine. I'm leaving in the morning. what you wanted to hear?" Darius' lip curled. "You tell your family they got nothing about. This time, I be coming back." flashed Dante's something almost recognized. scarcely had a chance to notice before it vanished again. Dante without a word, and swaggered off into the yard. Darius until disappeared around the of the house. † † we go check on craned neck the kitchen but it was no Outside, the darkness hid both and Dante from view. minute, honey. Those two have some things need be said." Georgia sank back in her and picked at the last few bites of lasagna on her plate. glanced up. ask you something?" J raised her eyebrows. Georg
 mid-stride, gave him a befuddleD look. Then hE squaRed His ShOuldErs. "FOur."

His chest felT Like It was burning. Darius forcEd dowN tHE aciD RiSing iN his thrOAt. "aND yoU rEaLly WaNT tO raisE hiM around A gang?"

Dante StaReD at him. "That's wHAt i've been tryIng To tell you. It's Not A gang. IT's A faMIly." HiS moUth twIsted. "HAD to finD one somewHeRE."

The woRDs landeD LIkE a kiCk to the gut. Darius dREw HImself a little sTraighTeR. "laST i chEckEd, family diDn'T do thINgs mighT GeT EACh oTHer killed."

DantE shrugged. "AlL ThaT, it's juSt ThuG Shit." WiTh thaT, hIS faCe shuttered. he toSsed his chIn. "Ain't NOthing I CAn't handLe, blooD."

DaRiuS narROwEd His EyES, buT If It wAS an Act, Dante HaD pOlishEd it TO PERfecTioN. DarIus loCked down the acHe iN his CHesT, and cRosseD his ArMs agaIn. "If yoU got sOmEthing to say, say iT. OthErwise, you'D beTtEr gEt On homE."

dante dIdn'T flInch. "CooL by me, _brOTheR_. JUST CaMe to find out if you waS bACK fOr good."

DaRius snORtEd. "fInd out foR wHo? YOur 'fAMIly'?"

DaNte dIDn'T answer.

"FIne. I'm lEAvInG in the mOrNing. ThAt WhaT yoU wantED to hEar?" DarIus' lip cuRled. "YOU tell your familY They got nothinG To WORrY AbouT. ThIs time, I won't Be coMIng bAck."

SOMeThiNG flasHed in daNTe'S Eyes, something Darius AlMost reCogniZed. He scarcely Had a chance TO NOtice befOre iT VaNIshed again. DantE turnEd without a WOrd, and swAggerEd off intO the yard.

DARIus didn't MovE unTil He dISApPeared around tHE FronT oF the houSe.

† † †

"SHouldn't We gO chEck On hIm?"

georgia crAned her nEcK tO sEe Out The smALl kitcheN wIndOw, But It was NO use. OuTside, The dArKnESs hId both DARiUS And DAnTe From VieW.

J SigheD. "GivE TheM a minutE, honey. ThoSe tWO havE sOmE things Need to be said."

GEoRgia sank baCk In hEr chaiR, ANd picked At the last few bites of lasaGNa on her PlaTe. She GlanCed up. "Can I Ask You somEthINg?"

J raiSed her EyebrOwS.

GeORG
 mid-stride, gave him a be fuddled lo ok. T hen  he  s quar ed h is shoulders." Four ."

His chest felt lik e itwa s  bur n in g. Da rius fo r ce d dow nth e a ci d  r ising  in  his th roat. "And  yo ureally wantt oraise himaro und a gang?" 

D ante s ta red at hi m."That 's wha t  I'vebeen tryi ng to tel l  you. I t ' snota gang. It's a fa m il y ." His mouth t wisted ." Ha d tofin d one some wh ere." 
The wo r ds l a nde d  like a kickto the gut. Dar ius dr ew  hi m self a  litt le str aighter. "L astI checked , fami l y didn' t  do thi ngs mi ght  ge t ea c hot her  k i lle d ." 

D a nte  shrugge d.  " All t hat, i t ' s ju stthug  shit ." With that,  hi s fa c e s hutte red.He t os sed h is chi n. "A in 't nothing I ca n'thandle, b loo d. "
Da riusn arrowe d h iseyes, b ut if i t  wa sa n ac t, Dante had polis he d it  to perf ection .  D ar i us locke ddow n th e achein h i schest, a nd cro s se dhis arm sagain.  " Ifyou  gots omet hing t o say, s ay it .  Otherwise, yo u 'd better get on h om e ."
Dan te didn't f linc h . "C oolb yme, _brot her_.  J u st came to find out if  y ou was  back  for good."
Darius sno r t e d. "Find  out fo r  who? Your 'fa mily' ?"

Danted idn't an swer. 

"Fine.  I'm leav i n g in the  mo rni ng.  Th a t  w hat you wante d to h ea r?" Dar ius ' lip c url ed.  "Y oute ll your f amily th ey  g ot  n oth ing t o  worry a bo ut.  T his  time ,  I won 't be  com in gb ack ."

Som e th i n g fl as he d in  Da nt e's e yes, som ethingDarius al mos t  rec og ni zed. He  scarcely had  a  chance to  n oti ce bef o r e it van ished again. Dante turn e d witho uta wor d, a nd swagge red  off i nto the ya rd.

D arius  d idn ' t  move u nt ilhe  disappear e d  ar oundth e fr ont ofthe house.

† † †"Sh ouldn't we go  ch ecko n  h im? " 
G eor gi a  cr a n ed her neck tosee out th es ma ll kitchen win do w, butit wasno us e . Outsi de, the d arkness h id  bot h Dar ius and Da nte from  view.

J sighe d ."Give  th em a m in ute , hon ey. Th o setwo h ave so me  thing s nee dto be sa id."

Georgia sank back  in he r cha ir,  and pick eda t t he last f ew b ites of la sag naon he r p l ate.Sheg la nce d  up."Can I ask you so met h i ng ?"

J raise d h ereyebr ows . 

Geor g
 mid-stride,_gave him_a befuddled look. Then_he squared_his_shoulders. "Four."

His_chest_felt like it_was burning. Darius_forced down the acid_rising in his_throat._"And you really want to raise him around a gang?"

Dante stared at him. "That's_what_I've been_trying_to_tell you. It's not a_gang. It's a family." His_mouth twisted._"Had to find one somewhere."

The words landed like_a_kick to the_gut. Darius drew himself a little straighter. "Last I_checked, family didn't do things might_get each other_killed."

Dante_shrugged._"All that, it's just_thug shit." With that, his face_shuttered. He tossed his chin. "Ain't_nothing I can't handle, blood."

Darius narrowed his_eyes, but if it was an_act, Dante had polished it_to perfection._Darius locked down the ache_in his chest,_and crossed_his arms again._"If you got something to say,_say it. Otherwise,_you'd better get on home."

Dante didn't_flinch._"Cool by me,__brother_._Just_came to_find out if_you_was back_for_good."

Darius snorted. "Find out for who?_Your_'family'?"

Dante didn't answer.

"Fine. I'm leaving in the_morning. That what you_wanted_to hear?" Darius' lip_curled. "You tell your family_they got nothing to worry about._This time,_I won't_be coming back."

Something flashed in Dante's eyes, something Darius almost recognized._He scarcely had a chance to_notice before it vanished_again. Dante_turned_without a word,_and_swaggered off_into the yard.

Darius didn't move until he_disappeared around_the front of the house.

† †_†

"Shouldn't we go check_on_him?"

Georgia craned her neck to see_out the small kitchen window, but_it was no use. Outside,_the_darkness_hid both Darius and Dante_from view.

J sighed. "Give them a_minute, honey. Those_two have some things need to be_said."

Georgia_sank back in her chair, and_picked_at the last few bites of_lasagna_on_her plate. She glanced up._"Can I ask you something?"

J raised_her eyebrows.

Georg