Chapter 31

“It’s just,” Eli said as they joined the traffic, “the one night I needed him not to be nicked, the one night I needed him to behave himself—”

Danny laughed. “Yeah, ‘cause Rob behaves.”

“He does if he wants,” Eli said sourly. “And he obviously didn’t want.”

“He didn’t want to go,” Danny admitted. “Told me, said it was just the one thing for you and if you asked again he’d say no. Said how he doesn’t get why you need him to do it at all.”

“Because I know you guys never had a decent family, but I do,” Eli retorted. “And I don’t want to fall out with them permanently over Rob.”

“So dump him.”

Danny’s voice was harsh and cold. The cheery face had closed down, the smile gone.

“No.”

Eli heard his own voice cooling, too, and swallowed.

“No?”