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Rose had listened the entire ti her expression The very thought of so Rose had done ry at himself Suddenly Vincent seemed nervous "Rose, please don’t let this scare you into not wanting to be my friend…or more I’m not like that anymore I have a job still with my dad, and I’d be there now, but hborhood for a while after the whole tagging thing At first I didn’t want to I knohat the family thinks of me I didn’t want to be scrutinized all su to know you better over texting, I could hardly wait They can scrutinize all they want; it’s totally worth it I’ht now I swear No more of any of that shit for me ever, especially because one"

Rose gulped, feeling the steady beat of her heart strong She was anxious but at the saainst hers sent shivers up her spine, his wordsher insides liquid Had she heard him correctly? Or more? What those two little words did to her was unreal But if Grace knew everything he’d been in trouble for, guns, drug dealing? She didn’t care what he called it--delivering--selling It was still drug dealing, and her sister would surely forbid so much as even a friendship

Their eyes , so full of remorse that Rose instantly caved He did say it was all in the past She inhaled deeply "Is that it?"

For the first time in a while, he s else in the email And most of this was frohts? You said you’ve been in fights, but you didn’t elaborate just said lots" She smiled nervously

His shborhood, it’s just like that"

Rose frowned She wouldn’t let him off the hook so easy "Vincent, look around I’m not exactly in La Jolla here El Paso wasn’t ht in my life"

She wouldn’t mention that Grace had been in quite a fehen they first moved to El Paso But that was different She was bullied because of her accent There’s only soback

"It’s different for girls, Rosie When you’re a guy there’s a lot that’s so hard to let go"

Rose was still recovering fro him call her Rosie, but she shook it off "Like what?"

He stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets and kicked a few rocks on the ground "Like seeing others get picked on, girls disrespected, your buddies getting wailed on You don’t just walk away fros My brother…soed "He’s just a funny dude, but soonna fk with hih me, first, and…over the years, that’s happened a lot" He looked up fro and flashed a hopeful s else now? Please?"

She was sure he used the sweet expression to gain her sympathy; instead, it made her knees weak How could she say no? "Okay," she s" His expression went hard again" It’s not so much about you but about your dad I’m just curious"

Now he looked curious "My dad?"

"Yeah, Grace told randpa started the business way back with a taco truck, and then Sal’s dad got involved, and they made the restaurants what they are now Sal’s dad and yours are brothers right? Why didn’t he join the business? I uys end up in La Puente?" She hoped he wouldn’t be insulted, but from all the stuff he just told her about Sal’s faht and day

Rose was surprised to see a little huot busy after Grandma Moreno passed away and didn’t tell anyone" He smiled at Rose’s raised eyebrows "Yep And then I don’t knohy, but randma never told anyone either My dad didn’t even know he had a brother until he was already married and had moved to La Puente near randpa never even knew about hirandpa tried to make up for the lost time and even offered to let him come work for him at the restaurant, but " Vince frowned shaking his head "I was such a dick toup north, but like an idiot I didn’t buy it"

"Why not?"

"Inaway for a while to work’ was code for a lot of things--going to jail, carrying off a job for theto live with his other woood So here I acted like a total assle when he’d get back fro his ass off as a field worker to support his faain "Now can we talk about souilty, but she didn’t blame him She was alreed to change the subject "What do you wanna talk about?"