Page 34 of Thirst

He shakes his head, unbothered. “It’s fine. My father was killed by a cop when I was kid. Shot in the neck while reaching for his registration during a traffic stop. The cop thought he was reaching for a gun, even though he told him to get his paperwork. My father had a gun in the car and informed the officer that he had it before going to the glove compartment. The bullet hit him in the neck and got lodged there. He bled out before the ambulance could even make it to the scene. My mother died five years later. The doctors said it was a heart attack, but I think it was more from heartache. Loneliness can be worse than cancer. The cop didn't shoot my mom, but he killed her, too.”

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach. I knew that they were dead, but I had no idea that the end of their lives was this tragic. No wonder their son is so stoic.

“That’s terrible,” I say softly. “I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked.”

“No need to apologize,” he says. “I don't mind telling their story.”

“That says a lot about you. You're strong. My parents are still alive and I couldn't imagine anything like that happening to them. I didn't have the best childhood, but I would lose my mind if I lost them both in a five-year window. Especially that way. Did the cop go to jail?”

He looks at me, and before he speaks a word, I can already see the answer in his eyes.

“What do you think?” he asks with a raised brow. “But it’s fine. It worked out in the end.”

“How, if the cop wasn't punished?”

“I never said he wasn't punished,” he replies, and each word is coated with malice.

“I don't think I understand.”

“He died,” Amari says without an ounce of emotion. “So did his wife. It was years after my parents, though.”

I frown hard as my heart reacts to how nonchalant he seems. “Umm, how did they die?”

His eyes cut over to me, and I see the most subtle hint of a smirk pulling at his lips. “I guess someone broke in one night and killed them. I'm not sure of the details, but …”

Amari’s words trail off, and the smirk on his lips stays in place as he looks up to the ceiling like he's remembering something fond. I watch him, a spike of panic piercing my heart, and something tells me that Shawn and Amari are very similar to each other. They both know how to tell a story without giving too much away, but I know there's more beneath the surface.

Amari’s vibe is very much like a mob boss. His confidence borders on cocky, and he's as fearless as they come. Even when being confronted by Von, who isn't soft by any means, Amari looked at him like he was nothing. It was as if he knew he didn’t have a thing to fear, even in a club that Von owns with bouncers on the payroll. Amari never looked as though he felt he was in danger. That kind of self-assuredness comes from someone who has seen and done his fair share of dirt. I'm sure being a casino owner brings its own drama with gambling and shady characters, and it takes someone solid to do his job, but I can tell there's something deeper. Who knows how far I’ll have to dive to reach it, but I know it’s down there—something dark, swimming too low for the sunlight to reach.

Amari clears his throat, drawing my attention up from the table I didn't realize I was staring at while my thoughts ran amok.

“So, how about your family? You an only child?” he asks, switching the focus to me.

“I am,” I reply. “My parents are still alive, fortunately, but they only had one kid—and for good reason. They both struggled with work and it made life difficult enough with just one extra mouth to feed.”

“I see. Do they still struggle with money now?”

“Unfortunately. But that’s the day we all live in now. We’re all being priced out of everything.”

“True. Do you talk to them often?”

“Not really,” I say, hating to admit it. “They're not the biggest fans of their daughter being a stripper. To them, it’s the same as being a prostitute, which is ironic seeing as how Fantasies has the Viper Rooms and Von is always begging me to go up there.”

“Ah, so they're disappointed in the life you chose?”

“They wanted me to be an artist,” I answer. “Painting has always been my biggest passion. I've loved it since I was a kid, and still do to this day. But making money from painting isn't as easy as some might think, and these bills aren’t getting any cheaper. We have to learn how to survive before we learn how to pursue our passions. It’s a sad fact of life.”

Amari nods in agreement. “Indeed it is. Well, hopefully you can pursue your dream one day, and in doing so, improve your relationship with your folks. It can be hard, but you have to cherish them while they're still here. Sooner or later, the people you love will start to fade away.”

“I know,” I say sadly. “I gotta get my act together first. I just need to do something they can be proud of before I start calling and asking them to look at my life. Maybe someday, though.”

“Yeah. Someday soon.”

I press my lips together, trying not to let the sadness overwhelm me and take over the evening we’ve started. However, I love that Amari and I are able to get deep with each other. It feels like every conversation we’ve had has ended up this way. Maybe that’s why I feel so comfortable around him. It’s like we really know each other already. It’s why I was willing to come here in the first place, ready to explore things with him I never knew I’d be interested in.

After a moment of quiet, I finish my steak and look over at Amari’s plate. He has eaten a few fries and taken a few forkfuls of his baked potato, but his steak is completely untouched. His wine has been drunk down and refilled, but the plate looks damn near the same as it did when he brought it to the table.

“Sheesh. I'm finished eating and you've barely touched your food. Weren't you hungry?” I ask, putting my fork down for good.