Kylie Bray (Love, Hate and Billions)

Looking at the rose I wasn't sure what she meant, and I said as much, my mama smiled at me,

“In order to understand love, you would have to understand hatred first, and the only way to learn that is to experience fear.”

Mama touched my cheek and walked out, leaving me alone with that single rose in my hand and my own pebbles scattered to the floor.

I never got what she meant that day and I didn't understand it for the eight months I dated Dexter.

I knew I didn't love him, I knew it because when he started liking other girls I didn't even bat an eye-lash.

But I did understand it the day Vincent Stone walked back into my life.

I was seventeen and my brother Kevin was already patched into The Satan Snipers Motorcycle club in Houston, Texas.

I was meeting Kevin for lunch in Seattle at a small restaurant near one of the Universities I was applying to.

I hardly got to see him since he joined the navy years back. And like always whenever an opportunity presented itself to meet with him I took it with both hands.

That day was no different.

I love my Kevin, I understand him as no one else does.

And the fact that he was meeting me, even though he had ‘shit’ to do, proved that my brother loved me in his own detached way.

I never need the words when his actions speak so loudly.

So that day I made sure I was a couple of minutes early.

I never thought I’d see Vincent walk into the same restaurant. What were the chances, right?

Dressed in a crisp charcoal three piece Italian Suit that screamed money and power Vincent was too overdressed for the small place. I remember the hot flash of nerves riddling my belly.

sharp indented nose, the strong jaw that probably got shaved

say or pinpoint the exact thing that drew me to

I see in him that day in the restaurant? I can't tell you because honestly speaking there is no other way

in him, maybe it is the idea of

his dark blonde hair was short and neatly

hazel eyes found me before I even sat

to do, I didn’t know whether to greet

would have informed him that the restaurant was for Varsity Students and locals, while insisting he had the

red and black Jordan's and black Vest for something

that day in the small family owned restaurant

care that he never spent

small restaurant’ dressed in his four thousand dollar

I cared and I

are times when I wish I didn't, but God

day, he didn't even look at

back, ignoring my sly glances until Kevin walked

on the back, whispered a few words, and still didn't

proceeded to straighten his suit jacket staring right past me before he

clipped, even my mind couldn't find a more appealing way

asked, he never stated, but I knew

I was weak then, still learning, still

was months later when

the same places and he was for all intent and purposes one of

heart in my eyes and his behind a steel

is no way to suppress the doughy expression that’s clearly pasted on my face when my other half begins

squirrel at the dumpster behind Trilogy, and then I got to

is Vincent's luck that his cell

a way of turning bad, twisting its wicked intent to master the course