Page 257 of Back in the Saddle

I smiled back at him.

“Mace also told us part of our jobs was to watch you and your crew’s asses, so bonus is I get to keep an eye on you.”

My smile turned upside down.

My brother started laughing.

Whatever.

“Are we done? I have to get back to work,” I reminded him.

“You know the coolest thing in the world?” Jeff asked.

I had a feeling I knew several of the coolest things in the world, and Jeff was going to be working with all of them.

Still, I asked, “What?”

“They’re assholes. They’re wastes of space. But you and me didn’t just make it out from under their bullshit, we got out and we thrived. I’d say, ‘So fuck them,’ but I don’t care enough to say it. They’re dust. And we’re concrete. I’m that because I had you, and you never let me down.”

He was talking about our parents.

And why were people always trying to make me lose it?

Really, I wanted to know.

“You never let me down either,” I replied, trying to hide my voice was croaky.

He grinned. “I know. I’m the shit.”

That got me over it.

I rolled my eyes.

He socked me in the arm a little too hard.

I socked him in the arm harder.

He busted out laughing and walked away.

I got back to work.

* * *

That night,all the girls met up at Raye and Cap’s because Raye had gotten a message from Arthur and from what was in this message, according to her (and Luna, and Harlow), we had to do a ceremony to bless our new army knives and the Taser holsters Arthur had gotten us.

Even though this was ridiculous, I participated because first, I was outvoted, second, I got to pick which shot we did during the blessing ceremony (I selected kamikazes), and last, it didn’t take that long, then we went out to were Cap and Eric were hanging in the living room, drinking beer.

There was some small talk.

I made a fresh batch of kamikazes so Eric and Cap could have one.

Then it was time for Harlow to start her bed preparations (this had a different slate of activities every night including but not limited to bubble baths, herbal tea or hot chocolate, facials, do-it-yourself mani/pedis, and a variety of other things), therefore, she left.

Luna had to take Jaques for his evening stroll, so she left.

And Eric and I had to fuck, thus, we left.

“You survived,” Eric observed as we made the short trek to my pad.

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