Page 72 of Limbo

I pick up our bags and haul them over to the bed. Without warning, Jordan’s arms shoot out, and then I’m staring up at him from my back. His body covers mine, his focus on my mouth.

“Lover Boy, huh?” He kisses me when I smile, and why didn’t I lock the door earlier? “Small children go to bed at, like, seven, right?”

Following the same route as my mouth a few minutes ago, I sweep my fingers over his jaw. “She needs fed, bathed, and read to. After that, I’m all yours.”

“That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard, if I disregard everything but the last three words.” He gets up and yanks me to my feet. “Let’s go play house.”

Words I never expected Jordan Waters to ever say to me.

Per Cate’s command, I pop my head out of the bathroom. On the floor, back against the wall, Jordan waits with the pretty pink princess crown in hand. We both smile, and I shut the door, returning to the bossy girl in the bathtub.

“He’s right where you left him—tiara and all.”

“On his head?”

I nod, squeezing the shampoo into her hand. “He’s beautiful.”

She giggles, shutting her eyes and rubbing her head.

After a rinse, towel-dry, and slight disagreement over the pajamas I brought in for her to wear—princesses instead of fairies—I comb out her hair as fast as possible.

“Cal, hurry,” she whines.

“Done,” I say, laying the brush on the counter.

Out the door she goes, hands planted on her hips. She stops short in the hallway. “Oh. You are wearing it.”

I follow, picking her up. “Bedtime, my monster queen.”

“Jordan has to read to me.” She reaches down in his direction, her lip jutting out.

He stares up with a mixture of exhaustion and uncertainty in his eyes and a glittery tiara on his head. I spin around, searching for a way to spare him from the voices she’ll request for each character. The guy can only tolerate so much.

“Jordan doesn’t know how to read.”

“He doesn’t?”

“No, and he’s very sad about it. But I bet if you read to him, it would make him feel better.”

She appears dubious but agrees, and Jordan shuffles down the hall behind us.

Once they settle in with a book, she dismisses me. He nods when I check with him, so I leave him to fend for himself. I finish cleaning up in the bathroom and grab my phone from my bedroom. A message from Benjamin “Badass” Jones awaits me.

Update me, woman.

I reply,Beta Void will live to play another show.

Forever grateful for your service.

Can I thank you now?

Soon.

Connor’s spread out on the couch in the living room. I drop onto the cushions and land on his feet. After a few kicks without me budging, he retracts them. Whatever he watches involves screams and buckets of blood. A typical Friday night.

“Where’s Lover Boy?” he asks.

“Stop calling him that.” I whop him with a pillow and steal the blanket from him. “He’s reading to Cate.”

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