“Jasper has bad taste. You can’t go off’a what he thinks is a good idea. I know ya know that,” he returned. “Maybe. Or maybe for whatever reason, Ash was meant to be the way he is. Bigger picture an’ all that.” Although he’d also believe it if they were just assholes. It was so hard to tell. “Probably. He didn’t hate Tru, though. Or me, Elise, an’ Jake for helpin’ hide the truth.”
“What does that say about you though since you’ve both gravitated towards me in one way or another,” she pointed out with a smirk. If nothing else, she could damn sure have that joke. “The bigger picture can bite my ass. And I don’t mean that in a fun and kinky way.” Because they both knew one of them would make the joke if she didn’t phrase it that way. “Probably because he knows Tru has stability issues. Don’t think for a second that he doesn’t resent you and her at least a little for it though.”
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Thus far, he’d seemed amused—playful even—with their banter. And although the threat was covered with a smile, she knew there was more than a bit of sincerity behind what had been said. Carefully, she felt around the waistband of her pants, pleased that she’d had enough forethought to tuck one of her knives there for safe keeping. She wouldn’t pull it out just yet, but it’s presence was a comfort.
“Guess I better keep you on your toes, then.”
“Bold of you to assume that I’m not already growing disinterested in allowing your continued existence in this world.”
He wasn’t, not quite, but allowing her to believe it was entertaining for him. A part of him was curious to see if he could get inside her head, make her think the entire thing was just a hallucination. She was more of a challenge than the last person he had played that game with.
Erys could spot a lie when she saw one, but she wasn’t going to argue if that was the story Chayton planned on sticking to. Sure, she knew that that sort of technology was at least possible, but she’d seen things like that before, and they looked very obviously fake compared to Grayson’s eyes.
“Da’s go’ money. Ya can ge’ all sor’s o’ realis’ic lookin’ shi’ wi’ enough of i’.”
An honest reply, at least. Of course, his dad wasn’t as good at keeping his savings than his aunt was, but Ava made sure that at least some of Grayson’s funds were secure.
“Why ya seem like ya wanna believe ‘im?”
I want to write, but I’m tired af and won’t be on tonight after work. Dunno what time I’ll be on tomorrow either because going to Pride when I get off of work. Sunday I will def be on after work and then I’m off on Monday, so there’s that at least?
“Your grandma sounds like a bitch,” he said flatly. “Or at the very least, controlling as fuck.” Too blunt, probably, but he didn’t sugarcoat things.
“She let my dad, aunt, and uncle do as they pleased. Dad’s not really responsible, aunt killed herself, uncle’s locked up. She sort of over-corrected.”
“I guess. Seems easier to make friends with people you see every day, though.” Not that Wilder had ever had very many close friends. He didn’t like people and he was bad at pretending he did. “You’re not wrong, but I feel like most people think about the best-case-scenario at least once.”
She shrugged, not really bothered by it. There had always been kids her age around when she was younger and, despite growing apart over the years, she still trusted her cousin completely. “I was raised to be more practical than that, I guess. Granny wasn’t really big on letting anyone have their heads in the clouds.”
