Chapter 38
HAIRPIN TRIGGER
ELIJAH
They don't know I'm using the studio space for what it was intended for again, so I have no right to be upset when Atticus suggests it as a good spot for Céline to cut our hair.
It was easy enough to tuck away the few projects I'm nowhere near finished with and give the floor a quick scrape and wipe.
I've adapted the ball grip Sev made for me, adding a wedge of dense foam as a finger grip, and it's made a huge difference.
My hand is still sore as fuck when I've finished even a shorter session, but I never thought I'd paint again, so… I'm taking the bad with the good.
I keep my hand under the warm running water a little longer than I need to as I wash them in the bathroom and then throw my wet fingers through my freshly cut hair.
Céline took a little more off than she normally does, and it reminds me of different times.
Times when we were in Paris every month and stopping by to see her as often as we could.
The dark brown waves flow back away from my face, the tips just long enough to cover the tops of my ears.
"It looks good."
Aurora's voice behind me draws my attention in the mirror and I smile at her reflection.
"Glad you think so," I say. "You're the only one I'm trying to impress."
Her lips quirk up, but only for a second before her gaze drops to the sink where I've unconsciously started to massage my hand under the stream of warm water. "Is it bothering you?"
"Oh, it's fine. A little stiff today, that's all."
"From shooting again yesterday?"
I can't bring myself to lie to her outright, so I give a shrug instead. Shooting did aggravate it, but I know that's not the root cause.
"Maybe take it easy the rest of the week?" she suggests, slipping into my en suite bathroom and taking my hand once I've finished drying it on a hand towel. She begins to gently knead the aching muscle and tendons there until I sigh at the relief.
"I can't," I mutter. "You saw my aim. It's not even half as good as Sev's or Atticus's, or even yours."
She snorts. "I'm not that much better than you. It's been over a year since I was at the range with any sort of regularity."
"Well, then I guess you're a natural."
She smirks. "I've been meaning to ask, how's Julian doing? Have you heard anything else from Nancy."
The fact that she remembers the name of his primary care nurse is a testament to how many times she's asked about him since we went to visit.
"Better," I reply. "Back in his delusions, but peaceful, which is good to hear."
"Good. I'm glad. I hope we can go see him again soon."
I can tell she really means it and wonder if she has any idea what it means to me to hear her say it.
I tip her face up to the light, wanting to study it without the shadows.
"You're incredible, Aurora Bellerose," I tell her, holding her gaze. "And I don't deserve you."
A tiny knot forms between her brows, like she might disagree with me, but I kiss it away.
"Wait…Elijah," she says, a hand on my chest. "There's something I need to—"
"Hey, did you bring that wine up from the cellar for Céline?" Sev asks, poking his head around the bathroom door, looking surprised to see Aurora in here with me. "Oh, hey, Ro. I fixed that, uh—little mechanical problem you needed help with."
He winks at her and I raise a brow.
"Confetti cannon," she explains. "I promised Atticus fifty pounds of dickfetti and I intend to give him every last ounce."
I must make a face because she frowns. "Too far?"
"You're entitled to your vengeance, Angel," I sigh. "But fifty pounds of confetti?"
"Well, two pounds didn't have the intended effect, so…"
I blink at her. "When did you—"
"In the office back at the laundromat. He actually laughed at me when it exploded. I thought he'd be whining about it for days, but I talked to Sev and apparently he didn't even tell you guys."
This is news.
"I wasn't able to get my hands on the full fifty pounds, but I did score almost twenty. It's going to be epic."
"He laughed?" I'm asking Aurora, but my eyes meet Sev's smiling ones. He nods, knowing exactly what I'm thinking.
We used to prank each other all the time. There was a glitter bomb Sev set off once that we were still cleaning the remnants of months later, but since we lost my mom and my family's collection…and since he left and then returned from the military colder and harder…
"He really laughed?"
She rolls her eyes like that was the last thing she wanted him to do, but I can sense the truth beneath—she's not angry at all. Not really.
"The wine?" Sev presses again. "Céline's asking."
"Yeah, I already decanted the Bordeaux. It should be ready to pour. It's in the dining room."
"No wonder I couldn't find it."
That's fair. I can count on one hand the number of times we've actually used that table to eat, but having both Céline and Aurora here means there won't be space at the kitchen island for everyone.
"Hey, come here," Aurora says, tugging Seven closer to brush her fingertips over the sides of his head.
Unlike me, Sev's haircut never changes. It's always a tight skin fade on the sides to reveal the Grecian laurel crown he has inked into the skin there, leaving the black hair on top longer like he's from some 1920s street gang. It suits him, though.
"I never noticed how detailed it is," Aurora muses, still running her fingers over the lines of his tattoo as he watches her face, rapt by it.
"When my hair grows out it's harder to see."
"I like it. Do you have an artist somewhere around here you use?"
"Why, Ro? You want some ink?"
She drops her hands and bites her lip. "Maybe?"
"Well, this one was done by a guy in Leeds. Same with this one." He taps the triple sevens on his neck. "I'll take you to see him sometime."
She laughs and shakes her head, and I wonder if she'll ever get used to doing whatever she pleases whenever she pleases.
Sev pulls her hand into his and grins wickedly. "Atticus just sat down for his turn, so it's the perfect time to, uh…" He jerks his head back down the hall, and mock whispers, "Load the dicks."
He leads us out and when Aurora catches sight of Atticus through the open door to the studio, she stops in her tracks, peering around the door.
Céline chats with Atticus in the way only Céline can. Getting more words out of him than me or Sev can in a whole week sometimes.
I stand at her shoulder, and when it shakes from silent laughter, I can see why.
Céline has drenched Atticus's hair and has it all combed down over his face as she trims the long gold and copper ends. He looks a little bit like a wet mop.
Aurora covers her mouth with her hand, but not before a little sound comes out and Atticus's head snaps up. She backs into me and I haul her out of view as we hear Céline giving Atty shit for moving.
"Go, go, go," she whispers, and we all run with quiet steps down the hall.
"Hey!" Atticus shouts after us. "Have any of you seen my stress ball?"
I cringe. "Ask Seven!"
Sev gives me a glare with no real malice and I laugh.
Ellie's drawn to the sound from the other room and joins our troupe with an excited bark as we race through the dining room toward the stairs to Atty's room.
"Come on, Ellie!" Aurora encourages her. "To the cannon!"