Chapter 5 #2
I said.
Layla elaborated.
Brady said.
Hunt said. I couldn’t decide if he might actually mean it as a compliment or not.
Griff said.
Then what, indeed.
I said,
Brady said.
Layla quipped.
Brady granted.
I went on,
Layla pointed out.
I agreed grimly.
Brady said.
said the man who was prone to argue with his twin about practically everything.
I said,
Layla said.
he protested.
I stepped in.
Self-awareness wasn’t either of their strong suits, yet they silenced instantly for once, as if feeling the weight of the dangers pressing in on us.
Layla whispered down our link,
I said.
Griffin asked.
Layla scoffed.
Layla said.
Hunt said.
When none of my friends begrudged me even that faith, I added,
Layla answered.
But Hunt jumped in.
Layla said.
I persisted.
Layla said.
now Brady said.
Layla barked a laugh.
Griffin chuckled, and the rolling sound was like a balm to the pulpy, healing mess that was my heart.
he said, somehow making the insult sound loving.
Layla and Brady laughed, too, and my heart grew a fraction more buoyant. We had no plan and too few answers, but having one another had always been enough before. Why couldn’t it be now?
Because there’s a murderous psycho after you all? suggested a pesky and annoying voice of reason.
Griff said, as if we were still fighting to accept what he hadn’t confirmed with his own two eyes as we had.
Layla snorted.
Hunt said.
Brady groused.
Hunt said.
Brady growled.
Griffin said.
Brady said.
Layla snapped.
Even though I couldn’t see Brady’s face, I knew it was scrunching up.
Layla never did concern herself with insignificant things such as blatant, glaring hypocrisy.
I said on a friendly chuff.
Hunt pushed up to his elbows, drawing me to do the same. Shortly after, the others did as well.
Hunt said.
I muttered, but to be fair, shortly afterward I had the living daylights shocked out of me—no less than twice.
Shit, he had said something like that!
My heartbeat sped up a bit.
Layla sat up, bouncing excitedly on her bottom.
One by one, slowly we all ended up looking at Hunt, who understood exactly why. After all these years—more than we’d realized—we knew one another nearly as well as we did our own selves.
He nodded as if we’d spoken.
Griffin warned.
I suggested.
Hunt said.
Brady said.
I exchanged looks with each of my best friends.
Hunt was nodding, but Brady added,
Griffin said then shook his head in an uneasy shudder.
Brady reached over me to palm him on the back.
As far as pep talks went, I couldn’t help but find ours severely lacking. But hey, it wasn’t Brady’s fault he had fuck all to work with.
Layla said.
I glanced at Griffin.
He was already looking at me.
I allowed my relief at having him at my side to spread into a huge smile.
He smiled back. When he winked at me, sexy as all get out, it sent tingles rushing up and down my spine.
I was looking straight at the kind of fun I wanted to have.
Hunt asked.
Layla threw back her head and groaned.
Hunt said around a chuckle.
She rolled her eyes, but the playful spark in her eyes I hadn’t seen since Griff died was back.
Hunt chortled.
She preened, fluffing her chin-length hair, currently sporting wildly colored feathers nestled among its strands.
A chuckle that felt like a warm, beachy breeze swept around our circle, and my heart felt even a little lighter.
Hunt’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled it out. Everyone he wanted to receive messages from was right here. He studied the screen, the toasted brown tint to his skin paling rapidly.
“What is it?” Layla asked aloud.
In answer, he turned the screen toward us.
Zozo: Hey babe. We need 2 talk. It’s really important. Like life-changing important. Pick me up?
Next followed a string of emojis that had me blinking at it while Hunt asked Griffin,
Griffin gulped.
Hunt’s lips thinned until they all but disappeared.
Griffin said.
But to do that he would have had to be open to considering all our lives were a lie, and who would even think that?
I demanded of no one in particular:
Hunt said while he texted back.
Me: C U soon then
Zoe’s reply arrived immediately, followed by more emojis.
Zozo: K, boo. Can’t wait to C U
Hunt grimaced and stood. He groaned.
None of us did. Luck was unlikely to have much sway over Zoe’s big news. Magnum had almost certainly provided her with a detailed script already.