Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 143382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 717(@200wpm)___ 574(@250wpm)___ 478(@300wpm)
I took my brother’s wrist and pushed up the sleeve of his thermal.
Doing this, the tattoo of a shadowed horse that looked like it was running directly toward you was bared.
I covered the tat with my hand and looked at my baby bro. “You boys going to be good with working with another crew?”
Jeff let out a melancholy sigh.
“Our crew included Joaq and Jamal,” he told me. “It’s not the same. We’d already talked about it. We didn’t want to stop, but we didn’t know how to go on. This is a way we can go on. We’re together, but we’re different. We’ve moved on. You know?”
So, Eric had been right.
I nodded to tell him I got it.
“Is Javi still—?” I started.
“Yeah.” Jeff confirmed before I even had to say it. “Joaq was a good guy. The best. But he could do stupid shit. Javi was trying to help him work on his control. His temper could spark, and shit would get out of hand. This makes Javi see it as his failure. He knew Clown dealt to Joaq’s sister. He thinks that’s his mistake. He thinks he shouldn’t have told them, because Joaq hadn’t locked onto his control.”
“He’s not responsible for another man’s actions,” I noted.
“I told him that. Cody told him that. Jamal’s momma told him that. He isn’t letting it sink in.”
“You should probably share that with Eric,” I advised.
“I don’t think any of those men are missing it,” Jeff informed me. “But yeah. I’ll share. There’s time before we’re totally active. They got a hella training schedule that might last two years after Mace does an assessment of us.” A smile spread on his face. “But it sounds pretty cool, and I think we’re gonna surprise them.”
I loved this. I loved it for him. I loved it for the NI&S team. And I loved it for Javi.
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.
“Barely,” I answered.
With a smile on his face, he let us in, locked the door behind us and took my holster from me to inspect it.
“Tactical. Hardshell. Nice,” he decreed.
It totally was. I could tell Arthur didn’t scrimp.
“Ever see a fairy wearing a taser holster?” I asked.
Eric’s eyes cut right to me.
“She’ll be naked, except for her wings,” I continued, and with that, I smirked.
He wiped the smirk off my face by tossing me over his shoulder and carrying me to the bedroom.
He brought the holster with us.