“Not yet. I don’t know why I thought it would be so easy.”
“Because everyone kept asking for your help before but now, they’re not. I don’t know what’s happened but I’m sure someonewill hire you eventually. Maybe the universe is waiting for Ni to have his next baby. I talked to Teddy the other night while you were out and he said they’re going to name this little girl Peony. That made me decide that I wasn’t going to name my cub after dead people or flowers.”
Preston was named after our adopted brother’s younger brother who died before Colton was ever adopted into our family. I was named after our carrier’s dad. I didn’t blame Preston for not wanting to continue that tradition.
“What are you going to name him?” I asked.
“I don’t know yet but no dead people and no flowers. Probably no stars either. Maybe I’ll just call him Bob and get on with it,” he chuckled.
“Bob? Really? Bobby?”
“Shit. Why are the simple names taken too?” Preston laughed. “We should order a pizza. Maybe a couple of them.”
“I can do that,” I nodded. “Just don’t name your baby Pizza.”
“Of course not! I’d name him after a topping. Pepperoni or mushroom or something.”
“No to both of those!” I teased, picking up my phone to place the order only I never got to because the world went black.
I sighed laying on Dern’s Other World Kitchen Floor. He stood above me as if I took too long to come to this time. For me it always felt instant but apparently it wasn’t. He held out his hand and I begrudgingly let the old dead wolf help me to my feet. Outside a single hell hound ran in circles chasing its tail.
“I heard you talking about me,” he said as we took up our normal seats at the table.
“And?” I blinked at him, wishing I trusted the tea he brewed but he was no longer someone I could take at face value.
“You still haven’t put it together, huh?” he asked.
“That she’s watching us?” I asked.
“Why not? Let’s go with that one,” Dern leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs out under the table. “Why is she watching you?”
“Because she wants to steal the baby.”
“Why?” Dern asked.
“Because she’s crazy.”
“Why?” Dern asked.
“I won’t play that game with my little siblings. So, I’m definitely not playing it with you. What is my next assignment anyway? Unless Sharon Claudis is it.”
“Not yet. You wouldn’t find her anyway. You don’t get it enough,” Dern shook his head. “Stay where you are. At least, stay in London.”
“Why? Is someone else having a reincarnated asshole for a baby?” I rolled my eyes.
“Get over it, Mori, and grow the fuck up,” Dern said. “I said it from the beginning that I wasn’t a nice guy. Everything I do is self-serving. Dying hasn’t changed that. She got reborn and they love her to pieces. Maybe that’s what she needed before. The hell if I know. The world isn’t as black and white as you think it is.”
“No, everyone hides in the shadows keeping secrets,” I rolled my eyes again.
“Maybe they keep secrets from you because you’re Mister Judgmental. I mean you took it so well when you found out Preston was pregnant,” Dern flashed me a sinister smirk.
“Did you call me here just to mock me because you’re bored?” I asked him.
“No, I called you here because you were talking about the vision. Which is fine. Not everything is a secret. I thought maybe you wanted to toss around ideas, but you’ve already made up your mind that what I showed you wasn’t important. Stick around. You already know what you’ll help with next if you think about it. I mean, you are Xenos’s son.”
“Does he know you’re an asshole?”
“He doesn’t think I’m an asshole, kid. We’re friends.”
