“Sure.” She bounces over the bed and causes the coffee to crest onto the lip of the mug. “But before I forget, Gage droppedby.”
“What did he want?” I take the glass of O.J. off the tray and sit up before knocking itback.
“You. He said he needed to talk. I told him you were sleeping and he took off.” She flips back her copper hair and flashes that insolent smile she’s famous for. “He’s probably looking for a way to deal with Messenger. If you ask me, she’s always been high maintenance. Back at West you would think the world revolved around her the way she was so self-absorbed.”
“It did,” I offer without a note of enthusiasm. “It still does.” And I mean that. Skyla is the nexus of a superhuman transformation taking place in the nebulous sky. Her mother has whittled the perfect pawn, and Skyla is that chess piece. I happen to be the other, but I’m not getting into any of that withLex.
“Anyway, Ezrina has been puking up a storm. Heathcliff has freaked the fuck out, so I took over and made sure she got to bed and gave her all the crackers and soda I could find. Heathcliff says he’ll gift me free food at the Gas Lab for a year!” She squawks at the idea. “I’m in. Let me tell you, life is expensive. I knew it would be rough after high school, but I didn’t realize how hard money would be to come by. Good thing I’ve got you to help me out. My parents aren’t into fostering my need for cash anymore. If I didn’t have this place, I’d be out on my rear, or worse yet, rooming with Michelle over atHost.”
“You should probably finish your education,” I offer that bit of fatherly advice as I dig into the thickly syruped pancakes she’s made fresh for me. It’s a breakfast she’s made sure I’ve grown accustomed to, but I’d hate to break it to Lex, I’d be just as satisfied with a glass ofwater.
“Of course, I’m still taking online classes, but I could only get one this semester.” She leans in and runs her fingers through my hair, those copper eyes of hers glint like pennies. “That’s the thing I appreciate most about you, Logan. You really seem to care about me. All my life I’ve had to live around cold-hearted people, and I think most of all it’s your warmth I’m drawn to. Now what was it that you wanted to discuss?” She blinks up at me with those doe eyes, and I don’t have the heart to knife her heartout.
“There’s a Faction meeting in a few hours. You should probably plan ongoing.”
“As your date? Logan Oliver, you never need to ask.” She leans in and pecks a kiss on my cheek, and before I know it she’s snapped a picture of the event aswell.
Crap.
“See you in a bit!” She bubbles her way out of theroom.
I don’t need a date to the Faction meeting. Nobody does. Holy hell, Lexy Bakova has taken over like afungus.
* * *
“Ibrought a date to the meeting.”Skyla gives a gritty laugh, and I can’t help but frown at the irony. “Two dates actually.” Gage comes up behind her holding each of theboys.
“What’s up, little dudes?” I land a quick kiss to each of their downy soft cheeks, and they both smile and squirm for me so I take the one closest. “Who’sthis?”
“Barron.” Skyla laughs while taking Nathan from Gage. “I’d better get up there.” She nods toward the table set up in the front of Nicholas Haver’s enormous old barn. Rows and rows of chairs are set out encompassing the lone table up front where Skyla will conduct the meeting from, and usually there are more than enough seats, but tonight it’s standing room only. Skyla invited everyone from the old Walsh house, her home to be exact, to partake in the festivities. Not that there will be any festivities, tonight we discuss the grim business of getting the dead into the government’shands.
“So, what’s up?” I give Gage a quick nod as I bounce Barron between us. “Lex mentioned the fact you stoppedby.”
His brows hood in disapproval. “She did, huh? She said you were indisposed. Dude, she was wearing your T-shirt. You’re not sleeping with her, are you? Not that I’m judging.” He’s quick to backtrack, but we both know he’s judging and he shouldbe.
“Heck no.” I wince at Barron as he does his best to grip my nose. “Nor will I. I’m about ready to show her the door but, well, it’s complicated. What can I help youwith?”
“It’s complicated.” His dimples dig into a frown. “Tad’s getting ready to gas the place soon. The fumigating is moving a little slower than he’d like, but, nevertheless, I need somewhere to camp out with the fam.” He takes a deep breath as if what comes next is hard for him. “You okay with us hitting Whitehorse for about aweek?”
My heart gives the requisite lurch it’s prone to do whenever Gage shocks me. I’ve asked both him and Skyla to take Whitehorse, make it their own, but they’ve staunchly refused, and having Gage ask for it even for just a week throwsme.
“Yes. Take it for as long as you need. Trust me, once you taste the freedom it can afford, there will be no looking back at Tad’s asscrack.”
“Watch the language.” He gives a sly wink before dropping a kiss to Barron’s hand. “Thanks, man. We appreciateit.”
“Not aproblem.”
He spots his father, Barron, in the crowd talking to Rev and winces. “Excuse me for a minute.” He takes off, and my mind reflexively goes back to Whitehorse as visions of Gage taking Skyla over every inch of that place puts me in a daze. They’ll be there a week at least. Of course, they’re going to make it their own in every way. My stomach sours at the thought of the mattress getting some mileage off it, the new one post my erotic romp with Chloe when I thought she wasSkyla.
Barron grabs my ear and crushes it in his tiny hand before laughing up a husky storm. His eyes sparkle like his father’s, like Skyla’s and I can’t help but think he’s a perfect combination ofboth.
“That’s right,” I whisper, bouncing him on my hip. “I need to snap out of it. Get out of myfunk.”
Skyla and Gage are free to have as much fun as they want under my roof,herroof. And, if I’m moved to change the mattress out afterward, it’s not a big deal. An expensive, heavy-as-fuck-to-get-up-the-stairs deal, but ultimately not a bigone.
Skyla calls the meeting to order, and I take a seat up front next to Ezrina and Nev. Ellis and Giselle strut in late and steal the seats to myright.
“How’s it hanging?” Ellis leans in and fist bumps baby Barron, and the heavy scent of weed clings thick in the air. Giselle’s eyes are just as glossed over asEllis’.
