She laughs softly, “Not one to give a straight answer, are you?”
“Does that mean you don’t want to see me again?”
Ignoring my teasing smile, she rolls out of bed and presses a kiss to my cheek, “We both know I won’t be seeing you again. Take care, Christopher.”
“You too…”Shit. What was her name?
“Eliza.”
“That’s right. Eliza.” I give her a sheepish smile and head for the door. Her number never did make it into my phone, but even if it did, chances are it would go unnoticed.
I like fun. I like flirting and finding all the different ways a man can make a woman come. It’s safe and harmless, the kind of hookups that suit the revolving door to my bedroom just fine.
“Aren’t you a sore sight for my eyes.”
Horace greets me with his middle finger as I walk into the airplane hanger. Our base is composed of concrete and supportbeams, made homely by the rows of sports cars we’ve stolen over the years.
It’s an open concept system except we take it to the next level. Our kitchen, living room, makeshift office and garage are all in the same space. Snippets of conversation can be heard from every section, offering neither privacy nor a moment of peace.
It’s chaotic and completely irrational, but for a bunch of runaways who never had a safe space, we tend to crave each other’s company all the more.
Even when someone is taking the piss.
“It’s ‘a sight for sore eyes,’ you dimwit.” Jasper peeks his head over the row of monitors we got him ages ago.
“I know that’s the saying. What I wastryingto say is fuck you, Christopher for abandoning the crew on our last night together.”
“Awe, did you miss me?”
“No.” Horace sniffs, turning his ruddy cheeks away from me, “I didn’t miss you in the slightest. It’s the principle of it all.”
“Lay off, Horace. The man was getting in one last fuck before he leaves.” Mae shoots me a grin from her position on the couch, “Did you break another heart on your way out the door?”
Jasper snickers, “It’s the tattoos. Ladies are just hoping to fill the empty space above his heart.”
“Little do they know that spot is already taken by you.” Throwing him a wink, I saunter over and pull out a barstool next to a sullen Horace.
He’s a big boy, all thick arms and legs with a belly that pushes him just past the fashionable dad bod. The man is built like an oversized teddy bear and I know for a fact he’s got the heart to match.
“It’s only six months, mate.” Nudging his shoulder gently, I wait for the grumpy bear to look at me, “Plenty of time to fuck around before I get back.”
“It’s not the same.” Horace rubs his nose gruffly, “You’ve never done a job without us before.”
Guilt hits me like a sledgehammer, my decision to leave this group of misfits even temporarily putting an ache in my chest.
These assholes are my family.
And I’m leaving them for the first time in ten years.
“He won’t be doing it without us.” Jasper flicks the back of Horace’s head before pulling out a stool and sitting down beside us, “Who do you think will be walking him through every step of this thing?”
“Christopher wouldn’t be able to tie his shoes without us.” Mae chirps in the comment, squeezing her small frame onto the stool my ass is perched on.
“Guess it’s a good thing I don’t wear laces.” Shooting back the remark, I pull her into my arms and squeeze her long and hard.
The four of us found each other at the lowest point in our lives. Jasper got kicked out of his house at thirteen, the day his parents found out their only son was gay. Horace happenedto be hiding in the same warehouse that night, the older boy having grown tired of bouncing around the foster care system.
The two of them became a dynamic duo until Mae came along, broken and bruised and the perfect fit for their misshapen family. I was the last one to join the crew, but that didn’t stop any of them from welcoming me with open arms.
