“How exactly am I gross?”
“Your outside is super-hot, but your brain is gross,” Elle said before laughing. “Don’t get up in arms over that. You know you’re a terrible person with no heart. Yet here I am acting like you might want to be my boyfriend.”
Narrowing my gaze, I asked, “Is that how you really see me?”
“Sure. We’re strangers. You’re always talking about pussy. We never share normal conversations. All I know about you is that you were a foster kid and that you backstabbed your old president and his loyal people to claim their club.”
“Your father did the same shit to Trigger before you were born.”
“Was Wrecker a monster with plans to kill you?”
“No, but he was a weak man with no plans to keep me from getting killed.”
Elle stopped hovering her crotch over mine and settled down onto my lap. “Did you like him?”
“Sure, but I liked living more.”
“Did you feel guilty?”
“I never feel guilty for anything.”
Elle studied me and murmured, “I do.”
“Name something you feel guilty about, or I’ll assume you’re lying.”
“I feel guilty that Sutter doesn’t know his father. What if my drunken hookup was also a genius? They could talk about things that I wouldn’t understand. But I stole that from him by not remembering.”
“Would you track down the guy if you did remember?”
“Yes.”
“What if he were a loser?”
“Well, then, I wouldn’t have to feel guilty, and Sutter wouldn’t need to wonder.”
“Do you wish your kid weren’t a genius?”
“Sometimes, like when I imagine him outgrowing me and leaving Little Memphis.”
“He might stick around.”
“No, he’ll want to attend a great college. He could go into research or become a professor. But whatever he wants in life, it won’t be in Little Memphis. I’ve already accepted how he won’t live in my basement one day.”
“Do you like living with your parents?”
“Yes.”
“Will you stay in the basement after this one?” I asked and slid my hand across her belly.
“Yes.”
“Why not build a house like Lula did?”
“A house is a lot of work. At my parents’ place, I’m one of three adults taking care of stuff. It leaves me with time for my friends and the club.”
“What do you do for the club?”
“I punch people in the face.”
