Jasper looked confused, but I couldn’t help but snort. “You know she hates that nickname.”
Xander’s grin was wicked when I clocked him in the mirror. “I know that. It’s payback. She keeps calling me Xanny.”
Jasper snorted. “My mom used to call me JJ. I hated that nickname.”
“What about you, Zero? Any embarrassing nicknames?”
Without taking my eyes off the road, I shook my head. “Nope. My parents weren’t the nickname types. They did like to full name me a lot, though. If I heard my mom full-naming me, I knew I needed to hide stat or she’d tan my hide for whatever reason I’d messed up that day.”
Jasper raised an eyebrow at me, a smirk on his face. “Just how often did you mess up?”
I groaned, letting my head flop forward for a second while we were stopped at a red light. “So much. Rule following wasn’t my strong suit, especially when I reached your age. Got so bad, I ended up hearing my full name more than just my first name at one point.” I wagged a finger at both of them. “No following my example. I was a little shit rebelling against too strict parents. You guys have it easy.”
Xander put his hands up. “I’m aiming for a tech job like Mattias. He said I needed a clean record to work with him.”
When I shot a quick glance at Jasper, he shrugged. “I’ve got Isla to think about.”
I nodded once. “I can accept those answers. Just remember that when we’re having fun today. We’re hanging out with Rooster, and he’s a bad influence. Don’t copy him.”
I saw Jasper frown out of the corner of my eye, but Xander snorted in agreement. “I mean, you’re not wrong. He tried teaching me and Kaiden how to do tricks on the dirt bikes. Mattias socked him in the stomach hard enough to make him throw up.”
Jasper’s mouth fell open. “You guys hit each other?”
I shrugged. “Only if they deserve it. And never around the kids.”
CHAPTER FORTY
ZERO
Jasper was a little apprehensive about the mall when we pulled into the parking lot, but he relaxed after the first half hour playing games. It helped that Rooster acted like a big kid, talking smack and crowing every time he won a game. I’d honestly expected to mostly watch, I didn't want to get in the way of the kids having fun, but Flash demanded I join in a few games, and the other kids agreed enthusiastically, so I ended up having fun myself.
“Come on, Zero! You’re losing against a little kid!” Rooster practically shouted in my ear. I grimaced, leaning away from him while trying to focus on the screen. I thought the racing game would be easy, I’d ridden bikes my whole life, but Jasper was wiping the floor with me. Apparently, video game bikes weren’t the same as real life, even if you were riding on something that looked like a real bike.
Jasper didn’t take the bait, ignoring Rooster’s comments that I knew were meant to distract him. He leaned his weight, takinga sharp turn, and blasted across the finish line a full thirty seconds before me.
“Damn,” I feigned disappointment, shooting Jasper a suspicious look. “How the hell did you ride better than I did? Have you been secretly joyriding on my bike?”
He cackled, looking completely at ease for the first time since he showed up here. “Yeah, right. Your bike is so old. If I was going to ride something, it’d be something like this.” He patted the fake bike’s body with a smug look.
Rooster nodded like he agreed, dude always liked the sport bikes over the cruisers, but I shook my head in faux disappointment.
“No way, man. Cruisers are the way to go. The women dig the old classics.”
Rooster scoffed. “Bullshit. I pick up way more tail than you do. Women love a fast ride.”
Reaching out, I smacked him upside the head without hesitating, scowling at him. “Don’t talk like that in front of the kids.”
The boys cackled, clearly not understanding the double entendre, and Rooster put his hands up in surrender, dancing out of the way of my grasp with a big stupid grin on his face. Why did it feel like I was watching four little kids instead of three?
“Jasper’s the winner. He picks the next game,” Flash called out.
Jasper’s brows furrowed and he looked around, considering his options. The arcade was decently sized with plenty of options to choose from. We’d done the classics already, like Mario Kart and skee ball. We had to spend a few rounds on each game so everyone could get a turn going up against who they wanted. If I’d been thinking about it, I would’ve asked one more of the guys to come with us so we’d be more evenly matched, but we made it work.
“Uh… Air hockey?”
Rooster clapped his hands together, rubbing them vigorously with a grin. “Oh, hell yes. I’m a champion at air hockey. Who’s my first opponent?”
Luckily, there was more than one air hockey table, so we could split into two. Xander was cool sitting out the first round, agreeing to play referee for Rooster and Flash’s game since none of the kids trusted him not to cheat. Fair. I didn’t trust him either.
