Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
"Are you good?" Mac asks me.
"Yeah, don't worry about me," I tell them. It's sweet they're going to go check on her.
I suspect that, as the youngest, she often feels excluded and takes it personally, even though I believe it's not intentional. If I have noticed anything when it comes to the Marinos, they let their children go in whatever direction they want, not caring what their gender is.
"What's wrong with Nix?" Kinsley asks, coming down the hallway toward us. Her eyes widen a fraction when she sees me standing there.
“We’ll leave you two to it,” Mac says, taking Naomi with her. We stand there staring at each other, an awkward silence stretching between us.
“I’m sorry,” she blurts out. “I pulled you into this.”
“You want to come in?” I motion to the doors. I’ll have to do this at some point. I might as well hear her out. That way we can both begin to move forward.
“Yes, I’d love that actually.”
Kinsley follows me into the room. “Oh my gosh. Is that the infamous Binx?” She walks over to the mantel, where he is still snoozing. He opens one eye, assessing her, before allowing her to give him a few pets.
“Yeah, Eros went and got him for me.” I sit down on the end of the bed.
“I’m sorry about everything,” Kinsley says after a beat, filling the silence. I nod. “You’re still mad.”
“I don’t know what I am,” I tell her honestly. “I understand that you didn’t put me in the hole, but once you found out—”
“Eros had already taken you.”
I nod again. “I get that, and I should be done with it there, but it still feels like I got fucked over and forgotten. He took me, so you then, what?” Kinsley’s lips press together. “It doesn’t matter. It’s my own shit.”
“It does matter, but I’m also not going to give you a string of excuses. I just want you to know I am sorry, and I am really fucking happy you’re here.”
Well, shit. I can't even argue with that, but logically I also know that while Kinsley might have pull with Jax, Eros had gone off the grid. There wasn't much she could do if I’m being honest with myself.
"I'm kinda happy I'm here too."
"Really?" Kinsley perks up.
"Yeah." I huff a breath. "I'm into that sociopath Eros, and I kind of like you too." Kinsley can be strange in her own way and also a bit of a loner.
"Sociopath." Kinsley snorts a laugh. "I think it's in the Marino blood."
"I hope that kind of shit isn't genetic, or I'm fucked." Kinsley snorts another laugh but quickly covers it. "No, it's fine. You can laugh." It's clear Jax must have caught her up on a few things.
"I mean, you did already kill someone, so the odds aren't great." She smirks. "We're doing gallows humor, right?"
"Always." Nothing is better in a fucked-up moment or even a sad one than dark jokes that can only be shared among people who are close or get it.
"I still want a hug." She walks over to me, and I stand up and hug her. "We normies have to stick together."
"I'm not sure you get to call yourself normal if you fall in love with a Marino." I tap my temple. "You can't be all okay up here if that's the case."
"I can't argue with you on that."
Isn’t that the truth.
Chapter Thirteen
EROS
Jax wanted to drive, but I needed to have some form of control right now. I have, however, calmed down to a degree, but now a new sensation is causing a burn in my chest, and it’s not my heart.
“You all right?” Jax asks from the passenger seat.
“Fine,” I grunt out.
“I would like to tell you it gets easier,” he responds. “But that feeling you get when they’re not close doesn’t die down. You have to learn to live with it.”
“It’s in my chest.” Jax knows what I’m going through.
“Heartburn. Take an antacid,” Damon says from the back seat.
“Fuck off,” I clip back.
“Only trying to help.” I can hear the smirk in his words. I don’t need to see his smug face.
“Don’t let him get a rise out of you. He’ll have his day and eat his words.”
“That’s fucked. Don’t put that shit on me.” Damon’s tone turns heated. He’s dead serious. “I enjoy having my head on straight. Someone has to around here. You guys are dropping like damn flies.”
Jax turns to glance back at our younger brother. “You believe that you think straight?”
“Shut up.” He kicks the back of Jax's seat. “Eros is supposed to be the most rational. That’s gone left.” I do tend to be rather black and white when it comes to things. Jax can waver in the middle.
“Eros? The most rational?” Jax shakes his head.
“When he’s got his temper in check, at least.”