“In two weeks!” Pandora holds up her phone. “Look, Papa read it and gave it a thumbs up. You’re all coming.”
“No,” River says. He flexes the fingers on his left hand. “I have enough trauma without your entire family coming down on me.”
“They aren’t coming down on you!” Pandora lets her hand fall to his crotch. “But I mightgodown on you.”
“Ha ha, very funny,” River grumbles. He grabs her wrist, but he doesn’t push her hand away.
I imagine Pandora’s wrist wrapped around River’s cock, or in her mouth. It’s a hot image, and I find myself interested in seeing it happen whether I’m participating or not.
Most guys would get jealous, right? But I’ve never been jealous. I’ve always wanted to share with Asch.
Sharing with River feels just as natural.
Then I remember what Pandora looked like at the mercy of my frat brothers.
The spike of anger serves as a big reminder that Icanget jealous.
And that I have enough of a conscience to feel remorse.
“Fine, fine. But before we make lofty Thanksgiving plans, let’s figure out what we’re doing here,” I say.
Pandora sticks her tongue out at me. “Well, we know Ezio has it out for me. Do you think asking nicely will make him give up?”
“No,” Asch says. “I don’t think there’s anything any of us can say to make him leave you alone, not after hearing that.” Heglances at me. “Your dad might be able to get him to back off, but…”
But neither of us really thinks that he would.
Pandora starts giggling. “I don’t think getting Papa involved would be a good idea. Do you, River?”
River’s brows furrow. “I don’t know, Pandora… Maybe you should. I know you can take care of your own problems, but sometimes it’s okay to ask for help, remember?”
Pandora’s smile drops. “I’m gonna ask again, River-with-only-four-fingers, do you think it’s a good idea to send Papa into a situation where we want to keep at least some people alive and healthy?”
River grimaces. “No,” he says. “No, but I don’t know what we’re going todo, and I don’t particularly like feeling fucking helpless.”
I cough to draw attention to myself. “You two are forgetting that we do still have a few aces up our sleeves. Namely, me. I’ll find out what facility Sam?—”
“Samantha,” Pandora corrects.
I nods. “Okay. What facilitySamanthagot taken to. Asch and I can look around and keep people distracted while you two get her out.”
“Is your dad just going to tell you?” Pandora asks me. “My parents expect me to take over eventually, but Papa hasn’t detailed any of the really grim shit he does.”
It’s my turn to smile darkly. “Yeah. My dad started training me the day I turned fifteen.”
There were so many meetings where I sat in and had to be silent while he negotiated with people. He’d quizzed me afterwards, asking me what I’d learned.
He’d yell if I didn’t pick up the right lessons.
He’d ask me what the best course of action would be. The disappointment if I gave the wrong answer was immense—butthe high I experienced when he agreed, when he approved? It made it all worth it.
When I’d said I would have the leak we’d discovered killed, he’d even squeezed my shoulder in acknowledgement.
Asch is weirdly silent as we talk, but when I glance at him, he shakes his head.
“Okay. So we sort of have a plan,” River says. He drapes an arm over Pandora’s shoulder. “We’ll find her and get her back, Pandora.”
I take my phone out and check the time. Is it too early to call? Too late? Shit.
