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As we drove to the house, I let my mind wander to what my life could look like, what my future could be like here with Clair and the guys. I don’t picture anything specific, but I know it would be great for some reason. I could be happy.
Too bad that was never a part of the plan.
I told myself not to get attached, but right now, in the car with Clair, I know I’m well past that and not just with her.
Fuck.
Iwalk into the kitchen and find the coffee already brewed, and I know it was Jade. If it were Spencer, he would still be in here waiting, and there's no way in hell Zander is up already.
I help myself to a cup as I think about the day. I haven’t seen much of Jade in the last few days. We are under orders to keep an eye on her, so the last few days, Spencer and I have been doing most of the work across our businesses and anything Froggie requires. Zander was more than happy to stay with her, and while I’m not sure that’s a good thing, it definitely made it easier to have him volunteer to stay with her instead of dragging her around with us. Not to mention it keeps her out of our business, which I’m sure Froggie will appreciate, given our line of work.
Jade and my mother spent the day out together yesterday, and by the time she came back, she went to her room and didn’t come back out. Zander went to her later that night when we warmed up our Thai and had a movie night, but he said she was already asleep, and he didn’t want to wake her.
Tonight is one of the frat parties we must show face at, and we will be bringing her with us. I spoke with Kratos last time I was at the club, and he told me that Jade was free to attend classes if she chose to. It seems he’s more concerned with her being picked back up by sex traffickers than the trouble she could get into on a college campus. I can’t say I agree with that. For someone so independent and able to handle themselves, she seems to lack boundaries and is a bit naive from lack of experience with others and the world.
I don’t even think she realizes the appeal she will have to ninety percent of the school. Hell, I don’t even think she realizes that Zander is so far gone with her. But we can handle those kinds of threats easily, so if Kratos okays it, we'll roll with it for now.
That doesn’t make me worry less, though.
Jade coming into our life threw everything that we knew off balance from the moment we saw her down in that hole and then again when she showed up for dinner that first night here.
Zander is bat shit for her. I’m sure he wouldn’t even deny it at this point. He’s always been all about the ladies, but I’ve never seen him stick to one this long or be in this deep.
Spencer can’t stand her, it seems. He’s never been very trusting of women who are close to us, always concerned that they are using us, and while that’s probably true, most times, it’s easy to settle him when none of us get attached. Jade blew that out the water, though, when she moved in and again when she wrapped Zander around her finger. He might deny it, but even Spencer wants to keep her safe, we all hate what she’s been through, but that doesn’t make him trust her. Spencer generally doesn’t want to be around you if he can't trust you.
I grab my coffee and head to the fridge to grab the cream. By the time I have my coffee to my liking, I hear someone coming down the hall. Spencer comes through the door a moment later, looking like he just rolled out of bed and headed straight here, his hair still looking like a literal bird's nest on his head.
He doesn’t even acknowledge me, making a beeline to the coffee pot and pouring himself a cup. He takes a gulp, and I wonder, not for the first time if he can even taste the coffee after he burns off all his taste buds.
After the second large gulp, he returns to the pot and refills his cup before taking that one to sit at the breakfast bar. He scoops up a piece of bacon, shoving it in his mouth, and I notice for the first time that there is a plate on the counter.
As he chews his bacon and sips his second cup of coffee, I take a moment to really look at him. Spencer has never cared what people think of him. Hell, none of us do, but I tend to keep certain appearances, whereas he does not. Today he seems more disheveled than usual. The dark circles under his eyes only make that look more intense. I wonder how much sleep he has been getting since Jade came to live here, not a lot based on his appearance.
His gaze finally lands on me, giving me a slight nod of acknowledgment before grabbing a second piece of bacon.
I walk to the counter and grab my own piece before examining it.
Not burnt.
Actually, it looks like it was cooked pretty damn well.
“What?” Spencer asks as he watches me inspect the bacon in my hand.
“Nothing, I was just admiring Jade’s handy work.” I tell him before stuffing my piece in my mouth. Yeah, I think it’s safe to say she’s mastered bacon.
Spencer’s lips pull down in a frown as he looks at the plate of bacon as if it’s wronged him somehow, and I have to fight to keep the smirk off my face.
He definitely hates her, or at least he really wants to, even though I think he doesn’t really. Not even a little bit.
His eyes dart around the kitchen as if looking for her to be around somewhere, and he could have missed her in his half-asleep state.
“She’s not here. I don’t know where she is. The bacon was here when I came in, and the coffee was already made, but she wasn’t here.” I tell him, taking the last sip of my coffee before setting the mug in the sink.
“She’s probably snooping around somewhere.” He says, voice low and angry, and it takes more effort than it should to avoid rolling my eyes at him and his constant paranoia. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t exactly trust her either, but I also don’t think she’s a direct threat to us. If she were, she would have tried something by now, and as much as I hate to admit it, she probably would have succeeded. Every one of us underestimated her, and the only reason we know that is because she told us so and then proceeded to demonstrate.
“Well, let’s go find out.” I tell him as I jerk my head towards the hall. Maybe if I can show him he’s wrong, he will let this go. It’s only a matter of time before this starts to impact the mission.
He stands, puts his cup in the sink, and gestures for me to lead the way. I head out but don’t miss that he grabbed another piece of bacon as soon as I turned away.
