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“We thought the same thing about Ghost.”
“Yes, but Luca had to do a lot of heavy lifting in that relationship. If it was left to Ghost, she’d have moved on and he would be forever sad,” Aqua explains and heads for the door. “So, you need to ask yourself if you’re capable of doing the heavy lifting until Jester figures out his shit? Because I really doubt he can be the one in charge of mature decisions and patience.”
“Jester knew to stop pushing me last night. He held me while I cried.”
Aqua stops on the cottage’s porch and sighs. “I know Jester cares about you. It’s not that his feelings aren’t real. But it’s like with Blunt and those club sluts. He wasn’t in control of himself. He loved Mabie, but he couldn’t tell them no. So, we had to step in and speak for him. Jester might want to be patient and work through your trauma, but that doesn’t mean he knows how.”
“He doesn’t seem to want to get close to anyone besides me. I see him avoiding Papa Bear. He’s also making an enemy out of Overlord.”
Aqua locks up the second cottage while considering my problem. She finally heads for her bike, only to stop and nod.
“Jester can’t be honest with Papa Bear. They have too much history. As for Overlord, I think Jester has decided to blame him for what happened to you, even though Papa Bear was running things back then. So, maybe, you need to get Bomber to check in with Jester.”
I consider my brother’s intervention. Bomber is a calm voice, but he also thinks I run from one danger toward a bigger one. Will he subconsciously sabotage Jester and me?
“Maybe one of the founders would be better?”
“They all view you as a kid. Even Ominous will just tell him to back off. But Bomber knows you’re an adult. He also suffered through what happened to you up close in a way the founders didn’t. Jester will respect him more than if Flagg starts talking about commitment and patience.”
I’m searching for reasons to avoid asking Bomber for help when our conversation is interrupted by Jester’s arriving motorcycle.
His gray-blue eyes shine with rage. His jaw is clenched. I think he might need a larger-sized shirt since his clenched muscles are about to bust out of this white one. Jester looks fearsome as he climbs off and stomps over to us.
“You just left,” he grumbles, seeing only me and remaining totally oblivious to Aqua.
Shrugging, I explain, “I couldn’t find you.”
“I was where you left me.”
“Oh,” I mumble, though I’m fairly fucking sure he wasn’t where I left him.
Aqua sizes up Jester before glancing at me. Finally, she asks him, “Why are you in such a bad mood?”
Jester frowns ugly at her, but Aqua doesn’t react. She’s got ice in her veins like Ominous. I wish I was half as tough as my best friend who currently eyeballs Jester.
“I don’t like being around those kids,” Jester admits, surprising me. “Every time I turn around, those little kids are around. Overlord’s jizz was busy while I was gone.”
“Two of them aren’t from his jizz,” I explain helpfully.
“There are just too many little people at the Sanctuary.”
“Well, sorry, but you’re about to have more little ones around,” Aqua says and climbs on her bike. “Jelly Bean is due in a month. I’ll be bringing my baby over to your place all the time once you get Sister Sass moved in.”
As Aqua rides off, Jester shoots her a hateful glare until his brain catches up to the part where I’ll be living with him. Mellowing out, he looks at me and even, sort of, smiles.
“You shouldn’t have ditched me.”
“No,youshouldn’t have ditchedme,” I snarl and poke his brawny chest. “Don’t you try to trick me. I know what you’re up to, chump.”
Jester smiles at my bullshit. “I was standing in the same fucking place as when Blunt left.”
“Why not come inside?”
“I told you. There are too many damn kids around.”
I consider teasing him for getting owned by evil little Zoey. But instead, I just hug him.
“They make you think of what you lost.”
