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I smile as both men curse again, but agree to Sophie's words before we both sit up and look at Ink and Gunner, who both look worse for wear. I mean, Ink's black hair is short, but you can still see he's put his hand through it several times, and Gunner's eyes are bloodshot.
I guess they didn't sleep.
Sophie gasps, and I look at her with a furrowed brow. Her hands are over her mouth, her eyes wide.
"I didn't do that, did I? Please Gunner, tell me I did not do that to your face."
I look to see what she means, noticing Gunner already looking at me with a raised brow. I see his bottom lip swollen, and I grin wide, making him narrow his eyes at me, and I just shrug. "Momma Anderson taught me well."
Sophie grips my hand, and I look at her. She has questions in her eyes, and I shrug again. "He tried telling me I couldn't see you for a few days. No one keeps me from you, not even your man, who I introduced you to in the first place."
I look at Ink with narrowed eyes while he sheepishly rubs the back of his head before Sophie snaps at him.
"What did you do?"
He clears his throat. "We, uh, we all thought, uh, that she, uh, would make you worse; we, uh, we've been told she likes the drama."
I just scoff, knowing who told them that shit, while Sophie goes to charge at her man, knowing I can't stand drama. His eyeswiden, and I quickly grab her arm and say, "Remember, Soph, you still love him."
Ink nods his head frantically and says, "Yeah, you love me, and she'd already hurt me last night, which I'm still fucking feeling today."
Sophie looks at me with a brow raised, and I grin proudly before saying, "I took a leaf out of your book," making her grin wide while the men back up a bit before Gunner whispers, "We're fucked, brother," making Ink nod in agreement.
We narrow our eyes at them before they both put their hands up and rush out of the room to get our snacks, making us snicker.
As I look through the doorway, Sophie squeezes my hand, making me look at her. She had questions in her eyes, and I knew what she wanted to know—what Momma Anderson wanted to be called.
"Granny."
It's all I have to say, and more tears fall from her eyes, and I hug her tightly, staying like this for a good ten minutes before we pull apart and head downstairs, only to find crisps, biscuits, chocolate, and sweet treats from Annalise's bakery being set up. Annalise stands near the black sofa, twisting her hands together in front of her, and I swallow hard. She's good friends with Sophie but hates me because of the lies 'he' has been spreading with Cara, which sucks because we did start to get along really well until suddenly I was dirt on her shoe.
Sophie doesn't know about 'him'; I never told her, but I did tell Momma Anderson that night; she held me all night as I cried; she told me to tell Soph, but I just don't know.
Annalise looks at me, and her eyes soften, so I'm guessing Axel told her how close I actually was to Sophie's mother, and I clear my throat, giving out an olive branch.
"We're, uh, having a girlie day; do you, uh, want to join?"
Annalise smiles gratefully at me and nods her head before bringing me and Sophie a chocolate chip muffin, which my stomach then decides to growl, making Sophie narrow her eyes at me. Mine widen because, yes, it's been a few days since I properly ate, which I know isn't good, but neither are my emotions nor this morning sickness that has decided to stay. Trust Sophie to recognize my signs of not flipping eating.
I quickly hide behind Annalise, making her furrow her brows at me until Sophie scolds me and she starts to giggle.
"Leah Ashlyn Parker!"
I wince at the full name while Axel, who just came in, tilts his head. "Ashlyn?"
I clear my throat and nod. "After momma Anderson, our mothers were best friends before my mother went off the rails and decided to run off with her boyfriend, leaving me at the fire station when I was, I think, 5 years old. Adam and Carol Huntington were my foster parents, despite Momma and Daddy Anderson trying to fight for custody."
His eyes widen in shock while Gunner and Ink furrow their brows until Sophie, who decides she's not done, speaks up, diverting their attention from my family dynamics.
"When was the last time you ate?"
I bite my bottom lip while Annalise folds her arms over her chest, and the men narrow their eyes at me.
I clear my throat before taking a big bite out of the muffin, hoping not to have to answer, but oh wow, it instantly melts in my mouth.
"Oh my God, this is good."
I mumble around a mouthful, moaning, and take another bite because, wow.
