Page 101 of Brazen Mistakes

She slips into sleep like I knew she would, and a pang hits me when I realize she still hasn’t eaten.

Jansen must have the same thought. “Dinner’s cold by now.”

“The sandwiches will reheat fine in the oven. I just wish she’d had something before she passed out.”

RJ presses a kiss to her forehead, not looking up. “She’ll be up in a few hours, anyway. Whoever she comes to can talk her into eating something.”

“She’s been bed hopping to you guys, too?” I ask.

They both nod, and I pull her a little closer, like if I just held her tighter, she might make it through an entire night without the nightmares.

RJ presses one more kiss to her forehead before rolling out of the bed and pulling on sweatpants. “She’s been visiting Trips, too.”

Jansen looks confused, but RJ clarifies. “He’s been teaching her to box.”

“So no Trips and Clara cuddles? Damn,” Jansen says, before slipping into RJ’s vacated spot.

“You want that?” RJ asks.

“They both want that; they’re just not letting it happen. And I want Clara happy. She’s not right now and I absolutely hate it,” he says, lacing his fingers through hers.

“Same,” comes out before I can stop it.

We all just stay quiet for a while, RJ wheeling his chair over to his computer and opening surveillance footage from an unknown house. I watch him work, not wanting to leave this bed and do, well, anything else. Instead, I press my nose to Clara’s head, just needing this closeness, this moment without the ache of uselessness I’m constantly fighting when she’s awake.

Jansen runs one of her curls through his fingers, twisting to see what RJ’s up to. “When do you think we’ll hit it?”

“This is the house with the jewelry?” I ask, watching as RJ toggles through a few different views.

“Yeah. I found the jewels, but I don’t have a good feeling for the rhythm of the house yet. We’re looking at after New Year’s Eve.”

Jay’s face falls, and he basically dives into Clara.

“Dude. Are you okay?” I ask.

He closes his eyes. “Peachy. Tomorrow I’ll get to lift a wallet or two. After that, jewels. And maybe some cars. It’ll be a great winter break.”

“You said ‘peachy.’ Without an ounce of ‘peachy’ energy behind it. What the fuck’s up with you?”

He sighs, rolling out of the bed and pulling on his underwear, slumping cross-legged on the floor against the wall. “The need to do shit is just, bigger, I guess, than usual. But I’m sure it’s just an anomaly. Like a hangover. I’ll be fine.”

“Have you been getting enough exercise? Regular sleep?” RJ asks, spinning in his chair, peering at Jay.

“Probably not, and I’m not sure what regular sleep looks like for me. Have I been sleeping? Yeah. Do I usually pass out at four or five in the morning? Also yeah.”

“When you’ve been out boosting cars?” I ask.

“Not just then. I don’t think I’ve gone to bed before midnight more than once or twice in the past month. Maybe longer.”

Clara murmurs, rolling into me, and the three of us share a look.

“How close are you to losing it, Jansen?” I whisper.

He scoots closer to the bed, playing with some of Clara’s hair that must have slipped toward the floor. “I’m fine, guys. Don’t worry.”

RJ rolls closer, his voice soft. “I believe you, Jansen. But if you’re ever not, you know we’re here to help.”

He rolls his eyes. “That was just one time. Don’t hold it over me. I’m fine. Seriously.”

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