Page 114 of Drift

Jackson shook his head, then pointed at him. “Keep your fucking head. Don’t go off on one. Not here.” He offered a sly smile. “But itiswhy you’re on watch with him. Work out if heisa problem. And do it fast.”

Drift knew he was, but what could he say? Light held a noose around his neck just like the one that had been put around Jackson’s. If he told Jackson now, the crew would scatter, andwith the tech security Light and the manor held, they’d be tracked and traced easily enough and picked up one by one.

Stalemate had been called, but all moves belonged to Light. There was nothing left but to find out why, so he nodded and headed back towards the kitchen.

West sat at the table, in close with Light, and Drift lingered in the doorway, frowning at the closeness, then kicking himself for it. He’d known West too long, her ability to make a friend so easily was her way of doing her own checks on Light. She’d want to get in close to suss out who he really was without being overbearing.

He had a feeling it wouldn’t work on Light, though, and West eased back, seeming to sense it as she got to her feet and went double-tap with Drift to take over. “Gotta not love ya but definitely leave ya, boys, I’m afraid.” She came his way, throwing a wink. “I can almost taste that open doorway. I need to change.”

“Nice meeting you, West.” Light smiled her way and it was sincere enough before he returned to eating the sandwich in front of him. He hadn’t eaten much of the sandwich, but then he seemed to carry a light frame that didn’t need much to keep going.

She disappeared, and Drift went and picked up the coffee she’d left behind. Light relaxed a little more as Drift took a sip.

“Thank you for stepping in to—”

Drift shook his head, not wanting talk in here, and he nodded towards the back door. “Show you around, huh?” Which was really polite talk forquiet fucking word in your ear… mate.

Light held his look for a moment, then left his sandwich and picked up his hot chocolate and got to his feet.

Yeah, seemed he’d opted forquiet word in your fucking ear, matetoo.

Chapter 33

WORD IN YOUR EAR, MATE

Letting the heat of the hot chocolate warm his hands, Light followed Drift out into the garden. As he walked on ahead, the name “Jude” didn’t seem to fit as well as Drift, but Light had a soft spot for Jude. It seemed to draw a more insecure, softer side out to Drift, one he worn openly enough back at the manor, but here? Drift it was. A lot tougher, less likely to smile, and Light nodded to himself. He understood the need to shift skin and protect what was left inside.

Martin had also been right. Light picked up no black in his eyes or West’s, but there was blackness here. And the haunted look that chased Drift’s look sometimes without any hint of blackness said he’d definitely seen… something, both with Wales and… the blackness going back on at Gray’s.

But had he run because he was scared, or because he ran with a darker crowd and had been caught out going soft back in Wales?

Or was it because he saw black in Martin’s eyes and it took him down a spiral ofwhat ifsfor himself?

Fuck. In many ways he understood Jack’s call to keep any kid away from the manor, let alone blood. For all of Martin’s intelligence, Jack had this uncanny ability to call the reality of the situation, and Light knew the manor could take the best awalk through insanity and abandon them there. So seeing not only a psychopath in the blood, but also being exposed later to DID, OCD… Jack behind it all and how his softer lover’s heart crumbled under the weight?

Yeah, that and all theam Iswould tear any kid down.

A few kids played on a swing, two more kicked a ball about, but a sharp whistle off Drift had them swearing at him, then running off inside as he sent a moody look their way. Light got the same moodiness a moment later, and he knew he was lucky Drift had reacted the way he had, because Light had faltered so badly back in there. But with what he’d seen and heard, Drift had a natural, untainted love for music that he lost himself body and soul to.

So Light struggled to picture it: Drift’s tie to the Night-walkers and Jason’s murder back in Wales. Light might not have been able to feel his way through people, but he could read them, and Drift… he could have picked a fight back at the manor. He could have fought Light, but he hadn’t. So maybe he’d ran with the Night-walkers at some point, but he didn’tfeela Night-walker threat.

“Look,” said Light. “Thanks for—”

Hidden from the house by a large willow tree, Light didn’t have chance to finish that as he turned back Drift’s way. The headbutt came hard, blinding him, and then the smack at his jaw saw him hit the floor a second later.

Yeah… about that soft, balanced choice of Drift’s over choosing not to fight back at the manor. He’d definitely fought as well as run with some level of bastard before.

Giving a snarl, Light swept at Drift’s feet and brought him down hard next to him. Drift landed with a huff, and Lightshifted half on top of him, pinning him still with a grip to his throat.

“I’m not a fucking Night-walker,” snarled Light inches from his face. “Are you?”

Drift stilled and the strangest look hit his eyes, a drop of all feeling.

Light was kneed between the legs, and as he dropped his grip, another headbutt had him rolling off. Drift came at him again, and Light swept his feet from underneath him in the same breath. Then when Drift tried to come at him again, he did the same, knocking him back down on his ass. It took two more times of him landing on his ass to leave Drift backing off up against the trunk of the tree, breathing heavy, and Light sitting up and spitting blood from his mouth.

“You fucking stupid asshole,” Light said flatly. “Don’teverpick a fight with me. You won’t walk away.”

“Myfuckinghome.” Drift hurled a rock at his head, and Light dodged it with a curse. Broken bits of mugs lay around them, and Light again swore under his breath, forgetting they’d carried their drinks outside. He hurled the stone back Drift’s way and it smacked just above his head, into the trunk of the tree, as he ducked out of the way with a “shit”. Then Light started picking the pieces of broken mug up, the echo of kids playing on swings not sounding as normal if they cut themselves to pieces.

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