Page 119 of Drift

Drift blushed, shuffled from foot to foot, and she shoved into his shoulder before taking Jan’s offer to shake hands. “It’s a bad habit of many a kid,” she said to him. “Avoiding talk on the screw ups. Which he has plenty of, believe me.”

Jan smiled and waved it off. “I get a lot worse, trust me.” His look naturally strayed Drift’s way. “But it’s… it’s really good to seeyouagain.” He offered him his hand too.

Another nudge off West had Drift glaring at her before taking the offer.

“You sure it’s good to see me?” Drift looked Jan up and down. “My last visit put one of yours in hospital.”

Jan paled, the barrel of Ray’s gun still looking too close. “Trouble’s normal around here.” His look went Light’s way. “But I’m glad this particular one is back on home shores too.”

Jan and Light hadn’t spoken since Light had taken Ray down, and it showed. Awkwardness came in Light’s nod, but he gently tapped Jan’s abs as he passed, a slight blush burning his cheeks as Jan returned it. It was a small way to mending bridges, but what happened with Rayhadeased things on Jan’s part, just slightly. It had with Jack too, Gray had seen that. But then action always did speak louder than words, especially when it came to Jack.

Drift and West allowed Jan space to shut the door. They didn’t come any closer once it was shut, with Drift’s wariness staying on West’s, his grip on her hand, right up until Simon shifted and made a beeline for Light.

As Light handed over Drift’s laser pointer, a touch went to Light’s neck, another to his jaw, and for a moment, Simon got real close.

Light’s… distress had been painful to see and hear even for Gray when he’d first started to play. But Drift had drawn something out of Light when he’d taken up a guitar as well, but Simon had still looked Gray’s way, wanting to call stop. That had to be Light’s choice. Gray needed to see he could make it and not become too lost. Light had made the call eventually, came into his own on guitar without any of echoes of pulling someone’s ribs out of their back, but the long kiss Simon gave Light now wanted it confirming through a physical touch.

Surprisingly, Light returned the kiss, a quiet conversation between them that said yeah, he was okay, and the drop of intimacy in general, let alone in a public setting from him was… was the first time Gray had known Light show any emotion with people around him.

Drift watched Light and Simon a little too carefully as well, maybe with a bit of relief. He’d definitely not like Light being close to West back at Jackson’s. The kid was definitely sharp, but it seemed in testing phase, open to flaws with only relying on playlists. Playlists hadn’t accounted for Simon or Ray, and he’d almost boxed himself in to a corner. But Gray loved how subtle his touch was, with distraction tactics in mind if he did get caught, like with the startling blue streaks to his hair now and shifting his look to avoid tracking. Added to his first-class feeding skill and ability to move between groups…?

His natural ability to blend in and move around cells with being given access to inner workings on most of them was a rare find, especially with how non-threatening Drift looked. This Grant had taught him some damn fine skills. Drift had a temper with it, but that wasn’t necessary a bad thing at all.

And that temper didn’t seem to fade as Martin came downstairs.

Martin hadn’t slept either, but he seemed to be running on empty more than most. Hair was damp from a shower, feet bare, and he wore loose jeans and a shirt he wouldn’t ever tuck in. Casual, out of place to the suits most everyone else wore, he gave a sniff and ran his hand through his hair, getting it off his face before he came to a stop at the bottom of the staircase.

West followed Drift’s quiet, and her smile fell instantly.

Seeing Drift, Martin went to say something, but giving a wince, he dipped his head and rubbed fingertips into it.

Drift was here, in the manor, and… Christ. There’d been no other option available, but Jack had specifically asked for that not to happen. Had Jack picked something up? A camera flash with no audio to potentially pick up in some way that Driftwashere, in the manor?

Gray didn’t interfere. Martin would let him know if he was struggling, and his push back of any hurt and look at Jude said hewashandling it by giving no leeway on control.

The kind of fight Gray didn’t ever want between him and Jack.

West shot a protective look at Drift, went to move, to go over to Martin, her body language crying out she saw the connection to JudeinMartin and wanted to have a go, but Drift pulled her back.

“Night-walkers,” he said flatly. “Anything else waits.”

Martin did exactly what he he’d done with Light: he stayed back, watched, more had a look about him that said he’d wait until needed, whether Drift thought he needed him or not. And Martin’s look said Driftwouldneed him.

Drift’s look said pretty much what it had with Light:Fuck you, cunt.I look after my own.Which he had been doing, for so long alone, without Martin or any of the money found here.

“How about a breather first?” Light went over. “Maybe time for a proper look around here. De-stress?”

Jan frowned his way, and Gray wished he knew what ran through his mind, because he looked troubled.

“How about you keep it to just yours and Simon’s over at the summerhouse?” Jan said gently to Light. Then he looked Drift over, West. “You hungry, you two? You want me to order anything in for when you’ve finished your talk?”

Drift shook his head. “Not hungreh.”

“Me neither,” said West, cocking a brief brow at Drift. “But thank you for the offer.”

“Okay. So how about you look at the order with me and order a mix-match of things in case you want to take home whatever isn’t eaten?” Jan suggested instead. “Lockdown, right? Just Eat drivers are gonna be busy for a few nights to come.”

West dug her hands in her sweatpants, and now her smile was easier. But it was Drift who spoke. “Yeah…” His look softened Jan’s way. “That’ll be really good. Thank you.”

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