Page 90 of Burn

At the moment, it just added to my irritation.

“I’ll try not to presume what nefarious acts you and the others are up to in a foreign country, and you don’t just presume how I feel or what I want. Sound good?” It came out so snippy. I was biting off each word like it was impossible to chew.

Even Goblin stared at me, ears down like I’d upset him.

Alphabet sighed. “Gracie?—”

A whistle and a pop came from the laptop and a message flashed on the screen.

“Dammit,” he swore and limped his way back to the chair. He pulled his headset on before he took a seat, but there was nomissing the way he stretched his right leg to the side as he sat and then moved it under the desk. “I’m here,” he said. “Gracie’s awake.”

He glanced at me and I waved him back to the computer as I carried my coffee mug into the kitchen. I washed it out with some water from a bottle, then carried a fresh water bottle out to leave for Alphabet before I retreated to my room.

It wasn’t much, but I could sit in here and try to figure things out. My tablet was also there on the dresser, next to the bag they’d apparently set there for me. I hadn’t noticed either earlier.

The next few hours passed with agonizing slowness. I tried not to listen to the partial conversation in the front room while I attempted reading. Periodic breaks let me check on Alphabet and I took Goblin out once more after I left Alphabet a sandwich.

The hours trickled by until I gave up trying to read and turned on one of the series he’d downloaded. I honestly wasn’t even sure I heard any of it. At some point, weariness hit me, and as it grew dark, I went to sleep again.

The next day, I woke to the guys arguing over breakfast. At least, it sounded like they were arguing until I made my way out there. Then the conversation broke off and the subject changed.

“Subtle,” Lunchbox said with a dirty look at Bones and then Voodoo.

“Whatever. Let’s eat. I want everything ready to go. We’re moving today.”

I frowned but headed over to make my own coffee.

“Hey,” Voodoo said, touching my arm. “How are you doing?”

With a shrug, I pointed to the coffee. “I’m still here. You?”

“Same.” He glanced to where Lunchbox and Bones were in deeper conversation.

“Where’s Alphabet?” I just realized neither he nor Goblin were here.

“Still sleeping,” Lunchbox said. “I’m going to make you some scrambled eggs real quick and some grilled ham. I’d do more but we don’t have time. We should be home by this time day after tomorrow, so I promise you a much better meal.”

“I take it we’re all leaving tonight then?”

“Don’t worry, Firecracker,” Voodoo said. “Soon as we wrap up business, we’ll be back to get you and Alphabet. You’ll have a couple of hours warning.”

They weren’t kidding about getting ready to leave. As soon as the scrambled eggs and ham were ready, Lunchbox put them on a plate and nudged me to it.

“Sorry it’s not more,” he said. “We’ll be back soon.”

There was a banging deeper in the house, then Bones announced they were leaving. Right, don’t let Alphabet sleep cause I couldn’t be on my own. Voodoo and Lunchbox both glanced at me like I was going to say something but Bones was already out the door.

“I guess, good luck?” What else was I supposed to say?

“See you soon,” Lunchbox flashed another quick smile and then they were gone.

As much as I didn’t want eggs or ham, my stomach was pinching from skipping dinner the night before. I should have eaten but I didn’t want to.

Eventually, Alphabet joined me and he invited me to play cards. “We’ve got a few hours before they get to work and there’s nothing else I can do, so—wanna try a hand or three?”

“Depends on what you want to play? I’m pretty good at gin rummy and poker.”

The corners of his mouth quirked. “My kind of girl.” It didn’t take him long to put together some fakechipsin the form of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. He sorted out enough change for us to be evenly staked.

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