Page 106 of Living Legend

“Ah, so no dirty details or anything?”

“Nah, nothing like that. He likes to talk about it to a point, and then the story kind of just trails off. He changes the subject or just gives me a look that tells me we’re done, so I just let it be.”

“So, what does he tell you?”

He sighed. “Just things like how getting into The Skies was different then, and who your family was mattered a hell of a lot more than it does now. That’s probably one of the only things he talks about that sheds any good light on Jonah.”

I snuggle further into the pillow under my head. “Were they ever actually civil?”

Nicholas nods. “Yeah, once upon a time. They were like best friends or something. A lot can happen, I guess. People grow apart.”

“I don’t know. It sounds more like personal hostility, which is a far cry from growing apart.”

Nicholas raised one of his arms and threw it behind his neck, resting on it. “I’m well aware.”

“Maurice Cassial: mysterious and a total babe.” He closed his eyes, using his other hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, clearly annoyed. I giggled, bringing the sheet up to cover part of my face. “Oops, that’s probably not what you want to hear after we’ve had sex, huh?”

He shook his head at me. “Um, no, not exactly.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s not true.”

He grabbed more of the sheets and started pulling them over my face, covering me completely in gray cotton. He patted where my body was laying a few times to make sure I was tightly packed in my cocoon.

“Your dad seems like a great dad, though. All jokes aside,” I said through my layers of fabric.

“He is. I mean, he has his moments, but I wouldn’t be who I am now without him.”

I started to maneuver myself out of the mess of sheets. “Was he some kind of master swordsman?”

“He was one of the best. In the most non-cocky way, he always says,” Nicholas stated sarcastically.

“And somehow, you turned out alright, but your best friend grew up to have the biggest head?” I asked, poking him in the ribs, making him squirm, inching away from me.

“Reese hasalwayshad a big head. I probably wouldn’t have made a lot of decisions in my life without him constantly nagging in my ear to do it. Granted, not all those decisions are ones I would like to relive, but hey, bonding.” He poked me back, right in my cheek, but then he slid his finger from my cheek and laced it around different curls of my hair.

I watched his fingers and bit my bottom lip. I didn’t want him to stop talking, so I decided to move to a new topic. “So, I did some snooping.”

“Snooping?” He sounded hesitant, dropping his hand.

“Mhmm, before I went to bed. I found…err…I found a picture of your mom.”

He looked over to the window behind his dresser. “Did you?” The thunder outside was just a low rumble, but the rain was still coming down.

“Yup. Not many people would keep a photo of someone they have no interest in ever trying to figure out,” I pointed out.

“You never just let shit go, do you?”

“Not my style.”

He sighed, tilting his head down. “She is still my mom, Dani. Just because I don’t want to talk about her or I don’t seem to show any interest doesn’t mean I don’t care.” He gave me a sad smile. “I’ve just learned to take information where I can get it but not ever really ask for it, because that has never gotten me anywhere with anyone. It honestly just makes it worse for me.”

“Your dad really loved her, didn’t he?”

Nicholas bit his bottom lip and nodded. “From what I can tell…yeah.”

I turned back over on my side as he continued talking. “They were all friends, apparently. Jonah, his wife, my parents. There is this whole blank space between when they were friends and now.” He sounded frustrated and with everything else going on, I would be too.

I snorted. “Literally the only two people you can ask aren’t willing to talk about it.”

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