Page 98 of Two Chambered Heart

Once Archie had joined their table, they’d used the cards to create a method of covert communication. And after Archie joined, some other kids had followed. The ability to pass secret messages via cards had beenthe nucleus of their eventual uprising, that and Archie and Calyx’s gifts. Calyx, with her gift of fire, had made the ultimate sacrifice, levelling the building to the ground and trading her life for their freedom.

Since then, Jason had spent the next decade dedicating every waking minute to repressing any whisper of memory from their time in captivity. For the most part, he was successful. Losing himself to work helped during the day. He couldn’t control his mind at night, but he had liquor to help him with that.

Kayden had effectively thrown a grenade into all his efforts, though his brother seemed unperturbed by the whole ordeal, collecting another 121 points and taking his second win.

Corey gave a frustrated groan and took a feral bite from her croissant, spraying flakey pastry all over the table. It almost made Jason smile, despite the havoc in his head.

“It doesn’t make any sense! The cards I get just don’t add up to 31,” she said, mouth still full.

“You have to make them add up to 31, Little Fox. That’s the point of playing,” his brother laughed.

“Thank you for that wonderful tip, Kay. I must have missed that point over the last hour.” She took a sip from the latte that must have been cold by now, having sat on the table for so long.

“Do you want another one?” Jason asked her, his hand squeezing her thigh under the table.

“Nah, you make them better anyway.” She leaned into him, nuzzling her nose against the ridge of his jaw in an unexpected display of affection, and a deeply suppressed part of him preened at her praise. He turned his head to breathe her in deeper.

He caught Kayden in his periphery, anI told you soplaying around his eyes.

“Where did you go earlier?” she asked him.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m here now.”Thanks to you, he thought.

“We used to play crib in the facility,” Kayden said.

Jason cut him a shocked look, his heart missing a beat.

“I guess I should tell you I told her?” His brother had his lip between his teeth, but there was no guilt there.

“Everything?”

“No,” Kayden shook his head, “but enough.”

He didn’t know if what he was feeling was relief or regret, regret that he hadn’t been the one to share it with Corey after she’d opened up to him, or relief that he wouldn’t have to.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” she said into his neck. “Unless you want to. I know sometimes it just makes you feel crazier saying it out loud, but it can be healing too when the right person is listening. If I could put everyone who hurt you in a scary torture dungeon, I would, Jase.”

“That’s not your job, sweetheart.”

“Well, I don’t currently have a job, so if you’re in the market for a hound dog, I’m happy to be your weapon of choice.”

“We’ll take that under advisement.” Kayden was back to shuffling the deck. He looked overly contemplative at her request, and Jason didn’t like that. He wanted Corey as far away from their past as possible. “Another round?” he asked, already cutting the cards to deal.

“Why bother?” Corey pouted. “You’re just going to win again.”

“I didn’t take you for such a sore loser. There was bound to be something you’re bad at.”

“Hey, I’m not bad at cards. This game is just stupid. You should see me at poker.”

“If you’re that confident, we’ll get you a laptop and you can start making us millions on online poker games. How about that?”

“Us?” Corey pulled her face from Jason’s shoulder, and the loss of contact left him colder. “You two are already rich! I need the money.”

“For what?” Jason asked. They were dancing around the inevitable daily. They truly didn’t know what Corey’s expectations were of this relationshipthey’d fallen into. Jason still doubted she would be okay with their profession, even after the last 48 hours.

“I don’t know. Like… things.” She waved her hand in the air. “I can’t just sit around all day and make you buy me everything.”

“Isn’t that what every girl wants?”

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