Page 79 of Stutter

We're casually walking through the throngs of tourists and townsfolk in the Spanish square, the old cobblestone streets beneath our feet a visual and physical reminder of how much history was around us when Damon stopped in front of an old boutique’s window, looking at the Christmas display. “What are you getting Raven for Christmas?”

“Uhhh…” what an asinine response, I know. “I hadn’t really thought that far into it, yet.” I reply honestly. “What does one give someone that can afford the world?”

Damon looks over at me as though I’m the world’s biggest idiot. “Something from the heart.”

I roll my eyes. “Christ you sound like a jewelry store chain commercial.”

“And yet she’s anything but a plain, white diamond, isn’t she?” He said, moving toward the next window. A full display of little marionette dolls hang loosely in what looks like sixteenth century fashion.

I grunted at him in agreement as we stopped at a Café, ordered a strawberry smoothie and kept walking. “What are we doing here that we couldn’t do in back home?”

“Getting supplies so they can’t be traced back to her.”

“Guns?” I asked and Damon threw his head back barking out a laugh.

“Christ, this isn’t a mafia movie.No. Not guns. Just something that’s in still in season here.”

I grunted again as Damon hailed a taxi to take us back to a different part of the city and I threw away my plastic smoothie cup in a recycling bin.

Jonas and Raven were gone with Enrique for almostsixhours by the time we got back from touring, having had a delicious crustacean dinner by the sea, and returned barely four hours before we boarded the jet with a new briefcase holding something inside that clinked just a little every time it was moved.

My knee bounces as I stare at the thing, feeling like Poe in The Tell-Tale Heart, hearing the clinks every time the turbulence is subtle but there.

“Quarter for your thoughts?” Damon says and I snap my sight to his silver stare. I know his little joke is from when I once told him my thoughts were worth more than a penny.

“What’s in there?”

“Vials.”

This vagueness in his tone irks me. “Of?” I practically snarl.

“It’s not drugs.”

“Oh, what a fucking relief.” That one is a snarl.

Damon sets down his tablet and focuses solely on me, interlocking his fingers together and settled them on his abs. “We will tell you it all once it’s done and over with, Maverick.”

I take off my glasses and pinch the bridge of my nose. I’m honestly surprised I haven’t had a migraine since we’ve all come back together, but that doesn’t mean being out of the loop grates on my nerves at times. “Could you just give me peace of mind?”

“It’s strawberry extract.”

“We flew across an entire ocean forstrawberry extract?”He has to be lying to me. he probably should be lying to me.

“No. Raven and Jonas flew across the ocean so he could meet her grandfather, where he took them to Huelva by helicopter to see where the strawberries he pays good people to tend year-round for his hotel grow and they brought back samples of the extract they use for their desserts.”

“You and I both know she doesn’t bake. Our little heiress can barely make the bagel toaster function properly.”

Damon bites back a grin. He knows I’m right. Our girl is beautiful, but she can’t cook worth a damn. “Be that as it may, that’s all you need to know.”

“And if they ask why we were all together?”

“I’m her counselor and was asked orpaidto come along just in case. You and I saw this as an opportunity to have another mini vacation as acouple.”

I need a fucking drink.

By the time we land, it’s barely two PM our time and fatigue is settling in my bones. Jonas is playing tonight, which is why we’ve let him sleep so much during our flight and in two days, it’s Sofia’s extravagant holiday party.

Something Damon is invited to, and I’ll be going as his plus-one.

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