Page 27 of Wild Hearts

“That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t fuck with you when I can.”

“What does that mean?” I frown, making him laugh.

“Oh, you’ll know soon enough.” He smirks, taking a drink of his coffee. “I have shit to do. Meet me outside in a bit?”

“Sounds good. I’m going to run a cup of coffee up to Shane and take a quick shower.”

Striker nods and waves over his shoulder.

I know that wasn’t some off-handed comment Striker made. He has something planned.

What could he possibly mean by fucking with me?

* * *

Shaneand I are sitting at the kitchen island, watching Striker stir the chili he put on this morning. I’m rubbing the back of Shane’s neck when my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and see the family text thread.

Asher: I don’t know if I should thank you or hate you.

Autumn: I’m offended. I didn’t think we kept secrets in this family, but clearly; I was wrong.

Asher: The only acceptable secrets are the top-secret kind, but apparently Aiden forgot that.

Autumn: Clearly, we have the right to be mad. Even if we are a little thankful.

Me: What did I miss?

Autumn: ‘what did I miss?’ Really? You know what you did.

Asher: You put us in a bind, you jackass.

Me: What the fuck are you two talking about?

I frown at my phone, trying to think of what I could have missed.

“What’s wrong?” Shane asks, rubbing my back.

“I don’t know, Asher and Autumn are going off about something, I just don’t know what.”

“Oh, Asher and Autumn texted you?” Striker perks up.

“Yes,” I drag out. “What did you do?”

I set down my phone and look at my best friend.

He turns around and goes back to stirring dinner. “I did nothing.”

He’s lying through his teeth.

My phone vibrates again, so I pick it up.

Autumn: Positive, you have a girlfriend. Negative, she lives in another freaking state.

Asher: Positive, Mom loves her and will be off our backs about settling down and giving her grandbabies for a solid year. Negative, the woman not only lives out of state, but owns a business. Which means there will be no moving back here, which means watching our poor, broken-hearted mother stare at your seat every Sunday from now until eternity.

Autumn: Hey Asher, maybe we should move so that way we don’t have to hear her sighing on Sundays missing her baby.

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