Page 27 of Hale's Pawn
Karessa opens her mouth to respond and the pantry door flies open. I turn to look at Jagger and Oran. Both of them assess the situation and Jagger is the first to speak. “Put the gun down, Ainslee! All of this because she had a crush on your husband!”
Both Karessa and I look at him like he’s dumb. Oran looks at her, the gun, and then me. He narrows his eyes at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
I roll my eyes. “Excuse me, your dramatic highness! It’s fucking empty. There’s no need to be rude, assholes!” I pick up the bullets and show them.
Karessa stands, trying to avoid the awkwardness that she feels. “Ainslee, thank you for showing me that. I’m just going to grab some things in the car. Be right back.”
She pushes through the boys. Idiots. I shake my head. I grab my bullets, putting them in my pocket, and I shove between the two. I take my baby back to my filming room. Not even a moment later, Oran walks in and slams the door. “You have a gun in my house and you didn’t tell me? How long have you had it here?”
“From the second I moved in,” I answer as I unconsciously begin to strip the gun apart as I sit on the couch.
“So, you’re going to just bring shit into my house and not tell me?”
“Ugh. It’s not like I brought some blow into the house. I’m a fucking Bishops. Do you know what that means?” I ask as I put the gun back together.
“Yeah, that you threaten people to do shit for you with guns.”
I can’t help it as I laugh mirthlessly. I shake my head. “The gun was empty, Oran.”
“Come again?”
“The gun that was aimed at your head was empty, dude.” I strip the gun again, shaking my head. Something isn’t right. What did I do wrong with this gun just now?
Oran laughs but I know it’s not out of amusement. “So, you’re telling me I could’ve said no?”
I snicker. “Was my dad there when it happened?”
“Yeah.”
“Then no, he would’ve shot you with his gun. The man never goes back on his word. I just wanted you to know that the gun pointed at your head was empty. Just for you to sleep better at night.” I shrug.
Oran watches me silently as I put the gun back together properly. “Look at me, Ainslee,” Oran says. I look up at him. “No more secrets. If you have things in the house, then you tell me. I’m not mad that you have it. I’m upset that you chose not to tell me. I need to know these things.”
“I understand.” I get up and place the gun back where I got it.
“Come here, show me your heart rate because you got a little fucking excited there with all this shit.”
I roll my eyes and try not to punch Oran in the gut. “You’re like my grandfather. I couldn’t even fall in peace. Sheesh. I’m fine, dude.”
Oran checks my Fitbit to make sure everything is good. “Don’t call me dude, Bug. It’s either Oran or babe, if you’re feeling froggy.” He kisses my temple. He stands and brings me out of the room. Jagger and Karessa are sitting on the couch, cuddling. Both Oran and I make a noise. I shake my head, the fuck is this lovey-dovey shit? Eww.
We sit on the couch. “What do you guys want to watch?” Oran asks.
“Don’t care,” I say. Jagger agrees with me. I pick up my phone that I left on the coffee table. I sit back on the couch, bending my knees, bringing them to my chest while Oran and Karessa agree on some bullshit rom-com. I make a gagging sound as I unlock my phone. Why the fuck do I have over a hundred comments from someHale_Spawnaccount on Instagram? When I get to the profile, I click on the only picture they have. It’s Oran in some kind of fucking thirst trap. The fuck? His shirt is lifted up, he’s holding the hem of it between his teeth, and he’s showing half of his chest and abs. His black Versace boxer briefs band is showing and that’s where the picture ends. I go back to my notifications and on each one of my pictures, there’s the wordDELETEin capital letters. “What the actual fuck is this?”
“Oh, I see you’ve finally checked your Instagram. Kindly delete every picture I commented on,” Oran says as he watches the movie.
Karessa snickers. “I tried to tell you, but you had a gun.”
“He commented on a hundred posts. Where did you even get the time for that?”
“Jagger helped me,” Oran answers nonchalantly. “Anyway, I’m ordering takeout. You guys in?”
Karessa and Jagger agree. “Yeah, yeah,” I say. “What are you ordering?”
“The only place that knows what I like.” He calls off his phone. “Hey, Mr. Wong, it’s me, Oran. Yeah, you ready? Can I get a number one, three, five, seven, ten and hmm... a number six. Add in like a dozen rolls; egg and spring. Yeah, that’s it for my order, hold on, what do you guys want?”
Both Karessa and I’s mouths drop. Jagger carries on like nothing. “Get me a number four, five and half a dozen spring rolls.”
