Page 38 of His Property

One side of my lips lift. “Fair. Sorry if it disturbed you. I was trying to drown out the sound of the surveillance footage for you.”

She waves my apology away. “I didn’t mind it. Just don’t do shit that’s going to make you think too much. You scared me earlier.”

“I’m sorry.” I frown. “It won’t happen again. I promise.”

Another lie.

Gabi smiles warmly. “Hey,” she slaps my shoulder. “Maybe you should call an Uber. Did wonders for distracting me.”

I laugh, and when I come down from it, my smile falls. I get an idea.

“Actually, I have my own Sweet and Spicy Brandon equivalent.”

“Really?” Gabi’s eyebrows lift, and she sounds genuinely surprised.

I shrug. “Yeah, I’ve been talking to someone. We’ve hung out a couple of times since I found out Mom is being released.”

“Cora,” Gabi corrects. We recently agreed we’d call her Cora. Gabi’s idea. She hits my arm to urge me to continue. “But go on.”

“That’s basically it.” I shrug again and hope I’m not overdoing it. “I mean, I’ve thought about inviting her over after you went to bed, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure how you would feel about it if you heard some random person in our house.”

“Are you kidding me?” Gabi laughs. “Invite her over. What do I care? I do all my living vicariously through you anyway, it would be nice to have some excitement under the same roof. Even if I’m not the one having it.”

I laugh at the irony of what she just said, but my brows pinch. “Do you realize how messed up that sounds?”

“Yeah, well, it’s been three years. I have the right to be a pervert.”

I chuckle. “Okay.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t walk in on you.” She taps her legs while giving me a smartass smile, and I shake my head at her.

“I guess that’s a plus to having a room upstairs.”

She nods. “Seriously, though, invite whoever you want. If I would’ve known I was what kept you from having guests over, I would’ve told you not to be an idiot a long time ago. Don’t let me keep you from having a life.”

My eyes narrow. “You don’t keep me from having a life. Why would you say that?”

“Umm, because you have no friends.”

“I have Emily,” I argue, although I'm not sure why. Gabi is right, I’m a recluse. If I didn’t have my work, I’d be as big of a recluse as she is. But I don’t want her to think she’s holding me back. This is just who I am.

Gabi shrugs. “True. But as far as I know, you made Emily up. You’ve never invited anyone to our house before.”

“Well,” I say, pausing for a moment as if I’m considering something. “I will then. If for no other reason than to prove to you that I have friends.”

And because she’s already there.

“Good.” Gabi tips her chin.

“Maybe even tonight,” I add, smirking as I think about Mae asking for a shower.

Perfect.

Gabi smiles and looks genuinely happy for me. “Good.” She faces the prison before leaning back against the windshield. She looks up at the sky and sighs. “Who knows, maybe one day you’ll introduce us. Literally nothing would make me happier than having a sister-in-law. Except dick. But I have Sweet and Spicy Brandon for that.”

I chuckle and lean back on the hood with her, staring up at the sky. Colors swirl with the sun setting.

Time for one last lie.

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