Page 9 of Fight

“Morning, Grandma, Grandpa,” I reply, the rushed words just falling out in my haste to get to the food and coffee.

I freeze as I glance up at them both, hoping I haven’t just made things super fucking weird, thankfully they’re both beaming at me, and Rome, always being able to sense my unease, clears his throat gaining everyone’s attention as he compliments them on all the delicious looking food, and effectively changes the subject.

“Thank you, it’s been a while since I got to cook for so many people. It was nice.” Demelza replies.

“What are your plans?” Gerald asks, concern in his eyes.

I clear my throat, feeling slightly nervous, as I ask, “Actually, the guys aren’t too comfortable staying in their houses considering the things that happened there, and while we are helping to get the town safe, we were wondering if we could stay here?”

Demelza smiles. “Of course, we would love to have you all stay here, and it will make it easier to coordinate as well.”

I nod in agreement and then say, “Thank you, we really appreciate it.”

We spend the next twenty or so minutes eating and keeping the conversation light, Malory joining us and tucking in too, before she announces that she needs to go and study for her final exam but to call her if we need her for anything.

When everyone has slowed down a bit, and we’re just sipping our coffee, Gerald looks at me curiously and asks, “Yesterday, before Malory came in and distracted us all, you were about to tell us something?”

I freeze just for a moment and then look to Rome, who's sitting next to me at the table. I’m feeling unsure how to start, and I feel like he is probably the best one to explain this.

“Our grandparents aren’t dead. Silas had them in the basement of the house; he wanted to know where the heirloom vault was,” Rome tells them the bare bones of what’s going on.

Demelza jumps up, her face full of hope as she asks, “They’re still alive? They’ve been in the town the whole time?” When Rome nods in confirmation, she says, “That fucking rat bastard, I should’ve made his death last longer. He deserved more than what he got. I knew I should’ve tried that new flesh melting poison on him.”

Ace lets out a small chuckle that has everyone staring at him incredulously, apart from Gerald, who just grins.

Ace shrugs and explains, “I can see where Jynx gets it from.”

All of my guys hum in agreement, and I share a proud look with my grandmother, feeling closer to her than I ever have with my mother, which is odd but not unwelcome.

“Jynx, dear, I know you have a lot more questions that you most likely wanted me to answer today, and I promise you that I will answer them soon, but they're my best friends, and I thought they’d been dead this whole time. Would you mind terribly if I went to them?” Demelza asks.

I shake my head, “No, of course not. I think they're going to be just as surprised to see you, the infamous fifth family that disappeared.”

Her eyes widen as she shares a look with Gerald, “Robbie is going to be as mad as a wet cat in a tumble dryer.”

I can’t help it, her saying is so out there and like nothing I’ve ever heard, and I instantly burst out laughing, along with the guys, as I mutter, “Well, that’s a new one.”

She smirks at me as she shoves a final piece of toast in her mouth and says, “Shall we go then?”

We all get up together, sensing her impatience, and start heading toward the door, but when Demelza starts to head further into the house instead of toward the front door, I ask, “Where are you going?”

“My car is in the garage at the back of the house,” she explains, and then her smile widens as she looks at me, “Kind of like your house.”

“You mean your house?” I reply.

She shakes her head, “Nope, that house is completely signed over to you. You own the entire thing and everything else that you thought you did.”

My eyebrows rise, “Well, fuck. Thank you.”

She chuckles at my reaction and then, not bothering to reply, turns back around to head to her car. Before she can head any further in that direction, Mason asks, “Before everything gets all mixed up, it’s just our father left alive? All the other parents are either dead or disappeared?”

“Yes, it's also your father who has been sending so many of his and the other families' people after you,” Demelza confirms.

Mason and Malachi share a grave look, “So, he needs to be dealt with immediately.”

“That is the plan, yes, dear, but right now, I want to see my old friends, and I need to get there. Your father can wait, he’s scared witless at the moment, and it’s amusing me,” my grandmother replies as she heads with Gerald down the hallway and to the garage to get her car, leaving the rest of us standing in the hallway.

“You’re grandmother is absolutely ruthless,” Rip mutters, the others humming in agreement.

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