Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 26232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Z races up to us. “You okay?”
“We’re fine—”
Fury twists his face. He doesn’t realize Jiggy was playing a harmless prank.
“Z, don’t!” I shout as he tears after Jigsaw.
“Jeez,” Hope groans. “Poor Jiggy went to a lot of effort just to get his ass kicked.”
“Z better not,” I mutter, watching the two of them zigzagging through the parking lot next door.
“Let’s go see if we can intercept them in the front of the building.” Hope tugs on my hand, pulling me forward.
We run into Rock first. Chance races over and hugs my legs.
“What the fuck was that all about?” Rock asks.
Hope takes Grace from him, kissing her daughter’s cheeks. “Jigsaw pranked us.”
“We heard you two screaming from across the parking lot.”
Hope blushes. “He got us good, I’ll admit.”
I can’t stop laughing. “Come on, let’s go save Jiggy.”
Z and Jigsaw land in the narrow strip of grass between the two businesses, rolling around like kids on a playground.
Hope and I skirt around the unmanned pumpkin carving station and approach Z and Jigsaw.
“Ow! Prez, it was an innocent prank. They’re laughing, look!” Jiggy points wildly in our direction.
“Z.” I walk up and touch his shoulder. “We’re fine. We had a good laugh.”
Z grins at me and jumps up off of Jigsaw. “Your ol’ man still has it.”
“Has what?” Hope asks.
“Strength, speed, and skill.”
From the ground, Jiggy rolls over and cough-laughs. “I let you catch me, old man.”
I blow out a breath and shake my head. “Everything’s been all about the kids. Jigsaw was just trying to do something funny to include us in the festivities.” Boy, I’m really pulling stuff out of my ass here.
“See?” Jigsaw winks at me and shoots a smug grin at Z.
Z grabs me by the hips and yanks me forward. “Trust me. He’s not that deep.”
I rest my hands on his shoulders and lean in closer. “I think you underestimate him sometimes,” I say in a low voice.
He pulls me closer and bends down to whisper in my ear, “I fucking love you, Siren.”
Suddenly, the October breeze seems impossibly hot.
“Can’t you two go fornicate elsewhere? This is a children’s event,” Jiggy says.
Hope smacks his shoulder.
“What the fuck’s going on out here?” Wrath bellows from behind us.
Z backs away but keeps his arms around my waist. “Just teaching my road captain a lesson in respect.”
I roll my eyes.
“Well, teach him a lesson in manning his pumpkin carving station.” Wrath jabs an angry finger toward the empty booth. “I want all those pumpkins out of my parking lot by tonight.”
“I wanna pumpkin!” Chance jumps up and down.
His excitement renews Grace’s interest in the activities, and she squirms for Hope to set her down.
I capture Chance’s hand before he can run off. “Hold Grace’s hand,” I tell him.
Jiggy steps by us, giving Z a wide berth. Chance tugs and squirms to get loose from me.
“Follow Uncle Jigsaw,” I say.
Hanging onto Grace, Chance throws me a look I interpret as “duh, where else would we go” and follows Jiggy. Just in case, Wrath trails behind them.
They stop to inspect the pumpkins.
“You’re really okay?” Z asks, reclaiming my attention.
“Yes, you overprotective caveman.”
“You say that like it’s an insult.”
Hope titters with laughter. “I think I peed my pantaloons when he recited that creepy poem.”
I burst out laughing. “Pantaloons? Jesus, Hope.”
“Poem?” Rock lifts an eyebrow.
“Jigsaw’s full of surprises,” Z groans. “I swear, every day I unlock some new, ghoulish factoid about him.”
“I think,” I poke Z in the chest, “he’s blossoming under your leadership. Sway didn’t appreciate his uniqueness. Now, Jigsaw feels freer to be himself.”
Hope lets out a low whistle. “You really need to return to politics, Lilly.”
“That’s some amazing bullshit,” Z agrees.
I grin at both of them. “Spin wasn’t my specialty.”
“You’re damn good at it, though,” Rock says, taking Hope’s hand. The two of them head for the pumpkins, leaving us alone.
“Hey,” Z says, resting his forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“Being the best damn ol’ lady a president could ask for.”
“How’s that?”
He shrugs and stares up at the brilliant blue October sky for a moment as if he’s trying to find the right words. “Sticking up for a brother. Accepting their quirks with class and grace.” He steps back and sweeps his gaze over my black turtleneck and jeans. “And looking really fucking hot while doing it.”
“Love the man, love the club,” I murmur.
“Yeah. I know that’s not always easy.”
“Sometimes it’s fun, though.” I tilt my head toward the pumpkins. Alexa’s joined Chance and Grace. The three of them are sitting together on a big bale of hay, listening intently to Jigsaw.
“Three pumpkins were sitting on a gate.
The biggest one says, "It's getting late!"
The medium one says, "But there are witches and ghosts floating in the air."
The smallest one says, "I'm not scared!"
Tiny little giggles float through the air.
“I’m da biggest and I not scared!” Chance announces.