“I wouldn’t worry about it. Dad likes Griffin now.”
“Sometimes I think Dad likes Griffin more than me,” Aisling lamented. “I’m not sure how it happened, but … it did.”
“That’s not true. Dad loves you.”
“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to throttle me sometimes.”
“Oh, heck, we all feel that way.” I grinned as Aisling lobbed me a dirty look. “Where did our friends go?”
“That way.” Aisling pointed toward the hot tub seller’s gaudy display in the middle of the floor. “Sheridan is looking at a Jacuzzi. Her boyfriend is talking to someone, although I can’t make out exactly who.”
“Maybe we should go over there for a better look.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
We cut across the floor, doing our best to avoid snapping at errant shoppers who didn’t watch where they were going, and closed the distance between us and the rogue reapers relatively quickly. Aisling’s attention was focused on Sheridan, so I gave her male companion a long look. It was only after staring for a few moments that I realized we knew the woman talking to him.
Uh-oh. “Um, Aisling … .”
“She’s still wearing leather pants.” Aisling made a clucking sound with her tongue. “I have to give her props for being brave enough to wear them given her age. She looks kind of cheap and tacky, though, don’t you think?”
I forced myself to follow her gaze. “She’s only in her thirties. I think she looks hot.”
“You don’t think she looks hot,” Aisling scoffed. “You’re gay. It’s impossible for you to think she looks hot.”
“And you’re straight, yet you think she looks hot, or at least did when you were younger,” I argued. I wasn’t offended by the “you’re gay” sentiment. It was a recurring theme in our house. As open and accepting as they were, the Grimlocks often said boneheaded things. The key was to ignore rather than dwell on them. “I’m fully capable of looking at a woman and knowing if she’s hot.”
“Fair enough.” Aisling wasn’t offended by my tone. “She’s still too old for those pants.”
“Maybe you should tell her that.”
“I’m considering it.”
“Before you do, there’s something I need to tell you.” I wasn’t looking forward to the next bit. Aisling and I were close, claiming a special bond – it went along with being twins – and I knew exactly how she’d react when I pointed out who the male rogue was chatting up. “You’re not going to like it.”
Aisling was instantly alert. She knew how to read my body language as well as I knew how to read hers. “Oh, I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“I’m definitely afraid to tell you, but I don’t see where we have a choice.” I extended my index finger. “The dude is over there … and he’s not alone.”
Aisling tracked my finger, her face remaining blank for a full ten seconds. I noted the exact moment when recognition registered on her face.
“Son of a … !”
“There it is.” I forced a smile for her benefit. “What are we going to do now?”
I expected Aisling to take a deep breath and engage in some measured thinking. It wasn’t until after she started striding in the rogue’s direction that I realized it was a completely ridiculous assumption.
“Crap!” I scampered after my sister, mentally preparing myself for a verbal smackdown of epic proportions. Aisling might not publicly engage in a physical fight if she could help it, but her ongoing war of words with Angelina Davenport was the stuff of legend. She wasn’t going to pass up a prime opportunity to clash with her arch nemesis. That’s Aisling’s term, not mine, by the way. Arch nemesis, I mean. Aisling doesn’t care that her hatred for Angelina sounds like the world’s worst comic book showdown ever. “Aisling, wait.”
It was too late.
“Hello, slutbag,” Aisling drawled as she popped up next to Angelina.
Angelina’s eyes widened to comical proportions when she realized who had joined her little party. “Well, if it isn’t metropolitan Detroit’s answer to the question, ‘Who is responsible for the crabs outbreak,’” Angelina sneered.
“That would’ve been better if I hadn’t used the same insult on you two weeks ago,” Aisling shot back. “I used syphilis instead of crabs because it’s funnier and has more potential for driving those infected insane.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Angelina sniffed as she slipped a strand of her long dark hair behind her ear. “I thought of that insult completely on my own.”
“Yeah, and I thought of the plot to Wonder Woman before it hit the big screen,” Aisling drawled. “What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?” Angelina challenged. “This is a professional expo. The only thing you’re a professional at is being a pain in the ass.”
“That was a much better insult,” Aisling said. “As for why I’m here … .” She broke off, letting her eyes drift to the rogue reaper. “Who are you?”
“This is Davis,” Angelina answered for the rogue, who eyed Aisling with something akin to contempt. “We just met. We’re both in the mood for hot tubs.”
“Davis, huh?” Aisling flicked a look to me.
I shook my head. The name meant nothing.
“Well, Davis, I need to warn you that spending too much time with Angelina will have a negative effect on your brain cells,” Aisling supplied. “Of course, the fact that you stopped to talk to her at all has me questioning your intelligence.”
“Oh, shut up, Aisling,” Angelina barked. “You don’t always have to be so rude.”
Aisling smirked. “It’s like you don’t even know me.”
I decided to take over the conversation before it devolved into screeched insults and hair pulling. If things got too far out of hand there was always the chance the cops would be called. It would hardly be the first time Aisling was arrested for getting into a slap fight with Angelina. My father kept cash on hand at the house specifically to pay bail.
“So … Davis … um, how do you know Angelina?” As far as greetings go, it wasn’t my finest offering.
Davis’ expression was hard to read as his eyes flicked between Aisling and me. All the members of my family – save for my recently rediscovered mother – boast black hair and purple eyes. It’s a striking combination. It’s also well known in reaping circles. If Davis had ever heard of the Grimlock family, it was possible he already knew who he was dealing with.
“We met while looking at Jacuzzis,” Davis replied. “We were simply getting to know one another.”
“At a home expo?” I cocked an eyebrow. “It seems to me that a home expo is where you go with a significant other to make plans for a new house or something.”
“Is that why you’re here with your sister?” Angelina challenged.
I bit back a nasty retort. “Jerry is here, too.”
“Oh, good, Jerry the fairy,” Angelina muttered. “I haven’t seen him in forever. Where is he? I’d love to see him.”
Aisling narrowed her eyes to dangerous slits. “You stay away from Jerry.”
“Don’t worry.” Angelina offered up a dismissive wave. “I’m not trying to steal your fairy from you.”
Angelina often used the word “fairy” to disparage Jerry and me. My family accepted me with open arms. We grew up in an affluent area, and the welcome wasn’t always warm outside of Grimlock Manor.
“If you say that word again I’ll rip your fake hair out of your head,” Aisling warned.
I put a hand on Aisling’s arm to still her. “Don’t bother. She’s not worth it.”
“I know, but it often makes me feel better.” Aisling’s smile was evil. “I consider it my cardio for the week when I wrestle her to the ground and make her cry.”
Davis raised his hand as he smirked. “If you’re tallying votes, I’m totally for a girl fight. If you could rip off each other’s shirts while you’re rolling around, that would be cool.”
“You can totally talk that way about Angelina,” Aisling interjected. “She’s a skank and she’s fine with it.”
“Don’t make me smack you, Aisling,” Angelina hissed. “I’m at my limit.”
“I’ve been at my limit with you since middle school,” Aisling shot back. “You’ll get over it.”
I opened my mouth, hoping to say something to ease the situation, but I was interrupted when Sheridan picked that moment to join the fray. If I’d thought things would be tense before, I knew they were about to kick into overdrive now.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Sheridan didn’t as much as look at Angelina. Her focus was entirely on Aisling. “I believe I know you, right?”
“Who are you?” Angelina was clearly puzzled. She recognized Sheridan and Davis were dressed alike and yet she hadn’t put two-and-two together yet. “Did you go to high school with us?”
Aisling rolled her eyes. “She’s, like, twenty years older than us.”
Sheridan was understandably offended. “I’m, like, six years older than you.”
“You’re still too old for those pants.”
“These pants are designer … and I look great in them.”
For what must have been the first time … well, ever … Angelina decided to publicly agree with Aisling.
“No, Aisling is right,” Angelina said. “You’re far too old for those pants. Plus, well, you have a saggy butt. You can only wear pants like that if you don’t have a saggy butt. I suggest a butt implant … but given your outfit, I’m guessing you don’t have the money.”
I stilled, dumbfounded. The look on Sheridan’s face told me she was about to do Aisling’s dirty work for her and smack Angelina’s head against one of the Jacuzzis. Aisling clearly recognized the woman’s expression, too, because she smoothly stepped between Sheridan and Davis.
“I don’t know about the saggy butt theory, but those pants are probably better suited for teenagers,” Aisling announced. “You’re getting close to slipping over to the geriatric side of the age line, so they’re not appropriate.”
“Oh, geez.” I slapped my hand to my forehead. I was fine leaving Aisling to scrap it out with Angelina – mostly because I knew Angelina was no match for my sister’s wrath – but Sheridan was a good four inches taller. She also had at least thirty pounds of muscle on Aisling. It wouldn’t be a fair fight. “Don’t make things worse, Ais.”
Aisling ignored me. “As for what you said earlier, you do know me. We’ve met before.”
“You have?” Angelina obviously didn’t recognize the warning signals that should have been clamoring in her head. “Did she date one of your brothers or something? Wait … I bet it was Redmond. He’s never had good taste in women. I know it wasn’t Cillian, because he’s far too smart to date a woman in pants like that.”
Angelina had briefly dated our brother Cillian – before she cheated on him and became even more hated than before, if that was even possible – so she had a soft spot for our most easygoing sibling. Aisling refused to let go of the fact that Angelina hurt Cillian, and that was the absolute worst thing to say given the animosity flying around.
“None of my brothers would date her.” Aisling was dismissive. “We already had one close call with a skank. That’s you, in case you’re curious. We’ve all agreed that risking another run-in with walking herpes is a terrible idea.”
“That did it!” Angelina launched herself at Aisling. My sister expected it and easily sidestepped her. Angelina grunted as she hit the ground, whining as she ruefully rubbed her elbow. “That hurt. I’m going to have you thrown out for that.”
“For what?” Aisling scoffed. “I didn’t touch you. I have witnesses, and this place has cameras. Do what you want. It won’t help you be less of a skank, so keep that in mind.”
“I hate you,” Angelina gritted out.
“Right back at you.” Aisling’s smile was tight when she turned back to Sheridan. “As for you … we met when I was with my father one day. We were going out to dinner and ran into you while you were out with a friend.”
“And who would that friend be?” Sheridan asked, her expression unreadable. I couldn’t tell if she didn’t know who she was dealing with or she was merely baiting the hook.
“Duke Fontaine,” Aisling answered without hesitation.
Sheridan jolted, and even though she tried to cover, it was clear she didn’t expect that answer. That’s when I knew she wasn’t playing a game and really couldn’t place Aisling.
“Fontaine?” Davis leaned forward, intrigued. “How did you know Fontaine?”
“We’ve had occasion to run into him from time to time,” I answered for Aisling, sensing danger. She’d killed Fontaine months before, and the word was out how it happened. That didn’t mean we were in the right company to garner accolades for the deed. Sure, Aisling was protecting herself – and me by extension – when it happened. Fontaine’s friends would hardly applaud us for our efforts, though. “We haven’t seen him in a long time.”
Aisling cast me a curious look, the obvious question on her lips before she decided to do us both a service and change course. “Right. I don’t suppose Fontaine is with you?”
Sheridan’s eyes narrowed. “He’s dead.”
“Oh, total bummer.” Aisling delivered the line with a flat affect. “Well, we should probably be going.”
“Oh, now you leave,” Angelina muttered, her lip curling into an unattractive sneer as she regained her footing. “Why couldn’t you do that ten minutes ago?”
“Because then you’d be happy, and no one wants that,” I replied, snagging Aisling’s elbow. “As for you guys, it was great seeing you. Angelina … as you were.”
“He means you can go back to being slutty,” Aisling volunteered.
I shook my head as I dragged her away. “I didn’t mean that, but if that makes you happy, go for it.” With those words I gave Aisling a vicious tug and turned back in Jerry’s direction. There was no doubt Sheridan and Davis watched us go. I could feel their gazes lasering into my back as we departed.
We were officially on their radar.
5
Five
“What’s your damage?”
Aisling’s eyes flashed with impatience as I maneuvered her to a spot out of Sheridan’s line of sight.
“You’re my problem,” I fired back. “Were you going to engage in a war with them in the middle of a home expo?”
Aisling shrugged, unbothered. “I was considering it.”
“No offense, but Sheridan would’ve kicked your ass.”
“Oh, puh-leez,” Aisling scoffed. “I’m way tougher. I grew up with four brothers and know how to fight.”
I didn’t bother to hide my incredulity. “You grew up with four brothers who shoved your head in armpits and occasionally wrestled you to the floor and held you there until you cried. That’s vastly different than getting in an actual fight with a woman who has thirty pounds on you.”
Aisling wasn’t about to be dissuaded. “I’ve almost died, like, five times in the past six months. I think I know what I’m doing.”
“Oh, well, that’s a good argument for letting you make a complete ass of yourself.”
“I thought so.” Aisling never backs down. I mean … never. Even when she knows she’s wrong, she almost always doubles down and digs in her heels until she either wears the other person down or they forget what the original argument was about. This clearly wasn’t going to be an exception.
“They didn’t realize who we were,” I pointed out, shifting tactics. “That’s better for us.”
Aisling didn’t look convinced. “And you think they’re just going to let it go now?”
I held my hands palms out. “Why not?”
“Because all they have to do is ask Angelina who we are and she’ll be more than willing to rat us out.”
I stilled, realization washing over me
. “Crap. I didn’t think about that.”
“I believe that’s why I’m considered the great thinker in the family.”
“You’re considered the great family pain in the ass,” I corrected. “We’re even having special business cards made up that say exactly that.”
Aisling wrinkled her nose. “Really? I’d love business cards that say that.”
“You would.” I rubbed the back of my neck as I considered our next move. “Sheridan and Fontaine were close at one time. Do you think she’ll want to avenge him?”
“I have no idea.”
“Aren’t you afraid that she’ll come after you once she finds out who you are?”
“I think part of her already knows who I am,” Aisling replied. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m famous in certain circles. In the reaper world – rogue or otherwise – I’m kind of a big deal.”
Instead of laughing, which was my initial reaction, I scorched her with a dark look. “That’s nothing to be proud of.”
“I think you’re looking at it wrong.”
“And I think you’re on my last nerve.” It was time to get real … and fast. “We need to find your lost soul right now. We have to absorb it and then focus on your second charge. I’ll hang around and watch your back in case the rogues move on you, but we can’t wander around all afternoon.”
Aisling balked. “I’m not afraid of them.”
“That’s not why we can’t wander around. We have a certain someone else to think about when it comes to drawing attention to ourselves. Or have you forgotten about your best friend?”
Aisling’s smile slipped as she glanced over her shoulder to make sure the rogues weren’t tracking us. It wasn’t so much that she’d forgotten about Jerry – I knew that much – but she was so caught up in the game she lost her head for a bit. “We can’t let the rogues near him.”
Grim & The City: A Grimlock Family Short Page 4