The Jackal
They say that the apple never really falls far from the tree—no matter how withered the branch or how rotten the core.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure that my dad is a great guy, but he never counted on me showing up. None of them did, and that’s exactly what’s going to make this so fun.
We won’t talk about my mother because chances are, he doesn’t even remember who she is. To most people that’s important, but not if you’re a Meyer.
I just want to make amends with him before I move on—not that I’ve done him wrong, it’s more the other way around. He was too busy getting his rocks off to be a father and that’s understandable.
I don’t fault him for it. Hell, I would have done the same thing.
Guess we’ll see if he lives up to the legends I’ve heard about him because if I’m going this far, I expect fireworks.
The Tagalong
This better be worth my time.
I didn’t want to drive hundreds of miles just to stare at someone that’s supposed to be some kind of god.
But my partner-in-crime promises that whatever happens will be something neither of us will ever forget, and I never could say no to a good adventure.
I’ve heard weird rumors that his father lives with another man—someone he “won” from some girl they both used to hang out with, and honestly, that’s the only reason I came.
Besides knowing that the jackal would lose what little grip he has left on reality if his father doesn’t meet his expectations, I’m curious about how someone could be so easily manipulated.
Lucky for me, I’m not one of those people.
The Stowaway
If either of them find me, they’re going to be pissed off.
I just hate that they’re always going places without me when I want to go too. He told me that he was my friend but he slights me at every turn. She said she has nothing against me but she acts like I don’t exist when he’s around.
What’s so special about him, anyway?
It can’t be his personality because that sucks something fierce. He’s the most arrogant person I’ve ever met in my life, but if I looked like him, I guess I would be as well.
He seemed really excited when they hopped in her car to drive to … I don’t even know where we’re headed. I’m just lucky enough that they haven’t found me yet and maybe when they do, they won’t mind.
After all, where am I supposed to go when I’m in a place I won’t even know?
One
Aces Wild
Aftyn
I roll the toothpick from one side of my mouth to the other, then lean back in my chair.
“Let’s make a real bet for this hand,” I challenge Willa, a smirk creeping across my lips.
She raises an eyebrow at me over her cards before she places them on the table and folds her hands over them.
“What do you think you have that I could possibly want?” she asks curiously.
I scoff and roll my eyes.
It’s obvious she’s just being a little bitch right now because I know she wants me. She has for a long while now, even if she won’t admit it to herself.
I lower my eyes to the cards in my hands and bite down on the toothpick, the smirk on my face widening into a grin.
“Besides the obvious?” I retort as coolly as I can. Reminding her that being a bitch actually turns me on won’t help the situation any. “Anyway,” I continue as I lean forward and place my elbows on the table. I shuffle the cards in my hands for a moment.
“The suspense is killing me, Aftyn,” she remarks in a bored tone.
“I’m getting there,” I snap. When Willa grins at me, I have to bite back the urge to toss the cards in her face, knock the table over, and fuck her until she begs me to stop. Not that I would—from what I understand, that’s not the Meyer way and I’d love to live up to my old man’s legend.
“So, if I win, then I get to fuck you,” I say conversationally.
“And if I win?” she asks, rolling her eyes at me.
“Then you fuck me. Either way, it’ll be a win for you and we both know it,” I remind her smugly.
“How about if I win, you drop dead?” she barks at me as she picks up her cards, glaring at me over the top.
I let out a good-natured laugh. One of the very reasons I consider Willa my favorite frenemy is because of the cute little shit she says to me—like constantly telling me to drop dead.
“Would you fuck me if I died?” I ask her innocently, batting my eyes at her. Willa laughs and shakes her head. She can stand up for herself too, and in my book, that’s a plus.
“Show me what you got, Wills,” I say after I show her my hand.
All kings and a two of spades. There’s no way this bitch will beat this hand. Not in a million—
“Fuck!” I shout angrily when she drops her four aces and three of hearts on my cards. I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest, doing my best to control my temper.
It’s not her fault that she always fucking wins, but I don’t like losing. Especially not when there’s pussy on the table.
“Back to the original bet, Meyer,” she says as she tucks her legs underneath her on the chair. “Tell me why the hell you really want to go to Arizona and explain to me again why flying isn’t an option.”
I let out a loud sigh as I drop my hands into my lap before I run them back through my hair. I hate this heart-to-heart bullshit, but she seems to have a knack for it and Willa is one of the more curious creatures that I happen to be acquainted with.
With a shrug, I tell her for what seems like the one millionth time. “I found my old man’s address. I think it would be kind of cool to see what he’s like. Not to bond or anything stupid like that, but it would be nice to look him in the eyes just once.”
“That’s right,” she says thoughtfully, “and why can’t we fly?”
“I hear road trips can be fun. Besides, you’ve got that fancy new car and you barely move the fucking thing. Wouldn’t this be a great reason to break it in?”
She places an elbow on the table, drops her chin in her hand, and begins to drum her fingers along the tabletop. I know she hasn’t made up her mind about this entire thing, and I know that me bringing it up almost every single day since I found the fucker’s information online hasn’t helped the situation any, but she’d be getting two of me for the price of one and that should be more than enough to say yes.
Okay, so I didn’t exactly find him. I got a strange email one day from some random account that gave me the bare minimum when it comes to details and dared me to go to Arizona. I don’t take dares very lightly and I don’t back down from them either.
I sugarcoat that version of events for Willa because my acceptance of dares has gotten us into more trouble than most of them are worth. I believe in having a good time at any costs, she believes in common sense.
“I guess so,” she finally says with a shrug. “We can leave tomorrow night if you want. I’ll sleep all day and we can miss a lot of the bullshit traffic if we leave at an odd hour, anyway. Consider this your birthday present, Meyer,” she finishes with a chuckle.