Welcome to the Family

35

Trigger warning:

Flashbacks of death.

Violence.

***

Beyond the beach, waves rose that peaked in white caps and rushed headlong onto the sand. It was mesmerizing. The murmur of the ocean, subtle and constant, was punctuated by the cry of seagulls overhead.

We arrived in San Francisco half an hour ago, but Ashton kept complaining he was starving. My twin could eat an entire cow and still say he was hungry.

We were sitting at an outdoor eatery, a fancy one. The portions were smaller than my fist but cost an arm and a leg.

Soft fur - Hazel's fur - brushed against my ankles under the table. Cameron registered her as a support animal a few days ago. I liked the idea and had been thankful, because it meant I could take her everywhere with me.

"They just landed," Cameron stated, pushing his sunglasses up, and leaned back into his chair. "Eden will update every hour."

"How long will it take?"

"An hour. They're staying until Sunday night though."

"Why are they staying an extra day?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that unusual?"

"No. Jaime and Eden are making a few deals with the locals," Cameron said and tilted his head. "I thought you weren't interested in the business?"

"I'm not ..."

"What's with all the questions then?" My twin asked, crossing his arms. "Act like you wanna be here and then runaway again, when we least expect it?"

"Ashton-" Cameron snapped, his voice raising.

"You're an ass. Why the hell would you say that?"

"I'm just saying, it's something you would do," he mumbled, half shrugging. I reached out and pinched his arm, making him yelp.

"Ouch, you fucking bitch-"

"Woah," Sebastian bellowed, leaning forward to glare at Ashton. "Don't you ever, ever, call your sister names like that."

"She just called me an ass!"

"You're being one," Sebastian said, nostrils flaring. "You're on thin ice, Ashton."

My twin rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Go ahead and play favourites."

"We don't have favourites." Cameron said, smirking. "Why can't you get along for five minutes? You two are gonna give me grey hair."

A throat cleared and I snapped my head up, noticing a waiter had appeared. He was young, his brown eyes flickering around the table. "What can I get you guys to start off?" He asked, interrupting my thoughts, holding up a notepad and pen. I studied him, catching his eyes as he stared at me from where he stood between Cameron and Sebastian. He smiled when he noticed me staring and I smiled back.

"I'll have whatever the special is," my older brother said, pushing the menu with a bored expression. Sebastian smirked at my brothers sudden attitude, ordering himself a gourmet BLT.

"We'll both have water," he added and I gazed over the menu once again, undecided on what to have.

The waiter turned to Ashton, nodding for him to order, though I noticed how his eyes kept flickering to me. I glanced away, biting my cheek to keep from smiling.