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“The dog? Who isn’t real?”

“Just don’t say that to him.” Trev laughed, trying not to think about Juicy snapping at him the other day. He rubbed Jupiter’s chest. “You… You guys are all I have.”

“What about Jimmy? Rowena?”

“They’re great, but…” Trev was quiet for a moment. “They didn’t order extra Chinese food for me. They didn’t let me kick them in the balls. They’re not… They mean a lot to me, more than they probably should, but they’re not…”

“Not what?”

“They’re not family.” Trev clung to Jupiter. “Didn’t think I had any of that left, heh, but… maybe I do and I just didn’t realize it.”

Jupiter kissed his brow. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Trev smiled softly. “Do you think Jimmy would let me kick him in the nuts?”

“Hard to say.” Jupiter chuckled. “I bet Rowena would.”

“She’s got the biggest ones here.” Trev laughed. “Jimmy probably would? He’s definitely that kinda will give you the shirt off his back dude. But he’s gonna cry afterward. Rowena would take it and be like, wow, that’s all you got? She’s a fierce bitch.”

Jupiter kissed Trev’s cheek. “Maybe you have more family than you think.”

Trev blushed. “Maybe.”

“Try to rest? We still gotta make it through dinner tonight.”

“Oh, fuckin’ goody.”

Chapter

Nineteen

Trev did his best to prepare himself for what he suspected would be another snooty meal at the table. He hadn’t made it to the entrée all week, having opted to leave early because he could only stand Cold’s company but for so long.

Tonight would not likely be any different.

In fact, it would almost certainly be worse considering how he and Cold had left things earlier.

Jupiter might have had the magical people skills to kiss ass and keep quiet for days at a time, but Trev…

Trev did not.

As calculating and patient as Trev prided himself to be, he had limits. He could not let any potential benefit of playing nice outweigh how much he’d grown to loathe Cold and this entire situation. Just thinking about it made him sick with rage, and he was close to refusing to come down for dinner entirely.

Jupiter’s gentle smile won him over, but Trev warned him that he would not be staying past the appetizers. Jupiter accepted that and when it was time, they headed downstairs with Mickey trailing behind them.

“Are you all right?” Jupiter squeezed Trev’s hand.

“I’m fine.” Trev forced a fake smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We’re almost there,” Jupiter soothed. “Tomorrow, right? And then we’re?—”

“It had better be fucking tomorrow or I am going to burn this place to the ground.”

Mickey cleared his throat.

“Oh, eat my fucking hole, Fester.” Trev groaned. “If I was actually going to set anything on fucking fire, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to say it in front of you.”

Jupiter squeezed Trev’s hand a little tighter. “With some luck, this will probably be our last meal here, okay?”