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“I love it. Thank you so much.”

“So now you have a place to sit at the table.”

“For the one more meal she’s going to have here?”

“Shut up Gage!” Enzo threw a muffin at him, which seemed to really piss him off.

“This is fucking absurd. She is some random chick who broke into our house and slept in our bed and ate our food. We don’t know her story or who she is or why she’s on the run and we just welcome her in with open arms!” Gage stood up and threw the paper down.

“Why are you so scared of me?” I knew I probably shouldn’t have said that, but he seemed really fun to poke and it seemed to make Enzo happy and I enjoyed watching his eyes twinkle.

Gage stalked over to me and ripped the chair out of my hand and threw it down. “I’m not scared of a little twat like you. I just don’t like you and I don’t trust you.”

“Gage. She was just teasing.” Calix stepped in.

I raised up on my toes and pressed my finger into his chest. “I don’t give a fuck what you think. I told you what happened last night, so believe me or don’t. But don’t take something that Dresden created and throw it on the ground. It’s disrespectful.”

Gage looked at me and didn’t speak for a moment, and then turned and walked out of the house, slamming the front door.

“Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy shit.” Enzo dropped to his knees and began bowing towards me.

I laughed and looked at Dresden. “I’m sorry he did that with your chair. I love it.” I picked it up and placed it at the end of the table while he took the other one back to his shop.

“What’s going on in here?” Barrett asked, walking in.

“She’s a little spitfire.” Calix nodded his head towards me while chopping carrots.

Barrett looked from me to Enzo, who was still sitting on the ground.

“Gage just rushed her and got all in her face yelling and she stood up to him. Tiny little Scarlet stood up to him. Finger in the chest, I don’t give a fuck what you think… don’t disrespect Dresden.” Enzo stood up. “Epic!” He said, twirling around.

“You have caused quite the stir in the house, Scarlet.” His words held a note of disapproval. He looked at Jace. “How is the patient?”

Jace looked from me to Enzo, and then back to Barrett. “Her feet have completely healed, but there’s still a chance for infection. After tonight, I will have a better idea.”

I let out the breath I’d been holding. He didn’t lie, but he also bought me a little more time and that’s all I needed to put a plan together.

“I see.” Barrett said, looking around the room. “Well, it’s time for us to go to the mines.” He looked at Calix. “You aren’t ready?”

“Sorry, all the commotion in here distracted me.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I chimed in. “I will handle it. Tonight, I will cook dinner. It’s the least I can do.”

“Do you know how to cook?” Calix asked.

“I’ll figure it out. How hard can it be?”

Calix laughed. “How hard can it be? Shit.”

Barrett and the others started walking outside while Calix was listing off things to do, what to cut, where to put it, and everything else.

“I got it! Go!” I laughed, ushering him out of the door. “I don’t want to be more of a disrupter.” I winked, causing Calix chuckled.

Chapter eight

Barrett - Jerrypoo on a Humdinger

“Gageseemsextrabroodytoday.” I mentioned to Gideon, taking a break from swinging the pickaxe. Gage had found a corner of the mine and just started pounding away into the wall, relentlessly.