Page 282 of Fragments

He wanted me to wear his ring??

“But what about you?” I gaze at it, mesmerized. “You don’t get one?”

“When we get married…” he whispers, and I shiver, “I’ll wear one too.”

“So you’re saying I’m the girl in this scenario?” I rumble, and he laughs.

“Well,youwere the one wearing lingerie… I’m just saying.”

“You’re sofunny, Lexington,” I hiss, grinning as I tackle him onto the bed.

We end up making out for many minutes, until I can’t help but suck his perfect dick, attached to his perfect body, becausehe’sperfect… And mine.

Till no death that could ever part us.

The next day, Lex goes out shopping with Cyrus and Tauren, while I stay home, practicing tattoos on Colson.

These three guys have been the biggest lifesavers ever.

Cherry flavor too… The best kind.

Not only have they allowed us to stay here while we figure out what the hell to do with ourselves, but they’ve also been paying for literally everything we do, since neither of us can work. We’re completely indebted to them. Mostly Tauren, since a majority of the money is his. But some of it is also Colson’s. He’s a pretty famous musician at this point.

Colson’s a bit more of a social media personality, content creator type figure, since he keeps his identity a secret and doesn’t show his face. But he makes beautiful music and releases albums online, which he’s been doing for years now under the name CBV.

I know what it stands for, but I’m not telling. That’s a story for another time.

When it boils down to it, Lexington’s online pal, Cyrus, and his brother and stepdad have become our family. And at a time when we really needed it, maybe more than we even fully understood.

Things have been a little tough, not knowing what’s going on back in New York. We still haven’t been able to reach anyone on the island, which keeps us in a constant state of worry.

I know what you’re thinking…You escaped from prison, dumb dumb! Who cares what’s happened in that shithole! Move on with your life!

If that is what you’re thinking, it’s pretty harsh, tbh.

Not everyone on that island was evil. In fact, a lot of those people were also our family. They’re people we got to know over the years, people we confided in, and relied on. People who stuck their necks out for us when they really didn’t have to. Mainly Joy, Rook, and Velle.

And Byron…

It’s a sore spot, honestly. The fight we got into before everything went down still haunts me. He was one of my best friends; myonlyfriends, because I’ve never really had them before. I just feel like shit over it, and not knowing whether he’s dead or alive aches inside my chest sometimes.

For the first time in years, I’m finally comfortable enough to talk more about Parker. And what Byron said, about me being selfish and not caring about his death… It weighs on me heavily.

Lex insists it wasn’t my fault. That I did everything I could have done for the kid, but it doesn’t stop me from hating the fact that he died, and I never even got to say goodbye.

So yea…as happy as we are to befreeand in love—andengaged, now—things aren’t exactly settled.

“This is gonna be the coolest tattoo of Ronald McDonald anyone’s ever seen,” I grin, running the needle through the flesh on Colson’s shoulder blade.

“What?!” he barks, and I giggle.

“Nothing. Never mind. So, how’s that new song coming along?”

“It’s good,” he says quietly. “I’m not sure about the hook… Gotta keep working on it, I guess.”

Artists. Never satisfied with anything.

I like Colson a lot. He’s a good kid, very different from his brother, and from Tauren. I can kind of relate to his sullen, emo boy personality, though he likes to wear that stuff on the outside too. It’s just a different sense of style, but from what I understand, he’s really come into his own over the years.