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I learned that Elijah had two younger siblings, a brother and a sister, and that Mason and Finn didn’t have any Cole’s sister was eight, and when I asked hi in the world was, he answered without a moment of hesitation, “Penny”

I also learned that he hated his father, though I wasn’t sure why—he answered that question with a one-word answer and then retreated back into hi on the next several rounds

We drank as we played, and by the time Cole shook off his bad in, Elijah had admitted that he was too, and the others had teased us mercilessly for it

When Mason told reen eyes shuttered for a h I’d already known that thanks to my conversation with Jacqueline, my heart ached for him I knew exactly what it felt like to lose a mother

“It sucks, doesn’t it?” I asked softly

His gaze locked on mine, and for a heartbeat, his whole body tensed, as if the intense emotions bottled up inside hiht tear apart at the seams

“Yeah,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp “It does”

I sed, not quite sure what else to say

He looked tortured Ruined

But a moment later, the tension drained fro back and spreading his legs lazily “All right Enough of this pussy bullshit Somebody needs to pick ‘dare’”

“Okay, tough guy Truth or Dare?” I teased, leveling hi stare

He cocked his head, green eyes glittering in the diht “Dare, Hildebrand Do your worst”

Well, this is too fucking good to pass up

I keptthe silence settle for a rinned

“I dare you to be ,” I added, holding up a finger