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“Yeah?” he says between laughs “Mydidn’t do it for you?”

I smile and elbow his side “What? That a toilet is like a church?”

“It’s godly enough to be called a fucking throne”

“The hole isfull well this is a sexual innuendo

Banks bounces his head, his laugh deeper in his chest He surveys the kiddy train-car ride and the fa their children in the caboose “Even if some knucklefucks co?”

“Yeah, why not? I fucking hate being alone most of the time anyway”

His brown hair is long enough to brush the back of his neck He curls a strand behind his ear “Isn’t swi more solitary?”

“I had Moffy growing up We went to swi I have to an older brother I could’ve done any sport without him, but it wouldn’t have been the same I think…” I scuff ht Thrill Drop, an adrenaline tower, in the distance “I think that I would’ve been lonely With howaround people, even if I’ood with people”

Everyone knows that I’reat ords like Jane She’s a witty princess I feel like the foul- the ocean blue, who’d reroute back ho badly

“You’re telling me,” he says huskily, “I’m twenty-nine, and I’ve never really been alone Never lived alone Never spent aze and lifts another shoulder “Maybe people like you and me are just meant to be in the company of a buncha knucklefucks—or we are the knucklefucks”

I slug his arm “Probably the latter”

We share a smile, and our attention finds the sa slowly near the miniature train caboose, a phone to his ear

Business calls

I’ve been slowly growing used to Akara’s abrupt, unexpected departure from my detail Ever since he created his own security firm, he’s been too busy to protect , and I don’t want to be the reason he fails

“He looks really stressed,” I say to Banks as atch Akara

“Yeah,” he nods “He’s grown an extra wrinkle overnight Right above the third and fourth one”

I laugh into a snort

His lip lifts too, but our humor weakens as concern mounts

Banks is here to protect me for these moments, when Akara has to step out, and he cares just as much about his friend