tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

008. SLUMBER PARTY

I sleep for quiet a while, but I wake up to talking. Blinking furiously, I see that the Hawthorne brothers have given us company. I leave my eyes closed for quite some time, listening to them in secret.

"Must we always resort to fisticuffs, of everything?"

"Looks like I have a volunteer for the first ass-kicking," I hear Nash say, then say, "Do I have a second?"

After a few seconds, talks. "Couldn't stay away, could you, big brother?"

"And leave Leah here with you knuckleheads?" When Nash mentions my name again, they stare up at me again.

"I wouldn't worry too much about Leah," Grayson said, silver eyes sharp. "She's clearly capable of taking care of herself."

Translation: He sees right through me because I'm a heartless, gold-digging scam artist.

"Don't pay any attention to Gray, really" Jameson told Nash. I can hear him lazily slumping on the bed. "None of us do."

"Jamie," Nash said. "Zip it."

Jameson ignored him.

"Grayson is in training for the Insufferable Olympics, and we really think he can go all the way if he can just jam that stick a little farther up his ass."

I can't help it. I snort.

The room drops to pin drop silence. Once I realize I've blown my cover, I peek. Three of the four brothers are all staring at me. Jameson laughs as he sees that I'm awake. Grayson, on the other hand, stares at both of us like we're slugs.

"Enough," Nash grunted.

I hear the door unlock. "What did I miss?" Xander dashed into the doorway, and the room immediately felt lighter. He was dressed in a private school uniform, complete with a jacket that he quickly discarded.

"You haven't missed anything at all," Grayson told him. "And Leah was just leaving." He flicked his gaze toward me. "I'm sure you want to get settled."

I was the billionaire now, and he was still giving orders.

"I'm the billionaire now, Mr. Hawthorne. Maybe you should stop telling me what to do."

The room is silent for a moment, and I worry I've overstepped. And then the whole room erupts in laughter. Xander is giggling so much he's fallen on the floor, holding his stomach from the pain, and Nash's booming laugh is taking over the room. Jameson is wiping his eyes, chuckling hard. Grayson is slumped in a armchair, gnawing at his cheek.

"Man, I like her," Jameson says, pointing wonkily at me. I can't help but grin from the satisfaction.

Nash looks at me, laughing, then eyes Grayson.

Grayson is shaking his head, rolling his eyes. He's clearly been through this too many times before. If it was anyone else, I would've almost fell sorry for them, but not Grayson.

"Wait a second." Xander frowned suddenly, taking in the state of the room.

"Were you guys fighting in here without me?" I still saw no visible signs of a fight or destruction, but obviously, Xander had picked up on something I hadn't.

"This is what I get for being the one who doesn't  skip school," he said mournfully. Then, he covers his mouth, but he's smiling.

At  the mention  of school,  Nash  looked  from  Xander  to  Jameson.

"No uniform," he noted. "Playing hooky, Jamie? Two ass-kickings it is."

Xander heard the phrase ass-kicking, grinned, bounced to the balls of his feet,and pounced with no warning, tackling Nash to the ground. Just some friendly impromptu wrestling between brothers.