𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

Bullshit

"NO EFFING way! You brought her here?" The humid air of the Chateau, thick with the scent of salt and secrets, hung heavy as Kie exploded.

Each word dripped with disbelief and betrayal.

She stalks back and forth across the weathered porch, her bare feet slapping against the warped planks, Ari a turbulent shadow mirroring her agitation.

Ari's usual vibrant energy was now a tightly coiled spring of fury, her blue eyes flashing with a storm of emotions.

The news that Sarah Cameron, the Kook princess, her sister, was now privy to their world, their hunt, their lives, felt like a violation.

"How could you, John B? How could you bring her here?" Ari's voice cracks, a raw edge exposing the hurt beneath her anger.

She ran a hand through her sun-streaked hair, the gesture usually carefree now laced with frantic energy.

The tight knot in her chest constricted her breathing.

This wasn't just about the gold anymore; it was about loyalty, trust, and the invisible lines that defined their fragile Pogue existence.

JJ, ever attuned to Ari's moods, reaches for her, his touch a silent offer of comfort.

But she recoils, pushing his hand away with a frustrated sigh, the weight of John B's betrayal too heavy to bear.

The Chateau, usually a sanctuary, now felt like a cage, the weathered walls closing in on her.

John B, usually so quick with a quip or a cocky grin, stood mute, his gaze darting between his friends, a silent plea for understanding in his eyes.

But Pope and JJ remained stoic, caught in the crossfire of the girls' righteous anger.

JJ, ever pragmatic, broke the tense silence, his voice laced with a forced nonchalance. "Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share."

He jabs a finger at John B, trying to mask his own unease with a veneer of greed.

Ari rounds on him, her voice sharp as shattered glass. "You know, I don't remember taking a vote. This our thing. A Pogue thing. How could you just add her all into the mix like that?"

She plants herself in front of John B, her small frame radiating defiance.

John B couldn't meet her gaze, his eyes fixed on the worn floorboards, shame a palpable presence in the air.

Kie, sensing Ari's escalating distress, stepped forward, gently taking her hand and pulling her back, a silent reassurance.

Pope, ever the voice of reason, piped up, his usual anxiety amplified tenfold. "I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all this."

John B snaps back, his frustration finally boiling over. "When are you not uncomfortable?"

Pope, taken aback, stammered a response. "I dunno. I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably."

"It's true. Most relaxed I've ever seen him."

John B rolls his eyes, the brief moment of levity doing little to diffuse the underlying tension. "That's cute, guys."

Ari, exhausted by the emotional turmoil, broke away from Kie and sought refuge in JJ's arms.

She sank into his lap, burying her face against his chest, seeking solace in his familiar warmth.

"Now you want me to hold you?" JJ whispers, his voice a low rumble against her ear, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Ari simply presses a kiss to his neck, a silent acknowledgment of his unwavering presence.