Ascension by Bailey Bradford (desktop ebook reader txt) 📕

Chapter Eleven

Ro was nervous. Maybe it was silly to be nervous, considering his current state, but he was. He and Conner were waiting in Laine’s office. Laine and Sev were at Ro’s funeral, and Conner had offered to go with him to observe it, but Ro didn’t feel right doing that. It seemed like a vain, ego-feeding sort of thing to do, as if seeing people mourn for him would ensure that he felt loved. Ro wasn’t cool with that.

In the two days since his death, Ro had learned how to pop in and out of places. Thinking of where he wanted to go, he only had to concentrate then he was there. It reminded him of his fantasies of being able to teleport when he was a kid. He just hadn’t known he’d be able to do it, ever, but only if he was a spirit.

Well, it is what it is. He’d had his life, now he was lucky enough to get to have his afterlife with Conner. He just wished he hadn’t hurt his loved ones by being such an idiot and swerving.

“No what-ifs,” Conner told him, as if the man knew what he was thinking. Possibly he did. Ro was pretty sure there was more to Conner than even Conner knew, but he wouldn’t pry.

“Trying. You can’t tell me you didn’t do it, too.”

“For years,” Conner agreed. “And it sucked. I’d rather you didn’t have to go through it.”

“I think we all have to. Second-guessing our mistakes when they cost us so much is human nature,” he pointed out.

Conner nodded. “Sure, but you gained something too. Lucky you I’m as thick-skinned as I am thick-skulled and don’t get my feelings hurt easily. I’d hate to think you were calling me a mistake.”

Ro tossed a wadded-up ball of paper at Conner. “Ass. Stop trying to make me paranoid. You know what I meant.”

“Yup, I did.” Conner cocked his head, and his eyes glazed over. That look usually meant Sev was talking to Conner. “Sev said they’ll be here in ten, and not to mess with the papers on Laine’s desk.”

Ro sighed, wondering if his uncle said shit like that just to get Conner to do the opposite, because that was surely what would happen.

Conner didn’t disappoint him, raising every paper into the air, including the previously stuck-together sticky little yellow squares. Conner’s grin was positively evil, and he looked freakin’ adorable as he spun the papers around. The stapler floated up next, and in short order Laine’s office walls had been redecorated. Conner was just setting the stapler back down when the office door opened. It wasn’t Laine or Sev who came in, though.

Deputy Rich Montoya’s eyes bugged and he turned white, bringing the scar that ran from his eyebrow to chin into stark relief. “Fuck,” he mumbled, stumbling back out of the door.

“Shit!” Ro said at the same time as Conner.

Montoya’s eyes didn’t bug any further, they just rolled right back and he hit the floor with a thud.

“Shit! Shit, we killed him!” Ro yelled, panic flaring bright and fast. “Oh my God!”

“He’s not dead,” Conner said, appearing beside Rich. “I think he just passed out. If you remember, Rich had very bad experiences with spirits.”

Yeah, Ro remembered. He’d been haunted, possessed even, by the spirit of the guy who’d killed Conner and had almost killed Rich. It’d taken death to get rid of the fucker, with Rich having to be revived through CPR to be free of the evil that had almost destroyed him.

“So he knows about us. Why’d he pass out?” Ro asked.

“Probably because he heard you,” Sev said. Ro looked up to find his uncles rushing over to them. “Were you talking when he—” Sev glanced around, looking at the open office door. “He walked in the office?”

“I think all I said was ‘Shit’. He startled me.” Which was a lousy thing, considering Ro was the spirit.

Laine grunted and, after he and Sev had brought Rich back around, Ro was careful not to make the slightest sound. Rich had a wild look to him, like a horse frightened by thunder. Ro floated his ass back into Laine’s office and started taking down the papers Conner had stapled up all over the place.

“You‘re not gonna let me have any fun.”

Ro looked over his shoulder at Conner but didn’t answer. As far as he knew, Rich was still within hearing distance. Conner started taking papers down too, grumbling as he did so. Footsteps warned Ro of someone joining them just before Laine cursed.

“Damn it to hell, Conner…”

Conner snickered and rolled up a stack of papers.

Laine narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you dare—?”

Conner swatted him on the backside and let the papers fall to the ground when Laine spun around.

Ro had spent his teen and early adult years being intimidated by Laine. It wasn’t until he’d really matured that he hadn’t been afraid of Laine snapping his head off. But even so, he couldn’t have teased Laine the way Conner did.

Conner floated back and pointed. Laine’s tin star pinged when it hit the ground.

“Enough!” Laine roared.

Ro opened his mouth to snap back, not caring for Laine yelling at Conner one bit.

“Don’t.” Conner grimaced and gestured, elevating the star until it wavered chest level with Laine. “I shouldn’t have messed around today. I never do know when to quit. Or when to not even begin.”

Conner sounded so disgusted with himself Ro couldn’t help but hug him. “You were only teasing,” he said, forgetting his attempt to keep silent with Rich nearby.

“Now isn’t the time for joking,” Laine snapped.

Ro glared at the man but kept silent. His balls were only so big, although what could Laine do to him now?

“He’s right.” Conner sighed and patted Ro’s back. “I was just being an ass.”

It almost hurt for him not to speak. Ro had to bite his tongue, but he didn’t think Conner was an ass. Playful, happy, and deeper than anyone else suspected, that was Conner. Otherwise,