John studies her closely. He appreciates this game more than he likes to admit. To have knowledge that he barely hints at, just enough, he thinks to keep her tense, worried. The cards are in his hands, but he’s watching her reaction first. There have been times that he hasn’t had the information on hand, where he makes an assumption, only to see it proved right or wrong.

      ( in this case, he knows more ).

      He wears a smile, inauthentic, but radiating a learned warmth.    ❝ No, keeping secrets doesn’t. But the reason for keeping them… that’s what makes a difference. ❞    She’s wrong. Given that he knows which secret he’s aimed at, he knows just how interesting he thinks it is. But dangerous too. It’s why he’s there talking to her. The safety of their Project matters. And while John may not be the one to build an army, he’s the one who can read the room – the one who can catch those who aren’t authentic – those who would seek to harm them. He lets silence lapse for a moment, but his footsteps come closer, a tilt of his head and questioning gaze preceding what he wants to ask.

      ❝ How important is family to you? ❞    It’s a hint. A way of just barely disclosing what he knows.

his words click in her head easily,  brows furrowing in the slightest.  HE KNEW.  of course he knew.  he wasn’t stupid and neither was she.  he was the one who killed her father,  the one who probably sent his goons after her these last few weeks.  the mere thought,  the mere memory made her angry.  but,  kate knew better than to show it.  not with someone like him.  

he steps closer and she instantly steps back,  the heels of her shoes hitting the back of the wall.  she was trapped and she couldn’t help the fear that begin to overwhelm her thoughts.  he could kill her.  or,  worse.  she’s heard about john seed and his methods to get people to revert to his family's side.  not something kate was too confident that she could handle.  

IT’S ONLY BEEN A FEW MONTHS.  a few months since she’s been released from the hospital,  a few months since she survived a direct gunshot to the head.  something that even the doctors didn’t see happening,  from what she heard.  a gunshot that close to the head should’ve killed her.  she’s well aware of that.  which is why she takes no chances dreading on the past.  it’s not like she remembers much anyways.  all she knows that someone who claimed to be a friend’s of jesse shot her in the head and the last she’s heard of it,  jesse was presumed dead or missing.  so,  there was nothing keeping her or brock in mexico.  so,  she moved as soon as it was safe for her to do any heavy moving.  

fingertips brush throughout her hair as she watches brock play with a little girl on the playground,  the heel of her boots tapping against the ground,  allowing her gaze to fall for a split second.  feeling someone sit next to her,  her nerves begin to build as hues darted over to the male.  they quickly calmed once she noticed his focus on the little girl.  

❛  is that your daughter?  she’s adorable.  the boy,  he’s my son.  ❜

❛   the kid’s okay.    ❜ he tells her with this smile painted on his features. saul wasn’t going to pretend that he knew about jesse’s personal life. he didn’t. he tried to stay out of it as much as he could, because lord only knows that would just cause problem after godforsaken problem. but he could tell that this girl cared about him. he could see it in her eyes. it was the way kim looked at him, even when he was being the world’s biggest jackass.

saul wasn’t lying to her per-say, he didn’t know if jesse was good or bad. but no news was always good news. he would have heard if he was dead,

❛   you’re too pretty to worry so much.    ❜ he tells her with a wink.  ❛   he’ll come back around. he always does.    ❜

andrea can’t help the feeling of relief that runs throughout her body at his words,  visible in her eyes for a split second.  she couldn’t help the way that her mind always went to the worse case scenario,  it didn’t help that jesse wasn’t coming to visit himself or even answering her calls.  so,  she had every reason in the book to worry.  girlfriend or not,  she happened to care about what happened to jesse.  

hues dart over to brock at the table,  inhaling softly before hues narrow up at the male momentarily before ignoring the comment.  

❛  i don’t care if he doesn’t come back around or if he does,  ❜  a lie.  ❛  it’d just be nice to know if he’s dead in a ditch somewhere or alive ever once in awhile.  that’s all.  so,  do me a favor and tell him that.  ❜

MICAH REALLY WANTED TO GET HERSELF to believe that. she desperately wanted to believe it - but micah can’t. the rook can barely hold prolonged eye contact with joey or even look at her on most days. the guilt. it’s too much. how does one apologize for not taking too long in getting to them from torture and pain? ‘ – okay – okay. i – i’m sorry. i should have kept it together. i didn’t mean to trouble you. ‘ micah was looking off to the side - as again she can’t look at joey. ( i’m so sorry, joey. )

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄’𝐒 𝐀𝐍 𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐔𝐌 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓,  before  a  simple  nod  of  his  head.     ❛  Deal.     I’ll  remember  earplugs  next  time.  ❜     a  grin  is  cast  lazily  over  to  her.     shoulders  roll before  there’s  a  slight  wince.     ❛  Shit.     I’m  gonna  be  sore  tomorrow.     That  big  guy  did  a  number  on  me.  ❜     despite  the  agony  he’ll  be  in  the  next  morning,  he  wouldn’t  change  the  outcome  of  this  fight  for  anything.     taking  down  the  quote  unquote  bad  guys  was  all  part  of  the  thrill.          ❛  How’re  you  feeling?     Any  blood?  ❜