Austin's POV
The way she puts the question to me, I search for a c***k in her armor. Anything that might give her away that this is just another one of her pranks.
Only what I see is genuine. She's actually crying and it confuses me for a moment. The last time I have seen her tears was when we had a fight in her room, and that had been in a far different scenario from this very one.
"Ellie? Why would you even want to ask that?"
"I have a right to, don't I?"
I spread my hands. "I think... you do, Ellie. But this is..."
"Unexpected?"
"Yeah," I say, stretching the pronunciation of the word to make it sound like three syllables.
She nods, like she really understands the situation she has put herself in is one that's even strange to her but what the hell does she care?
She bites on her
