His breath hisses out through his teeth. “You’re an inciter?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Shit,” he mutters. “I was hoping for mind reader. Or maybe a powerful empath. You’ve definitely got that bleeding heart. But incitement? Does the Company know?”
“Nobody knows.” Except Cross. I keep that to myself, adding it to the growing pile of secrets and lies I’m amassing.
Gray shakes his head, then gulps down nearly half his wine. I take my first sip, and the rich flavor explodes on my tongue. It’s incredible. Heady. Just the right amount of sweet.
We fall silent for a moment, watching each other.
“I really missed you,” I admit.
A lopsided grin tugs on the corner of his mouth. “Missed you, too. You’re the only person I’ve ever met who’s more reckless than I am.”
“I don’t think that’s a good thing,” I say with a laugh.
“Sure it is. You’re unpredictable.”
“Again, how is that a good thing?”
“Life is boring when it’s predictable. You provide much-needed excitement.”
He lowers his tall, broad body into the armchair, the muscles in his arms flexing beneath his shirt as he shifts his wineglass to his other hand.
“I wish you told me you were a Mod when we were in Silver Elite,” I complain. “Did you know whoIwas the entire time?”
“Of course. I’m on the Authority. I know everything.”
“You’re going to be lording this Authority thing over me all the time now, aren’t you, you cocky bastard? ‘Oh, I’m on the Authority,’ ” I mimic. “How are you even allowed to be on it? You’re only a couple years older than me.”
“There’s no age limit to serve on the council. People here only care about competence and leadership skills.” He pauses. “Does Adrienne know you were fucking Redden?”
I glare at him.
“What? Are you going to try to deny it? Because I saw him sneaking out of your quarters on more than one occasion.” Chuckling, he raises his glass and takes a long swig.
I watch his throat work as he swallows, wondering how much to admit to, until I remember something Cross told me when we were saying goodbye.
“You reported us,” I say in accusation.
Gray shrugs, utterly remorseless. “So?”
“So why would you try to get me in trouble? We were friends.”
“That’s exactly why I did it—because we were friends. I was tryingto protect your ass. What the hell were you thinking, hooking up with him? He’s the General’s son.”
“It wasn’t serious.”
The lie burns my tongue. It feels like a betrayal to Cross. More than that, a betrayal to Wolf, my best friend since childhood. It still astonishes me how by some twist of fate, Cross and Wolf are one and the same.
Yet another secret I’ll take to the grave.
“Well, of course, I figured it wasn’t serious,” Gray says. “The captain is a stone-cold asshole. Not a trace of emotion in that guy. Probably a good lay, though.”
God, he doesn’t even know.
I merely shrug in response.
