“Really?” He smiles, his eyes filling with new light. He squeezes my hand, and a little spark of heat zips between us, making my heart skip.
“Traitor,” Ani teases.
“You’re making a huge mistake,” Kirin says.
Baz shrugs. “I hope you have decent health insurance, Little Bird. Because otherwise—”
“Oh, for the love of the elements,” Doc grumbles. “Save your concerns. The event will be catered this year. Those who choose to join Stevie and me will be treated to the finest French cuisine Arcana Academy has to offer.”
Baz lets out a low whistle. “Sounds a little fancy, Cass. You sure about this?”
“I’ve already made the arrangements with Café Marchande,” Doc says. Then, pointing a finger at Baz, “But that is innoway to be taken as an admission of guilt.”
Baz grins. “In that case, I’m in.”
I look up at Doc again and smile. “We’reallin, Doc.”
Twenty-One
BAZ
“Please don’t go, Baz,” Stevie whispers. “Not yet.”
Standing in the middle of her bedroom, she nibbles her bottom lip and looks up at me, her eyes impossibly bright after our wild, sleepless night in the realm.
We’ve just been to hell and back, but you wouldn’t know it to look at her. Freshly showered, dressed in a silky little white robe, skin smelling like summer… Goddess, she’s fucking devastating.
And she knows exactly what to say to make me come undone.
Sheownsme, body and soul. All I want to do right now is crawl between the sheets, take Stevie into my arms, and sink deep inside her, erasing the memories of that horrid realm, one sinfully-hot kiss at a time.
I don’t even care that Kirin’s here too. Not if that’s what my girl wants. Sharing her, loving her, giving her what she needs, what lights her up inside… That lightsmeup too.
And I can tell every time Kirin looks at her he feels the exact same way. Doc and Ani too. There’s no getting around it—we’re a package deal now.
The thought should make me hot with jealousy. Instead, it brings me comfort.
They’re my brothers. My family. Each and every one of them, and there’s nothing I won’t do for them.
But as Kirin enters the bedroom and passes her a cup of hot tea, a shy smile on his face, I know I’m no good for either of them right now—for any of my brothers. No matter how badly I want to stay tonight, my mind is about to go rogue. I can feel it happening, my grip on reality unraveling like a thread pulled on an old sweater.
If that romp through the realm proved anything, it’s that my demons are far from under control. No matter how many miles and years I put between me and my past, those monsters always manage to find me. And after tonight, I have no idea what they’re capable of.
“Baz?” she whispers, hope lingering in her smile.
I hate that I’m about to crush it.
But I can’t stay. Not like this.
“I just… I need a little time to regroup.” I reach for her face, allow myself the simple indulgence of brushing my thumb over her soft skin. “Hot shower, long nap, a few rounds of Candy Crush… I’ll be good as new before you know it.”
Her smile falls, damn near taking my heart with it. “After what you went through tonight, I’m not sure ‘good as new’ is on the menu just yet.”
“I had a rough re-entry is all.”
“All the more reason for you to stay.” She grabs my hands, holding tight. “I hate the idea of leaving you alone right now. None of us should—”
“My suite is right downstairs,” I remind her, forcing a little confidence into my voice. “Kirin will stay with you for now.”
