Page 350 of Power Play

“There are sides tonight.”

“That is exactly what I’m talking about.”

Easton walked toward her. He didn’t raise his voice, but something sharp entered every word.

“You don’t get to forbid me from standing beside my friend because it makes you uncomfortable.”

“I’m asking you to think about what this does to everyone.”

“I am thinking about it.”

“No, you’re angry.”

“Yeah, I’m fucking angry. Ryan loved Charm for six months while she kept him secret because she was too scared to let the people closest to her see what he was to her.”

“I know what she did.”

“Then stop acting like our loyalty is the problem.”

“I’m not saying that.”

“You just forbade me from going to him.”

“This is already becoming guys against girls, and I remember exactly what that did to us.”

The words struck something deeper than the argument. Easton’s jaw flexed as the history of their barely repaired relationship entered the room with them.

“This isn’t us,” he said.

“It becomes us every time you decide loyalty means shutting me out.”

“I’m not shutting you out.”

“You made plans to leave without discussing them with me.”

“My friend is in hell. I shouldn’t need your permission to sit beside him.”

“Charm is right here.”

“I know where Charm is.”

“Stop talking about her like she’s some stranger who walked inside and destroyed him for fun.”

“I’m not. I love Charm, and I’m still allowed to be furious with her.”

“She was terrified.”

“So was Ryan!” Easton’s shout struck the windows.

Aura recoiled.

He dragged both hands over his face and turned away, but anger kept spilling through his fingers.

“He walked into that house knowing they would look at him like garbage. He stood there anyway because she asked him to. Don’t explain her fear like his didn’t count because he was brave enough to speak through it.”

“I never said his fear didn’t count.”

“You explain hers every time somebody says what she did.”