Page 64 of Interion

At first, we just moved together. He seemed relaxed, giving me time to figure out this new dynamic. Soon we were in sync, and before I knew it, I was dancing pressed against him. I worried he might get the wrong idea, but as I’d just reminded myself, I was his dance partner tonight—there was nothing wrong with physical contact.

After hours of dancing to music I’d never heard before, I realized I had no idea where Aish and Hiro were—the only thing that mattered was moving my body until I couldn’t anymore. At one point, my eyes welled up with emotion, because this was the most fun I’d ever had in my life, and I felt like a child at an amusement park for the first time.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Breno asked, his mouth pressed to my ear.

His warm breath sent shivers through me, and he pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes.

“Very much.” I mouthed the words, since we were close enough that he’d understand.

“See?! I told you it would be fun. You should accept more of my invitations.”

“I know I should, but you know me—I don’t trust other people.” I gestured at the crowd around us.

“What about me? Do you trust me?” His eyes fixed on my mouth, and an indescribable tension spread through my chest.

“You’re my best friend. Of course I trust you.”

He held my gaze for a few seconds, then raised a hand to touch a lock of my hair. His fingers stroked it gently before he leaned toward my ear again.

“What if, as a friend, I wanted to give you a different kind of experience?”

I bit my lower lip, considering his words. Breno was my friend—actually, more than that. He was my rock, someone I loved deeply. I didn’t want to ruin our relationship, but I couldn’t help thinking that if he were my partner, things would be easier.

The truth was, I’d spent so many days thinking it would be easy to love Breno, with his fun, easygoing nature. It would be simple to be with a guy who was clearly attracted to me, someone who didn’t play games and was always by my side through good times and bad. He was handsome—and not just physically. Breno was a golden boy, the kind every mother dreams of her daughter marrying. It would be so easy to love him. But for some reason, fate had bound me to Zion, and that couldn’t be undone.

He stared at me, his sapphire eyes assessing my expression, searching for any sign of recognition.

“What happens here, stays here,” he repeated.

I should pull away, should run far from here, because I knew it was wrong to feel euphoric about what he was offering. But I was a teenage faerie with hormones raging through me, and I wanted that experience badly. I’d turned twenty-two and, despite knowing male anatomy like the back of my hand, I still had no intimate experience with it. I wanted to kiss, to do all the stupid stuff teenagers do: make out in a dark corner of the hall, find out what it felt like to be pressed against a wall during a kiss.

“This doesn’t have to mean anything, Kay. It can just be an experience.” While I thought it over, Breno touched my cheek affectionately. His eyes shifted between tender and hungry. “And if you want to pretend nothing happened tomorrow, I can do that, but let me give you something. Let me show you everything he’s making you miss.”

I sighed under the weight of his intense gaze and realized that if it were anyone else, I could do this. I could let myself experience a kiss without expectations, maybe even go further. But the boy in front of me was Breno, my friend. My only friend. Who, no matter how hard I tried to push him away, still had feelings for me. It wasn’t fair, and I couldn’t do this to him, couldn’t let him get his hopes up. I had a partner, and no matter how hard Breno tried, he could never have my heart that way. That hopelessly sentimental organ was tied to someone else by the damned bond.

I opened my mouth to explain, but someone bumped into us, shattering the moment. My friend caught me before I lost my balance, and I looked away, turning to see who the klutz was.

We came face to face with Adele, and the first thing I noticed was that she was completely wasted.

“Look who’s here!” she shouted, struggling to stay on her feet. A male faerie held her up so she wouldn’t fall. “The general’s little slut!”

Breno moved to my side, putting an arm around my shoulder. I glared at the blonde with hatred. I knew a good part of it came from her childish behavior, but maybe the alcohol was making my feelings even stronger. I wanted to strangle her right there.

“Let’s get out of here, Kay,” my friend shouted, and with his hand on the small of my back, he started leading me away.

“If I were you, I’d be careful, Lutieve,” Adele warned. Her eyes were glazed and her breath reeked of pure alcohol. Breno stopped mid-step and turned to Adele. He seemed to be losing his patience too.

“Why should I be careful?”

He walked up to her, and the male beside her pulled Adele behind him, shielding her. She tilted her head to the side, looking Breno in the eyes.

“You don’t know, do you?” she asked, pointing a limp finger at him. A sinister, alcohol-fueled smile spread across her face.

My heart started beating faster. What didn’t he know? Adele’s eyes mocked me.

“Don’t know what, Adele? That you’re a horrible person, or that you’re jealous of Kyller because you’re not even half the medic she is?” he shot back, pulling me behind him.

Adele’s smile didn’t waver.