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I toy with my Electi pendant. “Cade is determined to see this thing through. Why?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. But if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that Cade Kingsley doesn’t do anything without a motive. Watch your back, yeah?” She climbs out of bed and stretches. "And never let your guard down. Not for a second.”
I nod, my throat too thick to reply.
"Get cleaned up and then come down to the kitchen. Cade will expect to see you there."
My stomach drops. The last thing I want to do is eat breakfast with the Electi and pretend everything is okay. But I’m starting to realize that I don’t have a choice.
I’m Cade Kingsley’s prosapia, and for some unknown reason, he’s determined to make me his.
After washing my face and finger-brushing my teeth with some toothpaste I found in Sasha’s small bathroom, I slip on the Gravestone U hoodie she left out for me and make my way downstairs. Male laughter drifts down the hall, making the hairs along my neck stand on edge.
They’re all in there. Cade and his minions, eating breakfast, acting like they didn’t beat Bexley and Alex to a bloody pulp.
What is this life?
I hesitate, contemplating making a run for it. But Sasha is right: the last thing I want to do is give Cade more ammunition. Steeling my spine, I inhale a shuddering breath before entering the kitchen. The room falls silent.
“Sleep well, babe?” Cade gets up and stalks toward me, a wolfish grin on his lips.
“It was fine,” I say, trying to disguise the tremor to my voice. Channing catches my eye over Cade’s shoulder and something crosses his expression, but then Cade is there, demanding my full attention.
He slides his finger under my jaw and lifts my face to meet his. “I missed you this morning. I had a little… actually, a very big problem you could have helped me out with.”
Ashton snickers, and I shoot him a harsh look.
“Kitty’s got claws,” he says. “You’d better watch this one, Cade. Something tells me she won’t come easily… if you get—”
“Ash!” Cade barks, his eyes not leaving mine. “Ignore him, babe. He’s just jealous I get to tame you and he doesn’t.”
“Nah, I like my girls with a little more bite, if you know what I’m saying.”
“I’m hungry.” I shirk out of Cade’s grip and make for the breakfast counter. “Are there pancakes?” Flipping my hair over one shoulder, I take Cade’s stool, forcing him to stand.
Sasha’s lips curve, and I’m sure I see a little flash of pride in her eyes. She’s right. You can’t show Cade and his friends even an ounce of fear, because they’ll use it against you.
“So Mia,” Ashton says as I load a plate with pancakes. “What did you think about the party?”
“It was okay, I guess.” I shrug, barely meeting his eyes.
“Okay?” He chuckles darkly. “It was fucking epic. Did you see Alex go down? I thought he was going to cry… shit, I would have paid to see that.”
A ripple goes through the room.
“I still can’t believe the two of you are related.” He pins Channing with a skeptic look. “I mean you’re so… and he’s so…”
“Knock it off, fucker. I didn’t know any more than you did.”
“The two of you are cousins?” I ask.
“Apparently so. Our dads are brothers.” Channing sips his juice. “I guess Aunt Marissa wasn’t putting out enough, so Uncle Harrison went elsewhere.”
I bristle at his words. I don’t know Alex’s mom very well, but I know she isn’t like most of the vapid, snobby women of Gravestone.
“Why do you think he waited until now to claim Alex as his son?” The words spill from my lips before I can stop them. Rexford has an Electi heir—Channing. But his father isn’t the Quinctus elder. Harrison is. So although Alex is younger than Channing, he’s the heir of an elder, which trumps everything.
I feel Cade’s eyes drilling holes into the top of my head as he curves his body over mine and drops his chin to my shoulder. “Well, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”
