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“Like every other meeting with Q,” he says coolly, dropping a kiss on my head. “Although Channing has some news.”
A ripple goes through the room, and Channing rakes a hand through his hair. He inhales a long breath and then exhales a long sigh. “Q thinks it’s better for me to stay Electi. Since Bexley and Alex are both so new to our ways, Phillip wants me around. My Eligere will be next summer.” His defeated gaze finally flicks to Sasha, who has tears brimming in her eyes.
“That’s… great,” she chokes out. “Excuse me, I need to take a shower.” Sasha all but runs from the kitchen.
“What’s her problem?” Brandon scoffs.
“Dude,” Ashton says. “You know she has a crush on Channing.”
“Nah, she’s over that shit, right, Chan?”
“Fuck if I know.” He folds his arms over his chest and shrugs. His face is a stone mask. Cold and impenetrable. Our eyes lock, and I narrow mine, but he gives nothing away.
“It doesn’t matter,” Cade snaps. “She knows the rules. She’d be a fucking idiot to break them.” The verbal warning is for Sasha, but Cade stares down Channing and I get the feeling he knows something. Which wouldn’t surprise me; Cade seems to know everything.
“I should go and check on her,” I say, untangling myself from Cade’s arm. But he tightens his grip and bends down, kissing me hard.
I inhale a shuddering breath that could be mistaken for lust.
It isn’t.
“Tell her we’re having a pool party. Nothing crazy. But I expect both of you to be there.”
“Okay.” I smile. “We’ll be there.” As I turn to walk away, Cade slaps my ass, making me yelp. Male laughter rings out behind me, but I don’t rise to it, keeping my head held high as I walk from the kitchen, past Brandon and Alex… and Bexley.
His jaw clenches as he watches me, tracking my every move.
“Mia.” My name forms silently on his lips, but I don’t respond.
I can’t.
No matter how much the tether between us pulls taut.
The second I’m clear of the kitchen, I release a shaky breath and hurry to Sasha’s room. My heart aches for her as I step inside and find her sobbing into her pillow.
“I should have known,” she said. “I should have known it was all a lie.”
“I’m so sorry.” I join her on the bed, running my hand down her arm. “For what it’s worth, he looked as devastated as you.”
“It doesn’t matter. I get it now. We’re never going to be free from this life… I was fooling myself into believing it could be different. That me and Channing could—” An ugly sob tears from her lungs, and she buries her face in me.
“Shh, babe. It’ll be okay.”
“It hurts,” she cries. “It hurts so much, Mia.”
“I wish I could make it better.”
“You can…” Her head whips up, her face a red puffy mess. “My tin—”
“Sasha, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. There’s a pool party. Cade wants us there.”
“I can’t go, not like this. I need something to take off the edge.”
“Fine.” I get up and go to her nightstand.
“The top drawer,” she instructs, and I pull it open. The tin is buried under a magazine.
“I thought Channing took your stash.”
