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As soon as we’re alone, my father leans back against the table, pinching his eyes and the bridge of his nose with strong fingers.
“Why are you even condoning this?”
“You know why,” he says, releasing his grip and crossing his arms.
“It’s Alice. It’shercat. You can’t agree to this–”
“I’m going to have to. And right now it’s either them both or…” My father trails off, letting his eyes drop to the floor near his feet.
“Why didn’t you tell me the right time?”
He looks up at me and gestures to the room as if the answer to my question is obvious. “It was clearly going to be an emotional subject for you. I figure it would be best for you to sit this one out. How do you think Alice is going to take it if we have to get rid of the cat and you had a hand in that decision? I was giving you an out.”
With a step back, I tense my jaw, flexing the muscle. “In that case, I’ll see you in a few hours.” He doesn’t comment as I take my leave, finding Finn still waiting outside in the hall.
“What happened?
“They’ll be reconvening,” I hiss the words, not wanting to go into the details. I’d rather focus on what I can do to change it.
“That bad, huh?”
“That bad.”
9
Alice
The door to our room creaks open, and I turn to see Kai squeeze through the opening. I’m not exactly hiding. I’m laid out on the bed, fully clothed, with my new book next to me. I haven’t read a single page of it, and honestly, I’m not sure I want to. Maybe another day. Instead, I’ve been soaking up the solitude and, having recently depleted my magic with the bloodstone, the peace.
Kai slowly clicks the door shut, using his backside to push it.
“Hey,” he says, not taking a step closer, not even looking at me.
“Hey? You go to some secret meeting without me and all you’ve got is‘hey?’”
The blankets shuffle as I sit up. Every time there’s been a meeting while he’s home, he takes me. It was our thing and a way for me to learn. One day I will have to wear the crown on my nightstand and I’d like to be more than just a pretty face sitting next to him. In fact, I know I’m worth more. So why the secrecy? First, Finn pulls him aside, then I find out through my lady’s maid that he and Lucifer got called into some important meeting?
“If it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t invited either,” he says, offering a weak smile.
“It doesn’t.” My voice is coarse and Kai tilts his head in a knowing look. “Okay, it does a little.” He crosses the room and lays down on the bed next to me. “Are you going to tell me what it was about?”
“Oh, it’s nothing… They’re redrawing district lines and wanted my father’s approval. We’re finalizing them later tonight.” His hand rises to scratch his jaw. It’s his tell, or maybe his jaw itched. There’s only one way to be sure.
I close my eyes, letting my witch sense tingle. When I open them, auras spin through the air, but where Kai’s is typically yellows and blues, it’s now murky and brown. He’s lying, but why? He’s always been so open to including me. What’s changed? It’s always been what sets him apart from the other assholes on the court.
Before I can pester him to get my answers, he flips onto his side, facing me. A strong arm lays across my middle and tugs me toward the center of the bed. Positioning his body between my legs, his weight presses against my center, rocking his hips against mine as he presses kisses across my ribs.
“So, did we learn anything from that book?” He nods toward it, pushing it off the edge of the mattress. It plops to the ground.
“Nope. Never opened it. Are you going to tell me why you’re lying?”
He pauses his succession of kisses to look at me. “What do you mean?”
“I’m a witch and your aura is a mess.”
He takes a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling as if something there will give him strength. “Look. It’s been a long day. I’d much rather enjoy a moment with you where all the responsibility doesn’t exist.”
My face scrunches for a split second as my mind races to think of what could be troubling him. “Okay. After dinner then,” I offer.
