And honestly, I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince more. Me or Elijah?
After a few moments of silence as Elijah packs his suitcase, he says in a soft voice, “I wouldn’t be mad at you.”
I swallow thickly.
“I just want you to be happy, and if he’s the one who makes you feel like the princess you are, then I’m happy for you.”
I shrug. “I don’t know if he is.”
He sends me a soft, comforting, brotherly smile. “Well, when you know, tell me, okay?”
I nod once.
He throws another sock at me and demands, “All right, come here, lady. Help me pack all my shit.”
* * *
I munch on a chocolate chip cookie on this intense plane ride as I try to avoid Levi’s heated gaze from across the plane. I haven’t seen him since the kiss, and I’m quite afraid to look up.
We had no idea Levi’s bandmates would be joining us at our concert. We all assumed it would just be Levi. Our management teams planned something that’s going to make a big impact on our relationship, but they haven’t told us anything yet. But Times Three takes up one side of the plane while Triple Threat takes up the other. And the glares are in full force today.
Leonidas’s energy is a furious, dark cloud. I feel its storm from where I sit beside his girlfriend. Trinity and I watch him like he’s our entertainment because I’m sure he’ll explode on this plane ride.
God, I hope there are parachutes.
Typing away on his computer about God knows what, he blocks out the world with his expensive headphones. Elijah sits beside him, reading a paperback that Trinity is forcing him to read, and it looks like he’s enjoying himself.
Elijah, reading a book? Who would’ve thought?
As if he can feel our gaze on him, he looks up and gives Trinity and me a smile before glancing down quickly at the paperback lying in his lap.
“He’s such a dork. He really thinks I’ll attack him if he doesn’t read.” Trinity chuckles, laying her head on my shoulder.
“We’re all scared of you, but I think he likes it. He hasn’t talked for twenty minutes. That’s a new record.”
I’m just playing around with Trinity. I love my golden retriever brother with everything in me.
She scoffs, “No, you aren’t! I’m the least bit scary. What are you talking about?”
Now, it’s my turn to laugh. “You’re scarier than that man over there.” I point to my grumpy brother, who looks up from his computer and frowns in confusion at us.
Trinity waves him off with a small smile while whispering to me, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I send her a disgusted face before she laughs and continues to read her own paperback.
I fall asleep after our mini debate and wake up a couple of hours later with a sore neck. I stretch it out with a sour look on my face. Leonidas takes a seat beside me, but not before sending a glare to Triple Threat. They glare back, all three of them.
But Levi, gosh, his angry gaze could kill. He looks grumpier than normal. I didn’t think that was even possible. Maybe he’s having a bad craving day. I know how it feels to be disappointed with yourself. But he doesn’t look drunk, and it fills me with relief that he’s still staying strong.
He would tell me, wouldn’t he? We have a pact.
“I think the fit that Dad pulled in the office the other day is enough evidence. But I pulled up some unedited YouTube videos from the past. If you listen closely, you can hear him in the background, screaming, cursing. It’s really bad,” Leonidas whispers in my ear, shutting his laptop, which is on his lap.
Nodding once, I whisper back, “When do you want to do this? We have to break the news to Mom.”
“Soon, but not yet. I have some things in mind that we need to get done once we go home.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Like?”
