“The four of us didn’t leave this room.” His gaze smoldered. “The family didn’t matter, his plans didn’t matter, the world could have burned. Ezra didn’t let a soul past your door while Xan took control of our magic and saved your life.”
His words hit where the bruises ended. My heart ached in the hollow spaces his magic had held. I’d pushed him away, hard. And still, he’d chosen me.
“Don’t get too excited,” Rowan smiled. “No one became friends, but trauma bonding’s real. It’s part of the stress test you ran from. This time you made us do it.” Rowan leaned down and captured my lips. “Please, don’t put us through that again.”
The panic hit like whiplash, weightlessness, the jolt of impact, pain so loud it went silent. “Good plan. If I never step in a tunnel again, it’ll be too soon.”
“You won’t,” Cayden said, sliding closer.
Rowan still hadn’t moved his hand from my cheek, and his minty breath tickled my nose. Cayden ran his hand over the curve of my ass, and Rowan dropped his massive palm to my neck. Need flooded my system. Both men looked ready to kiss me; the only question was where.
The door burst open. Again.
“What the hell, Quinn?” Everly shouted.
As if sharing a brain, Cayden and Rowan retreated in perfect unison.
Everly rushed me, scattering Rowan and Cayden like a flock of birds, and pulling me into her arms. Brit was right on her tail.
“You scared us.” Brit’s voice cracked on ‘us,’ and that broke me faster than any pain. “I can’t handle her solo.”
“I’m sorry.” I wiped a tear from my eye. “I made a bad call; I couldn’t drive the train.”
The laugh slipped out like a reflex, brittle and wrong.
“You were set up,” Rowan said. “Someone planted a void on that curve.”
The words hit like shrapnel. Someone wanted me dead.
“It would’ve derailed no matter who was driving.” He punched his fist into his palm. “Same person probably messed with your schedule. Hope has negative security. Hell, if Angela could break in, anyone could. And right now, more than a few families want you dead if they can’t have you.”
“Can I help?” I stood. My legs worked, but my hands shook. Power didn’t mean control, not yet.
“No,” Everly said. “The Mixer’s tomorrow. We need to glitterize.”
The world almost killed me, and Everly’s answer was sequins. Maybe she was right.
“This isn’t about Xan,” Everly said. “This is about you taking control. Riots have started because no one’s seen you.”
I looked at her skeptically.
“Okay, no riots.” Everly wrinkled her nose. “But there is a lot of talk, and if you don’t show your face soon, people are going to assume the worst. The Architect’s going to have a problem, which means all of us have a problem.”
She hesitated. “I saw him cry over you. I don’t understand everything, but maybe his heart was in the right place.”
Something in my chest twisted. I didn’t want to care, but I did.
“Did you and Xan talk?” I asked.
Brit flashed a manic grin. “Fists were involved.”
“He has too many good answers,” Everly muttered. “But I’ve never seen a man crumble and rebuild like that.”
She pointed at Rowan and Cayden. “You’ve not given her Intentions. Cayden, your family’s hunting you. Rowan, the Moores are furious. Quinn, you’re a political explosion waiting to happen.”
She snapped her fingers. “We’re going to make you the most giltterized bitch in the ballroom, but you won’t be alone.”
Brit winked. “Hey, suitress.”
