“I don’t want us to be like this, Kaden. Can’t we sort somethin’ out? Can’t we at least get along?”
A sharp laugh escapes me. “You corner me in a hallway, insult my friends, and more importantly, my girl, and now you want peace? Aftereverything?”
“Kaden—”
“Stop.” My voice drops, controlled but firm. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”
She gives a small, incredulous laugh. “I’m embarrassin’ myself? I’m not the one paradin’ around with famous people thinkin’ it’ll get me somewhere. I don’t know what you think you’re findin’ with her, but it ain’t real.”
That does it.
I step forward and plant my palm against the wall beside her head, not touching her, but close enough that she jolts. I lean in, not in affection, not in nostalgia, but in warning.
Her eyes drop to my mouth.
She thinks I’m about to kiss her…
And she couldn’t be more wrong.
“You think I’d be better off with you, that it?” I ask quietly.
Her chest lifts as she inches closer. “Yes,” she whispers.
I curl my lip slightly. “Youdisgustme.”
Her face drains of color.
“I willnevercome back to you.Do. You. Understand. Me?”
Her bottom lip trembles, tears spilling over before she shoves at my chest hard enough to make me step back. She breaks down completely, turning and running down the hallway, sobbing into her hands.
I stand here for a second, dragging a hand through my hair.
Then I feel it.
Someone watching.
I turn toward the hallway entrance and freeze.
Kiera.
She’s standing there, eyes wide, mouth slightly open.
Shit.
I push my back against the wall and swallow hard. I don’t know how much she saw, but any of it is too much.
She walks toward me slowly and leans against the wall beside me. “Well… that was intense.”
I let out a long breath. “How much did you see?”
She bumps her shoulder into mine. “Enough to know you’ve got some serious unresolved anger toward Lilah. I mean, she’s awful, but wow! That was some serious alpha energy.”
I scrub a hand down my face. “Was I too harsh?”
She snorts. “No, if anything, you were restrained. I would’ve slapped her, but I’m allowed to. You, not so much. The stuff she was saying wasn’t okay.”
I glance down the hallway where Lilah disappeared. “Maybe bringing Effa here was a mistake.”
