Page 229 of Vexatious Queen

“Yeah, for a little longer.”

He nodded.

I didn’t want silence, but I didn’t trust what would come out of my mouth if I spoke.

Eventually, without consciously deciding, I leaned forward.

“Take us to Ethan’s.”

That earned a second glance.

“You got it.”

I pulled my phone from my pocket and fired off texts in a small group chat.

Edmundo: Need you both at Ethan’s house tonight, now.

Edmundo: Don’t ask questions.

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

Emmett: That doesn’t sound ominous at all.

Paul: On my way.

I huffed out a laugh that felt foreign in my throat.

At a red light, I pointed to the grocery store that was still open.

“We need to go there first.”

“Grocery shopping? Not where I thought we’d end up,” Marcus said.

“Just drive,” I grumbled.

An hour later, we pulled into Ethan’s driveway. Emmett’s car was there, but Paul had yet to arrive.

“I want you to come in and relax with me tonight,” I said to Marcus as we walked to the door, all of the bags from the grocery store in our hands.

“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” Marcus said.

“It wasn’t a suggestion.”

My best friend rolled his eyes at me, but I knew he was going to agree to let his guard down for one night.

“You got it,” Marcus said.

Ethan opened the door with suspicion etched into his features, eyes scanning me like he expected gunfire to follow.

“You look like hell,” he said flatly. “What’s going on?”

He looked around outside, but the sky didn’t open into a rain of bullets.

“Happy birthday to me,” I replied.

“Should I be worried,” Ethan asked, stepping back for us to walk in, and then closed the door.

“Not unless you’re scared of losing at cards and having a few drinks,” I said as we followed him to the den.