Tarnished Crown (Gravestone Elite #2) by Caitlyn Dare (books like beach read TXT) 📕

Her in that position drags up images I really don't need. Scrubbing my hand down my face, I try to force them out and focus my attention elsewhere.

Sasha is sitting beside the two of them, looking about as miserable as I feel. She's sucking on a straw, quickly swallowing down whatever cocktail she has, and when I look to the table beside her, I find it full of empty glasses. She's going to regret this in the morning.

Mind you, as I twist the cap of the bottle in my hand and lift it to my lips, so might I.

As the day drags on, the drinks get stronger and the party becomes wilder. We've already been forced to witness Ashton fuck some girl in the pool, one of the many reasons I'm refusing to dive into the thing. He's now got a different girl up against the side of the house. That guy has no fucking shame.

I have no idea who all the girls are. Aside from Brook, I don't think I've ever seen most of them before. But clearly, they all know who I am, and they're more than willing to give me whatever I want.

Not fucking interested.

Watching Sasha as she gets up and stumbles away from her lounger, I sit forward.

"She's fucking wasted," Channing points out, although it's not necessary. "If any fucker touches her…" he growls.

I look to Mia, and my heart drops into my stomach. Cade has her backed up against the side of the pool. His lips are attached to her neck, and she's got her head thrown back in pleasure. Fuck knows what he's doing under the water, and frankly, I don't want to know.

"I'll go." I nod toward where Sasha is trying to get through the door and into the house and take off.

I wrap my hand around her waist when I get to her and she startles. "Sorry, wrong Electi," I say sadly. "You look like you could use some help though."

She twists to stare into my eyes. Her pupils are blown, and I crave the emptiness she's currently experiencing. Although, when she speaks, I wonder if she's actually been able to forget anything with her high.

"You know."

"Yeah, Sash. Come on, before you faceplant on the floor."

"I need… I need my room."

"Okay." Sweeping her up in my arms, I carry her up the stairs, my own legs feeling a little weak from all the vodka.

The second I put her back on her feet, she rushes to her nightstand. My brows pull together as I watch her. I was kinda expecting her to go to the bathroom.

"Don't tell him," she barks the second my eyes land on a small tin in her hands.

Walking over, I take in the contents. My mouth waters and my body aches for the high. "Make it worth my while." My eyes hold hers for a beat before she looks down, plucks two little white pills from the tin, and passes them over.

I don't bother asking her what they are as I throw them back. Right now, I don't give a shit. I just need… I need it all to go away.

She follows my action with two pills of her own before walking over to the window and staring down at the pool below. "I hate my life," she mutters.

We can't see Channing from here, but I've got a full view of the couple I don't need to watch. Only this time, it's not just the two of them. There's a topless brunette with her hands in Cade's hair. His hands are on her tits but his mouth is still on Mia's.

"Motherfucker," I growl.

"That's nothing. He's high. It makes him worse."

"He can't… I need…" Anger confuses my thoughts.

"No, you can't. You need to let her deal with this. You've got to trust that she knows what she's doing."

"How can she deal with that cunt?"

Sasha shrugs, and it does fuck all to help. "You just have to. You can't fight this for her. You've got enough on your plate now you're one of them."

"Great." We both step away from the window. Sasha drops to the edge of her bed, and I fall into the chair at her vanity unit. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about Channing."

"I never should have gotten my hopes up. I should have known they'd never let him go."

"Don't lose faith. We can't, or all of this will be for nothing."

Sasha glances up at me, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You're not what I expected," she admits.

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yeah, it is. So, didn't fancy a taste of Brook today?" Her smirk tells me that she's joking, but the pain her words cause is still like a knife to the heart.

"No. The only good thing about that night is that the images I have are of Mia."

"That's really kinda fucked up."

I scoff. I don't need to be told.

There's a commotion outside, but neither of us stand to look. Sasha probably feels the same way I do and would rather not know. Channing's down there—I know Mia is safe. Alex too, although he's been off his head for a few hours now already.

"Channing's not one of them, you know?" Sasha says after long, silent minutes. "Brandon isn't really either. He's just easily led."

"What are you trying to say?" I ask.

"Things can change, Bex. Cade can be overruled."

"How?"

She shrugs. "I don't know the details. I'm a woman. I'm not trusted with the inner workings of Q. But your blood is stronger. You deserve his title as king. You just need to figure out a way to take it."

"Helpful, thanks," I mutter, scrubbing my hand over my jaw.

Footsteps thunder up the stairs outside the room before the door flies open.

"What the fuck?" I bark the second Channing ushers Mia into the room. Her cheek is glowing red. "Did that cunt hit you?" I ask, immediately on my feet and in front of her.

"It's nothing." She tries to turn her head to the side to hide the mark, but I'm not having any