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

emerge from the house with fresh drinks and bags of chips in hand, curious glances turn our way. But it’s the moment Cade's eyes lock on mine that my previous high vanishes.

Nothing like your shitty reality to kill your buzz.

"Where the fuck have you two been?"

"Sasha's fucking out of it. I tried helping her to her room to sleep it off, but she had a meltdown halfway up and kicked off. Took both of us to get her there," I say, holding Cade's eyes steady. There is a half-truth in there, after all.

"Where's Mia?"

I swallow my nerves and say three little words that hurt more than anything. "With you, right?"

"No."

"She's with Sasha," Brandon announces, appearing from the house. "Can hear them talking."

"Right." Cade's eyes hold mine as if his evil stare will force me to spill my secrets, but he's shit out of luck with that.

No one—aside from those in the room—are going to know about what just went down.

"Come on." Channing slaps my shoulder as he passes and drops down onto the lounger.

"I'm watching you, Easton," Cade growls as I pass him.

"What's new there? I hope your whores were worth it," I quip as I march past him, hitting his shoulder for good measure. "He's a cunt," I mutter, dropping down beside Channing, "and those pills Sasha takes are shit."

"You didn't—fuck, Bex. You need to stay off that shit."

I shrug. "Because the reality is so much better?"

"No, but you need to be on guard. If he catches—"

"He won't. We're smarter than that, right?" The two of us share a knowing smirk. My body begins to heat once more as I remember him and Sasha on the bed only feet away from Mia and me.

Fuck, that was hot.

Although not as hot as sliding inside her again. God, I’ve missed that.

I shift on my lounger and Channing doesn't miss the move.

"Yeah," he says, answering my unspoken question. "That needs to fucking happen again."

I'm still trying to find the right answer when two more people descend on the pool.

"Wondered when you were going to show your face, motherfucker," Cade barks at Tim as he and Fawn approach.

She's as white as a sheet but dressed appropriately in a black bathing suit and pink cover-up.

"Sorry we're late."

"Don't sweat it. The party has barely started, right girls?" he asks the mostly naked girls who are once again splashing around in the pool.

Fawn looks at them and rolls her eyes, slipping from Tim's side and falling down onto one of the loungers. She looks around as if she's trying to find someone—Sasha, maybe—but when she comes up empty, she rests her head back and closes her eyes.

Tim watches her for a few seconds before taking off in Cade's direction and accepting a drink from him.

"What's their deal?" I ask Channing, more than curious about the pair—or more so the guy that had Hadley banished from town.

"Promised to each other when they were in diapers. They had their Eligere a couple years ago. They'll be married after they graduate."

"You think they're happy?" I ask, keeping my eyes on Fawn.

"Sometimes, yeah. Every now and then you'll catch them looking at each other and it makes you wonder if all of this bullshit can work. But more often than not, she's nowhere to be seen and Tim looks too exhausted to think, let alone work."

"Why?"

He shrugs. "Don't know the details, but I think she's got mental health issues. Or at least that's what I've surmised."

"What about him? He doesn't seem like them." I nod to Cade and Ashton, where the three of them are now deep in conversation.

"Oh, he is. He's Electi through and through. Fawn is just a distraction. I guess you could say she's softened him, but that's only because he doesn't live this life 24/7 anymore. But don't let him fool you with Fawn on his arm. He's just as twisted and brutal as they come."

"Devil in sheep’s clothing, huh?"

"Unless you see him angry. Then he's pure fucking evil."

"Right."

I watch them for a minute or two before looking back at Fawn. If she does have mental health issues, I can't help wondering how much of it is because of this bullshit life she's been born into and the role she's now forced to play as an Electi's fiancée.

Neither Channing nor I move unless it's to get more drinks or take a piss. We don't mention what happened or either of the girls’ names for fear of being overheard. We just attempt to enjoy ourselves, which is a fucking challenge when you’re partying with the devil himself.

We're forced to watch him with every girl here who isn't the one he's been promised too, and with every new one he moves onto the harder my nails dig into my palms. Of course, I don't want him to be with Mia, but she at least deserves a little fucking respect.

She was fucking you not so long ago. How's that for respect?

I shake the thoughts from my head, wishing I could come up with an excuse to go back up there—mostly for Mia, but also for Sasha's little tin of goodies.

The sun is beginning to descend when she finally shows her face, no longer in her bathing suit but dressed to leave. She marches straight over to Cade, who's sandwiched between two girls. She spits a few words at him, turns, and marches through the backyard and toward the driveway.

Every muscle in my body screams for me to follow her, for her to take me with her away from his hell, but I know I can't. So instead, I remain exactly where I am, as if she hadn't just walked past and reminded me of everything I want…

And can't have.

"Cancel your plans, we've got a job," Cade announces at lunch the next day.

"But we've got classes," I argue. I know it's weak at best, but I refuse to just fall into line because King Cade has spoken.

"So? I’m sure you can find some chick to give you notes."

"Your