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

"He'll cave," she says with a confidence I'm sure she doesn't want. "He always does. Got to impress the king," she mutters, attempting to mimic his deep voice.

"He doesn't want them, Sash," I say, walking into her room and dropping down on the end of the bed.

"Maybe not, but he still has them."

"I hate to break it to you, but I've seen you with a few guys that haven't been Channing as well."

"Can’t' beat 'em, join 'em." She blows out a long breath. "It was just to hurt him. To see if me being with others affected him as badly as seeing him with the girls did me."

"It does," I state, knowing that if he feels for Sasha even an ounce of what I do for Mia, then it rips him apart every single fucking time.

"Can I?" I nod to her tin.

"Bex," she warns.

"This isn’t my first rodeo, Sash. I know what I'm doing." I think back to my darkest days in Sterling Bay, and I wonder just how true those words are.

But right now, it's either this, or I go downstairs, rip Mia away from that cunt and make sure that he never leaves the motherfucking room again. But I already know one of those can't happen, so…

I take the tin from Sasha's outstretched hand and pop it open.

"Thanks," I mutter, picking two out and throwing them back.

Let the oblivion begin.

18

Mia

The next day, Cade acts like nothing is wrong, but I note the way he suffocates me with attention. He was waiting for me outside my dorm this morning with a smirk on his face. A dark smile full of promises. He held my hand a little too tightly and insisted on walking me right to each class and making a show of kissing me goodbye.

It’s like he’s unravelling. Becoming more possessive and angrier.

“You can let her eat, man,” Channing says, and Cade practically growls at him.

We’re sitting in their private dining room, having lunch. Cade has me pulled close into his side, his arm draped over my shoulder as he eats his taco salad.

Bexley glances over but quickly averts his eyes. He’s pissed. It radiates off him like a forcefield, but I don’t blame him. I blew him off yesterday and gave him little to no explanation why.

God, this sucks.

I pick at my food, but my appetite is nonexistent.

“You should eat something,” Sasha says as if she can hear my thoughts.

“We could always go for another picnic,” Cade whispers against my ear, except he doesn’t whisper at all. He says it loud enough to make sure everyone hears.

“Picnic?” Ashton snorts. “I bet the only thing on the menu was pussy sandwich.”

“Pig,” Sasha mutters over the guys’ laughter. But Bexley isn’t laughing. He looks murderous. I risk meeting his eyes, silently pleading with him not to make a scene, but he drops his glare, my stomach falling right along with it.

“We had some fun.” Cade smirks at me, and I want nothing more than to stab my fork through his eye. “Right, babe?”

Just then his cell vibrates, and he drops his arm from my shoulder and digs it out of his pocket.

“I need to take this,” he says, leaving the table. I let out a small breath. I’ve gotten good at holding my breath whenever he’s around. Walking on eggshells and waiting for whatever bomb he’s about to drop next.

I try to catch Bexley’s eye again, to reassure him that nothing has changed between us, but he won’t look at me.

A minute later, Cade slides back into his chair. “We’ve got a job tonight,” he says to no one in particular.

“What kind of job?” Bexley sits straighter, and I notice the way he grips his silverware.

“Don’t worry, Easton. You’re off the hook tonight. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Like fuck it doesn’t.” He slams his hand down on the table. “I’m as much Electi as you are.”

Bexley’s outburst startles me.

“Well, not tonight, you’re not. Q was clear about who they want involved, and your name didn’t come up. Guess you’ve got a way to go to prove yourself.” Smugness drips from Cade’s voice.

Bexley leans forward a little, gritting his teeth. “That’s bullshit, and you know it.”

“Easton, leave it,” Channing says, while Tim, Brandon, Ashton, and Alex watch the two of them stare each other down.

“You should listen to Rexford.”

The air crackles with tension, but eventually Bexley concedes. Pushing back from the table, he shoots up. “I’m going to class. Alex?” He glances at his friend.

“I… uh, I’m still eating.”

“Whatever.” Bexley stalks off out of the room.

“Watch him,” Cade says to Channing. “He seems to listen to you.”

“You want me to babysit him?”

“Just keep an eye on him. We can’t have him making waves.”

“Too late for that, if you ask me.” Ashton pins me with a dark stare, but I don’t cower, glaring right back.

“Relax, Ash. Easton knows he needs to play nice.” The way Cade says the words, so cockily, so full of conviction, makes me wonder what he’s up to.

“You should hang out with Sasha tonight,” he says to me, letting his hand drift up my thigh. Thankfully, I have shorts on, so he can’t get very far.

“Actually, I was thinking of going to see my parents.”

He stiffens—only for a second, but I catch it.

“What?” I ask him.

“Nothing.” He gives me a thin smile. “I’m sure they’ll be happy to see you. While you’re there, you should talk to your mom about the Coglio. There isn’t long left, and you’ll need a dress.”

My heart drops. He’s right. It’s next weekend.

“Maybe I’ll do that,” I force out.

The guys go back to their regular conversation. I watch Alex laugh and joke with them, and I don’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

“Hey, you okay?” Sasha asks me, and I manage a small nod. As crazy as it is, I am okay.

But I shouldn’t be.

And that’s what worries me.

Bexley wasn’t in economics. I spent the entire hour deliberating whether to text him but in the end,