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

to stomach their little gathering, I refuse Mulligan's offer of cooked food and instead grab an apple and cereal bar and excuse myself.

"Was it something we said?" Cade calls after me when I don't bother muttering a word to them and instead walk straight out of the house.

I'd rather be sitting in class early than hanging out with him.

The day passes slowly, classes even slower. Until we get to economics.

I don’t walk inside like I have done since I discovered the truth about mine and Mia's lives. Instead, I sit on the bench outside and wait for her.

Sure, it'll piss Cade off, but right now, I don't really give a shit.

I want to be close to her. I need to be close to her.

My heart jumps and my stomach twists the second I see him escorting her to class like she's unable to be left alone for even a second, but before they approach the door, someone calls Cade's name and he stops and looks over his shoulder, pulling Mia by the hand with him and right into the path of another student.

I wince as I watch the two of them collide, and Mia lets out a shocked squeal as they crash into each other.

The guy plows into her with such speed that she goes stumbling back. Reaching out, he grabs her by the waist to stop her from falling to the floor, but while I see that as him protecting her, Cade seems to see it very differently.

"Get your fucking hands off her," he bellows, causing the entire hallway to be silenced as he forcefully rips the guy's hands from Mia.

Sure, the idea of another man touching Mia—namely Cade—makes my skin boil, but it was clear that he was only trying to help.

"I'm… I'm sorry, man. I-I didn't mean—"

Cade takes him by the throat and pins him up against the wall. I can't see his eyes, but I've got experience with just how dark and crazy they probably look right now.

The guy against the wall looks about ten seconds away from pissing his pants.

"Cade, stop it. Let him go. It was your fault," Mia begs, pulling at Cade's forearm in a futile attempt to make him stop.

"My fault?" he balks. "That guy plowed straight into you."

"Because you put me in his way."

"He fucking touched you."

Cade's grip on the guy's throat must get tighter, because his eyes widen in fear.

"Go to class, Mia."

"No, I won't let you—"

"I said go to fucking class."

"But—" she argues, clearly wanting to help the guy out, but I fear he's already in too deep.

"Go to fucking class before you end up next to this cunt," he spits in her face.

I'm up before my brain has caught up with my body.

"Let's go to class," I say to her, wrapping my hand around her upper arm.

She startles at my contact, her head twisting to look up at me, but I keep my eyes firmly on Cade and a scowl on my lips.

"Bex, we can't just—"

"Mia," I drop my voice, pleading with her just to go into the classroom.

"Fine, fine. But if you hurt him…" she warns, narrowing her eyes in Cade's direction.

"You'll what, babe? Hold out on me?" He laughs like a man possessed as the guy in his hold whimpers in fear.

"Come on," I whisper before gently pushing her toward the door.

"Bex, we can't just—"

"We can. Nothing we say will stop whatever Cade has in his head right now."

"But—"

"Mia, you can't save everyone. Especially when the devil is involved."

"This is all my fault," she cries, dropping down into a chair I direct her to and putting her head into her hands.

"No, it's Cade's. He caused it."

"Y-you were watching?"

"I was waiting for you."

"Bex, you can't—"

I raise a brow at her as our professor walks in to begin class.

Leaning in, I whisper in her ear. "You're mine, Mia. I can do what the fuck I like."

She squirms in her seat, pressing her thighs together. The sight of her fighting with her desire makes my cock hard as a fucking rock.

If it weren't for the eyes that Cade has in every inch of this college, I'd drag Mia out of class right now and show her just how much I mean what I just said, but I can't put her in danger like that.

After class, we walk toward the parking lot together. But instead of her getting in my car, she heads toward where Sasha is waiting for her.

I want to stop her, to demand that she gets in my car, but I know I can't. Us turning up at the house together would be suicide, even if Cade did watch me escort her into class earlier. I have no doubt he'll make me pay for that move before long.

I follow Sasha's car back to the house to find everyone else already here.

The three of us walk into the kitchen to find only Mulligan there, preparing dinner.

"Oh, Miss Cargill, Miss Thompson, Mr. Easton. Mr. Kingsley would like you to join him in the mausoleum as soon as possible."

The three of us look at each other, unease rippling through the air.

Whenever I've been down there, something really fucking bad has happened, and I have no reason to think this time is going to be any better.

"Let's go," I say, striding across the kitchen toward the doors that lead to the yard.

There's no time like the present than to see what kind of hell Cade is about to show us.

22

Mia

I don’t want to be here.

I don’t want to step foot in the place where Cade revealed the true depths of his depravity. But we have been summoned.

And King Cade waits for no one.

“What do you think he wants?” I ask Sasha over the pounding of my heart.

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

Bexley presses his hand against the small of my back, guiding me into the mausoleum.

“I really fucking hate this place,” he grumbles.

A wave of nausea washes over me as I remember the last time we