Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)

29 Dinner

This chapter is dedicated to my Grandma Painter who passed away last Tuesday. I thank God for the years I got to spend with her. I love and miss her, but I know I'll see her again one day.

Colton~~

I don't give a damn about this dinner, and it probably shows. It's only the Order and Abella and Alix. If Gwen were here, she'd be able to answer any question thrown my way and leave the room thinking it had always been intended for her.

As the servers set out the second course of six, a pumpkin sage bisque as fall as around the corner, my glass of white wine is refilled. I need to slow down. I'm the Beta. I don't want to be a sloppy mess.

Yet, I take a deep drink from the wine.

I hate you.

She even warned me it was a lie, but still I never imagined hearing those words come from her lips. Lips I had no reason to expect I wouldn't be kissing until her Expiration Date.

But now our relationship has been shattered.

At least Abella, I've heard, can commiserate with me.

Only a little. Her girlfriend didn't exactly hope to overthrow her.

The princess in question lowers her soup spoon. "Something France would like to know is your thoughts on tourism. It's appropriate to say you've had Elleany in a lockdown for decades. But now that your Order has begun, do you have thoughts on removing the barriers that separate you from the rest of the world? It would be a boost to both of our economies."

Jonas's smile is politeness personified, but it's Seong-ho who beats him to answering:

"I believe it would serve other countries far better than it would serve Elleany." Our people aren't Amorians; they don't share the same feelings our family does when it comes to Expiration Dates. They'd flee the moment the borders were opened.

"You've had walls running along both your borders for longer than I've been alive." Alix raises his glass to Jonas and tilts his head. "Isn't it time to open the gates?"

I raise my glass to my lips and take a small sip. Beside me, Jonas looks as if he isn't opposed to the idea. "I wouldn't call it a wall," I say. "It's a force field running the length of the borders. It's invisible."

Alix and Abella exchange a look, and I bite back a curse, having forgot they weren't aware of the existence of force fields.

Eli's lips curve up into a grin behind his glass. "A barb wire fence would be tacky."

"Your people aren't dogs, Epsilon," Abella says to him.

Bently, seated across from Abella, raises his glass to her. "They're much easier to command than dogs, Princess."

She bites down on her lip, as if holding in her retort.

Bently raises an eyebrow, egging her on. "Lower individuals are meant to be commanded, are they not?" Don't offend the princess, Bently. Their father is ill, and it's expected Alix will be crowned king soon, whether it's because their father steps down or passes away. It wouldn't do to tick someone off that powerful.

Abella is silent for once, and I think it's only because she's trying very hard not to strangle my cousin. I'm not sure any of us would mind if she did.

"Theta." Jonas turns to Sebastian. "Why don't you tell them about what you've planned for their time at beach?"

Though Sebastian's pitch of wine and gorgeous sunsets is enough to fixate Alix, it seems nothing can stop the storm brewing between the princess and Digamma.