34 Gone

106K 5.1K 2.8K
                                    

Iris's hand is clutched in mine when we enter the lounge. Colton immediately approaches, his gaze going to our hands. "I take it Erik didn't find you," he says to Iris.

She rubs the bridge of her nose. "Why am I not surprised he suddenly wanted to talk to me?"

"He was going to tell you he only yelled to protect you from them."

Her hand moves up to her forehead where she massages the skin there and continues to rub her nose. "So he decided the best way to get me to leave a room was to mortify me?"

Colton shrugs.

"Are you trying to find him?" I ask.

"We wanted to get a game of cards going, and Riley thought we needed to include Erik, but he's not answering his phone."

I sigh. "Of course, he isn't." I don't want to deal with one of Erik's temper tantrums. Especially when I'd rather find somewhere private where maybe I'd be able to push down the voice in my head telling me it's a bad idea and kiss Iris again.

She'll be gone in a few days.

And that's the annoying voice in question.

"Iris, Jonas." Abella comes up to us. "Did Colton tell you about cards?"

"He mentioned it," I say.

"Well, you must play." She turns to Iris. "And Alix still hasn't had the chance to speak with you."

"I'd love to, but"—Iris glances to where attendants are setting up card tables—"I'm hopeless when it comes to most card games."

Abella loops her arm through Iris's, steering her toward the tables. "My brother is also hopeless at cards, but we absolutely do not have to coddle him even if he is a prince." Abella looks over her shoulder at me. Beside me Colton is texting, and my phone buzzes in my pocket. It must be him trying to be discrete.

"Are you coming, Jonas?" Abella asks.

"In just a moment." I pull out my phone, and my stomach twists into a knot. It's not Colton. It's Brydan.

I miss him. I really do. I wish I could debrief him on everything I'm feeling about my future and Iris leaving and have him tell me what he thinks I should do. But he hurt me when he chose to help Erik and then Colton. I can't forget that. How do I forgive that?


Brydan: Can I come to the Estate tomorrow? I really want to talk.


Wary of Colton reading over my shoulder I take refuge in a corner. I know I need to speak with him. If I can stand to be around Colton and Erik, why is it so hard to imagine talking to Brydan? He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember.


Jonas: The Society is entertaining guests. In two days they're leaving to spend a few days at the beach. You can come then.

*****

It takes four hours without any word from or sight of Erik for any of us to become worried. I call security asking if they have had eyes on Erik at any point, and it's five minutes later that I receive a call back with an answer; the Tresais removed Vienna from her cell on the request of the Beta.

Behind me, Colton is seated on one side of the end of my bed, Iris on the other. When I tell him what security said, he jerks to his feet and heads for the door.

"He did what?" His hand goes for the handle.

"Colton, wait," I say. "The Veil are going to check the security footage and let us know if he did leave the Estate."

Expiration Date (Books 1 and 2)Where stories live. Discover now