Tacet a Mortuis (The Elite King's Club 3)

“This is everything we need for at least a couple days. Thank fuck for summer break, or else imagine having to go to school. It’s Monday tomorrow, by the way.” She gestured at my clothes. “In case you’ve forgotten the day just like you obviously have the shower.”

“Tate!” I scolded her through a laugh.

She shrugged. “What?”

I dug into the bag and took out a bag of potato chips. “I found out some shit tonight.” She didn’t say a word, just sat with a tub of ice cream resting on her thighs as I yapped away. At the end of my rant, she handed me the ice cream and went back to digging into the bag.

“Thoughts?” I was worried. Usually, Tatum had a lot to say. Had I broken my best friend? That was it, she finally had had enough of my crazy life. She pulled out a spliff, and put it into her mouth, lighting it up.

“Tate!” I looked at the door. Usually, I would care, but we were on the other side of the house, and anyway, my dad probably wouldn’t care. I mean, you can’t not bat your eyelashes at murder but scold me for smoking weed.

I took it from her and inhaled. I hadn’t smoked since we were out in the forest.

Tate lay back on the bed. “And you and Bishop?”

I shrugged, handing it back to her. “I don’t know. I got him a present for his birthday, though.”

“Lemme see it! When’s his party?” she asked, sucking on the smoke.

“Tonight.”

“Then we go and fuck shit up.”

I nodded. “We go and fuck shit up.”

I stretched my arms wide, feeling a little better than last night.

Tatum’s ass pressed into me. “Quit it, you know how I get morning horny.”

I chuckled, swinging my legs off the bed. “I don’t forget. What do you feel like doing today?”

“Mmmm.” She pressed her index finger to her cheek. “Avoiding the guys is one, but other than that, whatever you want to do.”

Her mentioning the guys had me slowly drifting back to reality. I was… hell, I wasn’t entirely sure how I felt. I guessed I felt betrayed. None of them thought to mention this to me earlier, which is what hurt. If it never played a big part in Bishop being with me all those times, and us being, well, us, then why didn’t he tell me? I slipped into the closet and pulled down my bikini.

“I really want to go shooting. Maybe go back to the place where I met Katsia.”

“Nope,” Tate muttered, getting out of bed. “That’s way too heavy for today. We can do that next week. Today?” She pulled out a little red bikini from her bag. “We lounge by the pool and day drink.”

“We can’t get day drunk, Tate, we have a party to crash tonight.”

“Shit.” She massaged her temples as though she had just remembered. “Okay fine. She stripped naked and slipped on the tiny little… bikini? Looked more like a hoochie outfit for a Mardi Gras. “We start drinking at a more appropriate time, and we go slow, start with cider, and then we hit it hard before we roll up.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “I like this plan.” Then I took out my white bikini. We were heading downstairs just as Nate was coming out of his room.

“Hey!” he snapped, but I rolled my eyes, ignoring him. “Madison!” he repeated. “You can’t ignore me forever.” I flipped him off over my shoulder, going into the kitchen.

“We can skip food,” Tatum says, pulling her oversized glasses down over her eyes.

“Speak for yourself,” I muttered, reaching for the bowls and pouring some of Jimmy’s famous homemade granola in. Best. Ever. I headed out the kitchen doors, the sun kissing my skin instantly.

I inhaled the fresh morning air. “Today is going to be great.”

“It better,” Tate whisked. “I need to get laid, stat!”

I chuckled, wiping my mouth and taking a seat on one of the lounge chairs. “What’s happening with you and Nate?” I was sort of rooting for them in the beginning, but I had witnessed how Nate was with Tillie to how he was with Tatum. There was no denying he was only using Tate, but Tate was starting to catch feelings. With Tillie disappearing for the past months, Tate and Nate managed to come to an agreement, but nothing else has happened between them after their little “talk.” Nate probably got cold feet.

“Don’t make me laugh. I’m not working out my abs today.”

I snorted, my head tilting back. “We will get you laid tonight. Have you seen Bishop’s cousin, Justin? He’s not bad at all.”

“We have different types.” She gestured to me with her free hand as her other rubbed oil over her leg.

I shook my head. “I don’t know, I think you’ll like him.” I placed my empty bowl on the ground and hit play on the sound dock. “Everybody’s fool” by Evanescence starts playing, and I lay on my back, letting the sun seep into my pores.