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

My face relaxed a little, realization sinking. “Oh.” A wave of guilt washed over me and my cheeks heated. “I’m sorry.”

“She’s either hungry or needs a nap.” Nate pointed to me with a floppy pancake.

My eyes shot down to the cooked flour and then went back to his eyes. “Well, Nate,” I seethed, getting to my feet. “I had a great sleep last night and I’ve eaten enough this morning.”

“Baby girl, you aren’t fooling no one. We heard your moans through the fucking walls early this morning.”

I rolled my eyes and headed for the front door. Stupid boys. Cash was sucking on his cancer stick, his eyes squinting from the smoke. It was a habit I noticed they all shared, except Nate and Jase. I had seen Nate smoke cigarettes maybe once, and that was the night he found out about my past. Other than that, he mainly sticks to pot.

The door closed behind me and Cash grinned, blowing smoke out in front of him.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, crossing my arms in front of myself. “For snapping at you back there.”

He shrugged, flicking the ash off the tip of his smoke. “Not bothered, babe.” I ran my eyes over Cash. I hadn’t really had much bonding time with Cash as I have had with the others. Same with Eli, Ace, and Saint, but all though we may not have a huge relationship like I did with Nate, Bishop, Brantley, Hunter and Jase—I still cared for them. The invisible bond between us all remained tight around my neck, like a noose. Eli had on dark jeans, combat boots, and a dark shirt. He always had a five o’clock shadow that scattered his fine jaw, and his eyes were as dark as Brantley’s, only not as tortured. He had dark floppy hair that he kept shaved close to the scalp on the sides and a beauty spot was below his right eye. He reminded me of one of the One Direction guys, I couldn’t tell you which one. The hot one. He flashed his long eyelashes and gazed out straight ahead. “Why are you looking at me like I’m something to eat?”

I snorted and took a seat on the step in front of us. He stayed standing, his legs crossing at his ankles and his shoulder leaning on the beam. “I’m not. I just, I guess…”

“Scared?” he answered for me, and then sat down beside me. His knee brushed against mine.

“Yeah, I guess.” I tucked my long hair behind my ear, wishing I had tied it up now. I chose black tights, my white Converse with the red stripes, and a light loose t-shirt that hung around my ass. It was me, comfortable enough to run if needed.

“You have every reason to be scared, Mads. Perdita is no joke, in fact, we were all surprised Bishop agreed to letting you ride.”

I looked at him, my eyebrows tugging in. “Really? I mean, that wasn’t why I was afraid.”

His eyes searched mine. “Daemon?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I just...” I looked out straight ahead. “I can’t live without him and it’s terrifying to have the fate of your happiness in the hands of someone else, you know?”

Cash kept a straight face. “Nah, babe. I can’t say I do know, but, I can hear what you’re saying.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “Have none of you boys ever fallen in love?” I quirk an eyebrow at him, dropping my Ray Bans over my eyes.

“I didn’t say that…”

“Ohhh…” I lean back on my elbows and stretch my legs out in front of myself, raking my hair out of my face. “You have to tell me the gossip.”

He didn’t look at me, his focus remained solely in front of himself, but I could see the grin that stretched his cheeks. He took another puff of his smoke. “Who would be the King you would least expect to show love?”

I didn’t need to think long. “Brantley.”

His grin deepened and he turned to face me. “There’s your answer.”

Confusion pulled at me. Brantley had loved someone before? No way. He must see the shock—I made no effort to hide it. “Baby girl, you really need to stop making assumptions.”

“Wow, I’m not, I’m just, I guess shocked.”

Cash flicked the smoke out to the dirt at the bottom of the steps. “It was a long time ago and didn’t end well, so we don’t talk about it, but she still haunts him in his sleep.”

“…His nightmares,” I whispered out in realization. It was more for myself than for Cash. That was what Brantley had nightmares about? I always assumed it had something to do with his fucked up dad.

“And that…” Cash answered my unspoken thoughts.

“That’s deep…”

“The depth of Brantley Vitiosis is an endless pit of lava. Don’t go down that road, baby girl. Only one person could’ve saved him, and she’s not here.”