He held it up, the words The Pope of Meridian City written across the black piece of plastic.
A keycard?
I darted my eyes up to his, seeing the thrill there that was also coursing through me.
He got a room? At The Pope?
“I want to find that twelfth floor,” he said. “Want to go on an adventure with me?”
I broke out in a smile and couldn’t help it—I dived in and wrapped my arms around him. I was going to fall hard if he wasn’t careful.
That would totally destroy my street cred.
How did he get a room? It had to be earlier today after confession, I guess.
I leaned back and nodded, climbing off him and standing up.
“Let’s go—”
But then, all of a sudden, something grabbed my shirt and hauled me up off my feet. Hands squeezed my arms, and I was plucked up and out of the grave.
“Hey!” I screamed, my heart lurching into my throat.
“What the hell?” I heard Kai’s bellow from below.
I landed on the cold grass above, the wind knocked out of me. I flipped over, seeing several pairs of black boots.
Who…
But I instantly found their faces. David, Lev,
Ilia, and…Damon all stood over me, staring down. My brother’s black eyes were on fire.
Oh, no.
I slowly rose to my feet, keeping my eyes down.
But I kept my chin up. Cowering wouldn’t do me any good this time.
Kai hopped out of the grave, pushing himself to his feet and coming to stand in front of me. “Damon?” he said, breathing hard as he looked at my brother. “What the hell, man?”
I opened my mouth to say something—I don’t know what—but Damon grabbed my wrist and hauled me over to his side behind him.
“Stay fucking still,” he growled at me.
Kai advanced on him. “What the hell are you doing?”
My brother turned to him. “You’re not messing with what’s mine, are you? I thought we were brothers and all.”
I closed my eyes. Oh, God. I could feel Kai’s eyes on me. His confusion.
“Yours?” he shot back. “I didn’t know she was yours. You acted like you didn’t know her in the Bell Tower!”
I glanced quickly between him and my brother, tears springing up. People were starting to gather around, and I saw Michael and Will step up to the scene, as well.
Kai’s eyes narrowed on me, still holding the hotel key in his fist.
“And I’m sorry to say,” he continued, “but it doesn’t really look like she wants to be yours.” He said to me, “You want me to take you home?”