SSA'

el

el to see Katrina leaning against th

nd her ear. "Just wanted to say... you

ked. "

then smiled. Or tried

I asked, str

up an octave. "Yeah

"You've got bags

ds like it was nothing. "Just tired. You try screa

my arms. "

hesi

e was all

again?" I as

s fi

tri

d it's

should talk to someone

yes. "I don't ne

time. Then you stopp

tened. "It's

k like a

uttered, trying to l

ser

gers gripping the ph

finally. "Just... not great s

u s

sit

t belie

new better t

Hated admitting anything hur

ed back to my bag

?" she aske

mos

om, her voice softer now. "We'l

ait," I

e rink a

. "Miss th

"Figures. I l

re the

the Katrina from before. The one who danced i

faded

"I'll put on concealer

not th

mly, "I'm not going bac

n't r

wa

just want to fee

ked a

or needing help,"

half a second. Then she blinked

g her throat. "Are we sitti

hink

someone to h

e ridi

kno

the door and

she said one las

n't a

ched her

dge of my bed and s

lways act

en she

y when sh

how famili

really we

*

into the jet. "That's a whole-ass private plane! A billionaire

id, tossing his gear bag up and flo

the back. "Where

"We've got press in forty-eig

someone mutte

e noise. The inside of the jet was sickkk-white leather, mood

e section, Coach patte

ned.

id dam

once. "

ow the ref this tim

m somewhere beh

eyes and k

into my

iately re

too-familiar voi

who I get

Why is this

the seat beside me like he belonged there. "Or m

ear

tall for this row, o

half an

d. Of cou

d, grinning. "I don't

t in th

never

out my he

one from

ey

talk to me fo

hy

al tournament, and you're the only

leaning my

ered," I

dead behind the eyes

st not.

ne way to

him. "You always this an

"Only to pe

lin

what he sa

ike. Like as in... I tole

ig

e slightly. "You'r

I'm

ars are

and I'll dec

s breath, leaning b

aisle, I

't looki

tting next

His hair was slicked back, and his jaw was sharp enough to cut through steel. He

was besid

lk

ly lau

d gave him that practiced s

ething

of her mouth. The way she kept

d her lin

lookin

nd X

up str

y fast, like she h

my palm, voice low. "S

frowned

tting t

sle, then back at me. "S

t. She doesn

idn't pick

kno

anted to say someth

d and slumped low

shouting-someone dared Jay to

r one of you vomit, I'll make you clea

eamed "W

ok my

avier asked a

ded.

u s

m more worrie

wed my g

llow. Her nails dug into the armrest. Lucien sai

t okay,"

the type to talk

N

t su

n't r

the armrest. "You could t

her bo

an sti

y eyes for

ine hummed so

e, Xavier sto