Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

46 Is Erik Concerned or Does He Just Like Picking Fights?

Erik~~

Meilin stands in the doorway of the closet, arms crossed and a frown on her lips. "Apologies for the interruption. I thought it best if you made your escape while the Preeminence and your mother are locked in their usual shouting match."

Rydersin quickly extracts her arms from around me as I focus on Meilin's words—not the part about the Preeminence though.

"How long have you been standing out there?" I ask.

"Awhile. Do you think any of us would actually lose Rydersin?"

"Well I'd hope not."

Meilin tugs at the cuffs of her uniform. "Your family requests your presence in their room."

"Their room?"

"Apparently they've all been sharing one."

"With my cousin freshly married?"

"It's not my place to speculate on your family's business, only to escort you to them."

Rydersin and I step out into the hall, and I glance at her, the feel of her lips on mine still crisp in my mind and yet it feels as if a chasm has already opened up between us.

"You two can kiss each other goodbye. It's not as if I didn't know what you were doing."

Rydersin bites down on a smile, trapping her laugh, and I debate kissing her but, with Meilin here, decide against it. Plus, I don't know when the Preeminence will storm off in a huff from his fight. I'd find no mercy if he caught me kissing his daughter.

I settle for a quick brush of my knuckles against her hand and allow Meilin to escort me away from her and up a set of stairs. Only when we reach the top, does she speak.

"You care for her, right?"

"Of course."

She halts her steps, rounding on me and pinning me with her light purple eyes. "So once your family has what they want, you're not going to leave Amoria and never look back?"

I flinch. "I—I can't go back. I was exported—"

"You made the choice to come here though. You can return to Earth."

"There's no life for me there."

"And what about the life you made for yourself here? Sleeping with one woman and then moving onto the next? Rydersin's heart doesn't function like that. If she kissed you, it means something to her. If you toss her aside, she's too proud to let you know she's hurt, but she will be, and we won't be able to take away that pain."

"Only a fool would toss Rydersin aside."

"And haven't you called yourself just that?"

The room seems to tighten in on me. Something in Meilin's gaze says she sees me—all of me—not just my Expiration Date, but every thought I've ever had—every action I've ever done, and nowhere does she find me worthy of her friend.

"What happens between me and Rydersin is up to her. She's the one who wishes to rule a continent. In the end, I'm sure she'll realize there are many better choices out there for her. I'll be the one forgotten."

Meilin opens her mouth, but I cut her off, "My family's waiting, right?"

She snaps her mouth shut and nods, jerking her body away from me and heading to the left.