Broken and the Beast

Ch 8: Go with the Flow

Elara

Energy crackled through the crowd as everyone gathered in the bistro, squeezing in anywhere they could fit. I hung back by the door, enjoying the cool breeze every time somebody squeezed in.

"Alpha Ares is making an announcement," a girl nearby said.

"It's probably just the usual take over speech," her friend replied. They caught me glaring at them and frowned, dropping their voices to a whisper.

At least they're calling him alpha, I thought, not sure why their conversation had riled me up so much. I looked up at the stage, where Ares was surrounded by his inner circle. They weren't flashing their weapons anymore. Interesting.

Asher snuck up on me like a spider, thrusting something into my hands. A napkin.

"Your mascara is smudged," she explained, and I narrowed my eyes. That dimple only ever came out when she was laughing at somebody else's misfortune. "Here, let me help you."

She licked her thumb and reached for my face. I wanted to bat her hand away, but I caught Rhys watching us over her shoulder, frowning at the group of people who were suddenly blocking off all my exits. Oscar, the guy I made out with last year behind the firewood shed. Tahlia, Hunter, and Jes with one 's' (but pronounced with two, as she liked to remind everyone), who'd made fun of him for it.

Don't react. Don't react, I chanted to myself, but Luna above, Asher's spit stank like garlic prawns. What business did she have eating those first thing in the morning? I flinched at the last second, bringing up the napkin.

"I've got it," I said stiffly.

Asher laughed and grabbed my shoulder as if I'd told a funny joke. It probably looked like she was being friendly from a distance, but her fingers dug painfully deep.

"Stop being so frigid," Asher hissed through her smile. "I'd hate for anyone to get the wrong idea and think we aren't the best of friends."

She must have heard that Ares came to my apartment last night and was trying to get in his good graces. Which meant everybody else knew, as well.

I glanced up at the stage. Rhy's mouth was firmly pressed as he watched our interaction with an unnerving intensity.

I'll kill everyone in this damn building if I have to.

A chill swept down my spine. I hated Asher, but not enough to get her killed.

So I smiled at her. It felt weird on my face, like my skin was clay that had already started to set and I was trying to force it into a new shape. "Ah, yes. Because we spend so much time together."

We actually spent a lot more time together than I would have liked, but Asher doubled down. "And somehow it still doesn't feel like enough! You're always working these days, but I tell you what: why don't we swing by your cafe later? You're working tomorrow, right?"

My blood ran cold. "Oh, I couldn't possibly..."

"It's decided. We can't wait to see you!"

There was a measly chorus of agreement from her puppets. Oscar, at least, looked genuinely excited by the prospect. Ugh.

Just as quickly as they'd arrived they were gone. Rhys glared after them, but at least he wasn't looking at me anymore.

Suspicion was written all over MJ's face as she brought the girls over, handing me one of the free croissants from the buffet. "What the hell was that?"

"Charity," I mumbled through a mouthful.

"You have to stop talking about yourself like that. You're worth so much more than—"