The Summer King Bundle 3 Stories - Jennifer L. Armentrout Page 0,193

this drink. Finding out what that is may be the key to stopping this more long-term influence over us.”

“That actually tells us something,” Caden said. “More than we knew.”

“You don’t think he’ll come out of this then, do you?” Faye asked.

“I…I don’t want to say for sure, but…” She pressed her lips together and then exhaled roughly. “But he’s been here long enough for the effects to have worn off, and with nothing showing in his samples, I don’t believe it is something reversible without knowing what the missing link is.”

Faye closed her eyes as my stomach churned sharply with sympathy.

“I’m not saying he has to be…handled immediately. He’s contained,” Luce said. “We could wait.”

Caden looked to Tanner, who gave a quick nod. “We could.”

“No. I mean no offense.” Faye opened her eyes. “I know you’re suggesting that to be kind. Both of you. But there’s no point.”

“We can wait,” Kalen insisted in a low voice.

“I knew the moment I saw him, he was gone,” Faye said. “I knew deep down. There is nothing left of Benji in him. He’s already gone, and there is no reason for us to delay this. Doing so won’t make this easier for anyone.”

A muscle ticked in Caden’s jaw. “I can do it whenever you and your family are ready.”

My stomach twisted again as I thought of Caden having to be the one to do that. It might be his duty, but who would want that kind of responsibility? What had been done to Benji wasn’t his fault. I shifted, uncomfortable.

“I would.” Faye’s voice steadied. “I would ask your permission to allow either me or another member of his family to carry this out. We are all yours, but—”

“But he belongs to you and yours. I understand,” Caden said. “Let me know when you wish to do it. I would like to be there just in case you decide you would prefer that I handle it.”

“Of course. I…I need to speak to his father and check in on his mother,” she said.

“Go,” Caden issued quietly. “I’ll await word.”

Faye slipped quietly from the room, Kalen’s eyes on her as he opened his soda.

“I’m sorry.” Luce sat back, hands falling to her lap. “I wish I had more information. Something better than there being a missing link.”

“Like I said, that is more than we knew before,” Caden told her.

“He’s right,” Ren agreed. I think it was Ren. Or maybe it was Fabian. I wasn’t sure.

I felt…weird.

Like not in a weird headspace, but like I had a few years ago when I’d been out to dinner with my mom. It had been a good night. She’d been herself, and we’d gone to one of her favorite seafood places. The shrimp had gone bad or something. Within an hour of eating, I’d quarantined myself in the bathroom. That was how I felt now.

But I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast, and I didn’t feel like I needed to use the bathroom. Sweat dotted my forehead.

“Is it just me,” I heard Kalen say, maybe to Fabian, “or does this soda taste weird?”

A sharp cramp sliced through my stomach, forcing me to lean back in my seat. Another knifing pain hit my midsection. It felt like period cramps but on steroids.

“Brighton?” Caden turned to me. “Are you okay?”

“Yep,” I forced out, breathing through the rippling pain. “I just…”

Across from me, Tanner frowned. “You don’t look well, Brighton.”

I didn’t feel well. Mouth strangely dry, I reached for the soda.

Caden started to rise, but it was Kalen who shot to his feet, his bottle in hand. “Don’t touch that!” he yelled. “Don’t take another drink.”

Chapter 14

Startled, I drew my hand back. “W-what?”

“What’s going on?” Caden demanded.

“The soda doesn’t taste right,” Kalen said, placing it on the table. “What does it taste like to you, Brighton?”

Heart jumping, I placed my damp hands against my stomach. There had to be a fist in there, clenching my insides. “I don’t know. I thought it kind of tasted like diet.”

“Like artificial sweetener?” Luce pushed from her seat, her pale eyes wide. “Maybe a little minty?”

“Yeah.” I nodded as Caden knelt beside me. “I mean, I didn’t taste mint, but…” But now that I thought about it, that could’ve been what I was tasting but couldn’t place.

“Shit.” Kalen gasped as Fabian picked up his bottle, sniffing it.

“What the hell is going on?” Ren asked as Luce hurried around the table.

“I second that question,” Caden said. “And I want to know what the fuck is happening.”

Luce slipped into the