concerned,” he repeated, his gaze drifting to me. “What do you see in her? She’s so dull.”
Though his eyes were fixed on mine, and I knew he’d said that with the intent to hurt me, it didn’t work. Foster parents had been capable of far more cutting statements, and I’d endured them, just as I’d endured mean kids I’d ended up in a foster home with, and bullies at the many schools I’d attended over the years.
Unable to stop my smile from forming, I grinned at him. “Do you think that can hurt me, Cain? Should I be offended that a boy I don’t like doesn’t think I’m pretty? Grow up.” I leaned forward, ignoring the fact I was feeling lightheaded again. The water had done something to me, revitalized me like I’d swum in a hot spring and not a community pool, but it wasn’t a miracle worker. I was still ill in the aftermath of Louisa’s botched healing—I shouldn’t forget that. “You must be used to real airheads,” I finished softly, “if that’s all it takes for them to run off sobbing.”
His mouth tightened, and a nasty glimmer appeared in his eyes. Before he could say a word, Adam’s hand was on his shoulder, pushing him back. I only realized then and there that he’d leaned into me too. Only Adam’s touch put distance between us.
“I think it’s time for you to go.”
“Yes,” he agreed, his smirk alight with malice. “I think Mother needs to know you’re meeting at odd times and even odder places with one of her constituents.”
Adam surprised me by laughing. “Go on, tell her. She doesn’t often listen to me, but I think she’ll find this interesting.” He did something on his phone, tapped here and there, then shoved something in Cain’s face.
I was surprised to see Cain freeze, his gaze glinting as he stared at the screen. “You wouldn’t dare?”
“Wouldn’t I?” Adam smiled. “Secrets, Cain. I can keep yours, and I’m sure you’ll keep mine.”
Cain snarled, but he shoved back out of his chair, and it slammed into the ground. He didn’t hang around, just stormed off, leaving the room brimming with energy.
The sensation was strange. Without the auras, I didn’t think I should have sensed that, but I did. It was powerful. Everything about Cain was, I realized. He was like a turbulent sea that was gaining strength, preparing to form a tidal wave of destruction.
The thought made me feel uneasy, and it only dissipated when Adam dropped a kiss on my temple and muttered, “Sorry about that. I’m just going to grab my coffee.”
I watched him go get his breakfast, and when he came back, I blurted out, “I can’t see auras anymore.” Hell, I’d only just shared that one weirdness of mine, and already, my heritage was making a liar out of me.
“But you knew it was him?” He tipped his head to the side. “How?”
“How did you know that?”
“I was down the corridor when I saw you sit with him. You were tense right from the start. You’re never like that with me.” He shrugged. “I hurried toward you and caught up at that point in your conversation.”
“You and he aren’t identical.”
He snorted. “Tell our mother that. Everyone would disagree with you.”
“I’m not everyone, am I?” I smiled a little. “You and he are like night and day.”
“Which is which?”
“You’re day, of course. You’re the light. He’s dark.” I shivered, and involuntarily twisted my head to the side to stare at the path he’d taken when he’d stormed out. “We angered the beast.”
“Doesn’t take much,” Adam grumbled as he doctored his coffee.
“No. I guess not.” But I still felt uneasy. “I shouldn’t have goaded him.”
“Again, it doesn’t take much. Unless you’re fawning over him or offering to suck his dick, it’s never enough.”
I pulled a face. “Charming.”
“It’s true.”
“What did you show him?” I queried after watching him take a sip of coffee.
“A picture of him with our Italian teacher.” He smirked. “Caught them at it after school two months ago.”
“You’ve been holding onto that for two months?”
Adam just shrugged. “Where he’s concerned, it pays to be prepared. I have a couple more tricks up my sleeve, don’t worry.”
But nothing could have prepared us for what was coming—my prediction was right. Cain’s tidal wave was surging with power, and we were in its crosshairs.
THEA
“Adam!” I said around a laugh as he tugged me out of the center and into the parking lot. “What is it?”