Page 41 of Endo
His brow furrows. “Why wouldn’t I want to go?”
I shrug, suddenly self-conscious. “I just meant, you know. With everything, you’ve barely hung out with anyone so I guess everyone just kinda felt like you wouldn’t want to go.”
He smirks, his hands sliding just a little lower. “I think seeing you in a bikini might change that.”
I laugh, rolling my eyes. “Like you haven’t seen me in one before.”
“Not like this,” he counters, his tone teasing but his gaze serious. “I’ll be there. Of course, I’ll be there. For Bex—and for you.”
The tension that had been simmering between us melts away completely, replaced by something lighter, something hopeful.
“Well,” I say, sliding off his lap and standing, “if you’re driving me, we better go. Bex is already impatient, and I’d rather not deal with her wrath.”
He chuckles, standing and grabbing his keys from the workbench. “Alright, let’s go. But I’m holding you to that bikini promise.”
“Promise?” I scoff, playfully swatting his arm as we walk toward the garage door. “You’re impossible.”
“Yeah,” he says, grinning as he opens the passenger door of his Mustang for me. “But you’re stuck with me now.”
I slide into the seat, shaking my head but smiling despite myself.
As he climbs into the driver’s side and starts the engine, I glance over at him. His jaw is relaxed, the tension from earlier nowhere in sight. For the first time in weeks, it feels like things might actually be okay.
The Mustang roars to life, and we pull out of the garage, the sunlight spilling across the dashboard as we take off toward the beach house.
The airinside Sayshen and Talon’s house is warm and filled with the soft hum of conversation. Cece and Bexley’s laughter spills into the hallway as I step inside, immediately pulling a small smile to my face.
“There she is!” Bexley calls out, her sharp eyes narrowing playfully. Her dark hair is swept into a messy ponytail, and she’s perched on the arm of the couch like she owns the place. Cece is sprawled out beside her, scrolling through her phone, her bare feet tucked under her.
I drop my bag near the door and glance around. “Hey, guys.”
Bexley narrows her dark eyes at me, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. “Okay, spill it. Why do you look like you just got caught sneaking cookies before dinner?”
“I don’t!” I protest, but the heat rising to my cheeks says otherwise as I step further into the room.
Cece perks up from her spot on the couch, smirking. “Oh, youtotallydo. You’re acting all… sketchy. What did you do,Perra?”
“Nothing!” I say, a little too quickly, my voice pitching higher than I mean it to.
Bexley gasps dramatically, sitting up straighter. “Oh my God. It’s worse than we thought. Babe, did youkill someone?”
“Or rob a bank?” Cece chimes in, her grin wide.
“Guys,stop,” I groan, rolling my eyes. “You’re both ridiculous.”
“Suspiciouslyridiculous?” Bex teases, her grin practically splitting her face now. “Because, girl, you’re not helping your case.”
“Reign dropped me off,” I admit, shrugging like it’s no big deal. “That’s it, okay?”
The room falls silent for half a second before both of them erupt.
“Ohhhh,” Bexley drawls, sliding off the arm of the couch and narrowing her dark eyes at me. “Sothat’swhy you look all nervous and shifty. What happened, huh?”
Cece grins, setting her phone down and leaning forward like she’s about to hear the juiciest gossip of the year. “Yeah,muchacha. You can’t lie to us, not when you walked in here with that guilty look. So why not just tell us what happened?”
I cross my arms, trying to keep my face neutral even though I can feel the heat creeping up my neck. “Jesus, nothing fucking happened.”
Bexley gasps, her hand flying to her chest in mock surprise. “Reigndropped you off?Oh no, no, no. There’sdefinitelymore to this story.”
