Page 62 of Endo
Cece nods, her face dead serious. “I swear to god. And he called them ‘investments.’ Like, who the hell invests inkatanas?”
Bexley can barely breathe, waving her hand like she needs a minute. “Girl, I can’t. You need to write a book about this shit.Katana Boy and the Fedora Chronicles.”
I shake my head, still laughing as I lean forward. “You know, this is why you should just let Revel take you out. No height lies, no Fedoras, and definitely no katanas.”
Cece scoffs, giving me the side-eye. “Please. Revel doesn’t need a katana—his sharp-ass mouth is enough.”
Bexley grins, raising her glass. “Ohhh, so youhavethought about it.”
Cece points her fork at us, her eyes narrowing. “Ihateboth of you.”
I hold up my hands, biting back another laugh. “Hey, I’m just saying. Maybe you wouldn’t have to deal with thesependejosif you gave Revel a chance. He’s persistent, and you know,nota walking disaster.”
Cece groans, dramatically leaning back in her chair. “The day I let Revel take me out is the day pigs fly, and not a second before.”
Bexley raises her glass higher, smirking. “To Revel. May he one day wear your feisty ass down.”
Cece flips us off with a wicked grin, and the three of us dissolve into laughter, the weight of the week slipping away for just a little while. Moments like this? Worth every damn second.
The conversation eventually shifts, the tension melting away as the teasing gives way to laughter and playful banter. Bex, still lounging with a smug grin, takes a sip of her drink before casually dropping, “So, you’re coming to the BBQ at the Shaw beach house tonight, right? It’s Sayshen’s birthday.”
I pause mid-sip of my lemonade, my hesitation probably written all over my face. “Oh, I don’t know,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant, but Cece’s already squinting at me like I’ve personally offended her.
“Oh, no, no, no,” Cece says, wagging her finger at me. “Don’t start with that ‘I don’t know’ bullshit. You’re coming. Period.”
“I didn’t say no,” I argue, raising a brow. “I just... didn’t say yes.”
“Lena,” Cece leans forward, her voice dripping with exasperation. “When was the last time you hit the beach with us? Hell, when was the last time you did anything remotely fun that didn’t involve work or training with mister lova lova? Who may I remind you we still need to circle back to!”
Bex nods in agreement, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “She’s got a point. We went out for drinks last week, but even then you barely relaxed. You need this. Drinks, food, sand, sun—it’s all good for the soul.”
“I relax,” I protest, though even I can hear how unconvincing I sound.
“Uh-huh,” Cece says, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Your idea of relaxing is doing paperwork by the tank. So, nope. No excuses this time.”
I narrow my eyes at her, but her unrelenting glare has me caving faster than I’d like to admit. “Fine. I’ll go. But only because it’s Sayshen’s birthday.”
Bex raises her glass with a grin. “That’s the spirit.”
“And because you love us,” Cece adds, smirking.
“Don’t push it,” I shoot back, though I can’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips.
“Wear something cute,” Cece says, winking. “And don’t show up late, or I’m dragging your ass into the ocean myself.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, already regretting my decision. But deep down, I know they’re right. It’s been too long since I let myself just... be. Maybe this is exactly what I need.
The driveback to my apartment is quiet, the city lights casting a soft glow through the windows as I navigate the familiar streets. The steady rhythm of the tires against the pavement matches the tempo of my thoughts—jumbled and restless. Maybe they’re right. Maybe I do need to let go for a while, forget about everything that’s been dragging me down. Just for one night.
When I get home, I toss my bag on the couch and head straight to my room, kicking off my shoes as I go. The apartment feels still, almost too still, like it’s holding its breath along with me. I flip on the light and glance at my reflection in the mirror. My face looks tired, but there’s a flicker of something else in my eyes—resolve, maybe.
I grab my phone off the nightstand, and it buzzes in my hand—a text from Revel.
Revel: You going to Sayshen’s thing? Talon invited me.
Lena: Yeah, I’m going.
Revel: Want me to pick you up?
