Page 50 of Dust to Dust

Not long after Titan, Dash, Damian, and I took our seats, Titan ditched the suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves just above his elbow. His golden muscles had my mouth salivating. Why did we have to sit through this parade?

I looked over at Dash, who was looking towards the front aisle where Mila was seated. The blood-red gown swallowed her whole. You could only see a hint of her honey-brown hair sticking out from behind. Dash looked at Mila with so much pride. Would Titan ever look at me like that?

I felt another set of eyes on me as Damian peered down at me. I was boxed in between Titan and him. I rolled my eyes. I had to be cautious around Damian. He could sniff my treachery like a dog on the trail of blood. Did he know about the conversation I had with Mila when we arrived? I doubted it.

I pretended to apply flavored lipgloss on Mila well the men talked fifteen feet away from us.

"Dash knows you were planning on running," I let it slip. In the end, we bitches had to have each other's back. Yeah, so I was incredibly impulsive. I made a decision only to change my mind a second later.

I stayed awake during the night thinking about my plan and how I betrayed Mila. That didn't mean I was going to cross Dash, either. I was merely going to drop a breadcrumb and help both sides.

"I know," Mila said with a sly grin.

I finished applying the gloss on her doll-like pouty lips. "What are you up to?"

"I took a page from your handbook. I left little clues and saved emails with booked plane tickets. Didn't delete my browser history."

"You're playing the player." I dipped the wand into the gloss and then applied the caramel apple flavor to my lips.

Mila nodded and swallowed a heavy gulp. She glanced at Dash with a longing in her eyes. She was struggling, but determination in her stance told me she was going through with it all.

"Mila," I began as I placed the gloss back in my clutch. "There is a lot of shit about to go down. Don't trust anyone. Whatever plans Blaze helped you with," I glanced over at the men who were still talking to the guards, "betray him. Don't trust anyone but yourself."

Mila chewed her inner cheek, "I'll be safe."

"You know I'm here for you if you need me." I didn't tell her that I might not be around forever. My time was coming to an end.

"Thank you for everything, Nova. I didn't think I had the strength until I met you."

I narrowed my eyes. This was her goodbye. Mila was planning on running today. Using the chaos of the graduation wasn't a bad idea.

"There's a lot of security," I stated.

"I know what I'm doing." She looked to her right, "Thanks for the gloss," She changed the subject as the men started to walk our way.

"You seem uneasy," Damian questioned.

"Do a round," he said as he looked me in the eye. But he wasn't ordering me, rather the almost invisible grain of rice in his ear that connected him to his security.

I licked my lips, "I am. There's a lot of security here. That and," I exhaled, seeing only the red again, "I like red but not this shade."

"I didn't think you'd be one who fainted at the sight of blood," Damian probed.

"I'm not," I hissed. "Unlike you, sick fuck," I grinned, "I don't prefer knives. Too messy. Guns are a one-and-done. In and out."

"You don't have to explain yourself." Titan bent down and kissed my cheek. It was such a small gesture packed with tenderness. "Thank you, hubby," I narrowed my eyes on Damian, who held my stare.

The ceremony dragged on. We were an hour in and had yet to reach the M's for Mila Michelson. "This is purgatory," I murmured. I pulled out my gloss and licked the wand. "I'm starving."

Titan grabbed the gloss from me, "That shit is full of chemicals."

"Not you, too," I groaned.

"Mila told me about this bad habit. We're going to work on it later."

I suppressed a smile, "And how are we going to fix it?"

Titan kissed my neck, taking time to suck hard on the spot that made the pulse between my legs tremble, "I'll get you addicted to a different taste." His eyes glimmered with mischief.

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