Page 85 of Fire Fight

The grief inside me swells, twisting and turning until it feels like a live creature, stomping around inside me, destroying everything in its attempt to be acknowledged.

I spring off the chair, needing fresh air, needing to get out of this tiny, cluttered shop. “I have to go.”

“Are you okay to drive? Do you have an aura?”

“I’m fine.”

“I can call someone for you. A service will send two drivers, one to take your car with you in it, the other to take both home. My treat.”

I shake my head and barely wince at the resulting pain. “Thanks, but no.”

My head spins but it has more to do with the secrets Cadence was keeping than anything else. Even though I understand her protective impulses, knew she was lying, the reality weighs heavy. I hold the railing in a death grip until I reach the bottom stair.

Outside feels like a newer, cleaner world as I walk to my car.

I’ve driven halfway back to school when a deep stab of grief makes me feel like my heart is seizing. The emotions I’ve pushed aside for so long, hit me all at once. I pull to the side of the road, eyes closed, breathing slowly until the shockwave of grief passes.

Once the worst is past, I merge back into the traffic, heading to Ashcroft Crest for the second to last time.

CHAPTER THIRTY

CADENCE

Drake waitson the passenger side of the car when I emerge from my final lesson, arms folded on the roof. When I get within range, he tosses the keys to me. “You want to drive home? My vision’s not the greatest.”

I immediately wonder how he managed this morning, then put the thought out of my head as I slide into the driver’s seat, stroking the soft padding of the wheel.

When I start the engine and head for the exit, I understand why he drives above the speed limit. The vehicle is so responsive, I’m tempted to plant my foot and see how fast it can go.

In a complete overreaction, I end up driving far slower.

Five minutes in, Drake makes a rumbling noise in the back of his throat. “I asked you to drive home, not crawl.”

With a smile, I let the car slow even further, monitoring his clenched jaw from my peripheral vision. “That better?”

He starts to say something, then stops, putting a hand to his head, wincing.

“Are you okay?”

“Just the same migraine I get all the time.”

I want to say something about his smoking. How even if his doctor suggested it, a second opinion wouldn’t go astray.

But saying that will just open me up for ridicule because, yeah. I’m a hypocrite.

At the next set of lights, I glance over. “Thanks for telling me about the bingo card.”

He gives a soft laugh. “Thanks for telling everyone I told you. Don’t be surprised if I hesitate next time.”

“Sorry. It caught me off guard.” I frown at the road as we come to another intersection, resuming once we’re got a green light. “Viliami told me he had a ten grand bet on whether Hudson would spill the beans.”

“Course he did.”

I shoot him a quick glance. “You could’ve told me to keep my mouth shut and worked the system.”

His fingers tap out a quick drumbeat on the dash. “Except I’ve known you too long to think you could carry a lie that long.”

“Fair, but you don’t know what I’m capable of when incentivised.”

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