Page 154 of Ashes

Breathing out, I flipped my lighter open and closed, my leg bouncing.

Five times.

Breathe.

Open. Close. Open. Close. Open. . .

“What’s going on?” Church asked, sitting down beside me. “And why are you at our table?”

“Oh please.” Cady rolled her eyes at him. “We live together. I’ll sit here with you too, dick for brains.”

Church scowled at her and focused on me. “What’s wrong?”

I cleared my throat. I wasn’t going to put a bug in his ear on this. Not yet. I needed to figure it out before I started shit. I shot Cady a warning look.

She slumped back in her seat and gave me a slight incline of her head.

Thank God, she got it.

“Nothing. Cady said Asylum let her see Sirena last night.”

“Really?” Church sat forward. “And?”

“And nothing. She’s really in there though. Lucid. She-She spoke,” Cady muttered.

I leaned forward too. Cady had said she’d screamed. She hadn’t said she’d spoken too.

“What did she say? Church demanded, his hands fisted on the table.

“Only one word that matters.Stay.I said I wanted to leave. She said stay. So I guess that means I’m your problem now.” She shot Church a forced smile.

He snorted. “The fuck you are. Get lost, Claws.”

“Enough.” I sighed.

Sin approached with Stitches at his side. I shot Cady another look, and she raised an eyebrow at me. She was as unpredictable as Church was when he was pissed.

The guys sat down, and Stitches pushed the piece of pizza around on his tray.

“How’s today going?” I asked him.

“Fine.” He shot me a quick smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You know, I don’t like the couch,” Cady said. “You guys should bunk together.” She looked at Sin. “Don't you think it would be nice of you to let Stitches bunk in your room so I can have a room?”

“No,” Sin said immediately. “We were here first. Sleep outside if you don’t like the couch.”

She scowled at him. “You’re such a prick.”

“You can have the attic,” Church said.

“Oh shit. I forgot about the attic.” I looked to Sin who shrugged.

“The attic? Is it haunted or something?” Cady frowned.

“No, it’s actually really nice up there. We store a few things for initiations and such up there, but that won’t be hard to put into the basement. It’s the locked doorway on the right side of the hall,” I said. “It’s finished. I mean, it’s not a massive spot, but you’d have your own space.”

“And bathroom? Do I get one of those?” She looked at each of us. “Or are you guys willing to share to give me one?”

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