Page 77 of Cruel Fate

Irevel in Zane’s arms. He’s sleeping, and I kiss the corner of his mouth.

He looks younger than his twenty-five years, and I wish I could protect him. Protect him from Denton and what he plans to do with Clayton Black. Protect him from Ash. Protect him from the pain of losing his parents.

But I’m only a twenty-year old girl who has no family and a closet full of clothes that don’t belong to me.

His eyes flutter open. “Stella.”

“Good morning.”

“Is it?”

I know what he means. We aren’t enough for each other. I rest my hand against his cheek. He hasn’t shaved in a while, and I love how his whiskers feel against my skin. “Yes, but you know what makes it better?”

He wraps his arms around me. “Sex.”

“Coffee.” I laugh and scoot out of bed as he groans playfully.

In my tiny living room, the remnants of our cake and wine sit on the coffee table. We didn’t feel close last night, and that’s my fault. Even if he gets mad at me, I should tell him my suspicions about Ash mistreating Zarah, but I’m afraid of what it will do to us and I stay silent out of selfishness and fear.

I hear the shower turn on, and as he stands under the hot spray, I hand him a cup of coffee fixed the way he likes. He shaves, one of my threadbare towels wrapped around his waist, and I sit on the edge of the tub and watch him, a normal thing couples do, I guess.

It’s early, and he’ll go in to work ahead of me.

I don’t want to go to the office and see Denton. He scares me, and besides recording RSVPs, I still don’t have much to do. Following Harper’s instructions no longer appeals to me, but if I want to keep my eyes on Zane, I have no choice. That, and I kind of like having a job.

“What are you doing after work?” he asks, brushing his hair away from his face using my comb. His eyes are tired. He didn’t get enough sleep last night.

“Probably catching up in my classes and doing homework. I’m pretty behind. Mina and I are having lunch today to talk about foster care organizations and putting together fundraisers for them.” I follow Zane out of the bathroom and into my bedroom.

He takes a black suit out of a garment bag he hung on my closet door. “Do you know how you ended up in foster care?”

“My mother passed away. That’s it.”

“Do you have a copy of your birth certificate?”

I frown. “Of course I do.”

“Where were you born?”

“Here. In King’s Crossing. Were you?”

“Yeah. Your mother didn’t have any other children?” he asks, tying his tie. I want to help him because in the books I read, theheroines do it and I find it extremely sexy, but I can’t. I’ve never tied a man’s tie before.

“No. Social services tries to keep siblings together, if at all possible. I would have known if I had a brother or a sister in the system. You’re lucky you have Zarah.”

“I am.” He gives his tie a final tug. “Ash would like to see you. Maybe we can get together for dinner. He wants to apologize.”

For being an abusive prick?An apology will not persuade me to like him and I’m not eager to accept, but he’s Zane’s best friend and Zarah’s boyfriend. How much do I want to be a part of the Maddox family? Enough to tolerate Ashton Black?

I love Zane.

The choice is clear.

“That sounds good. When?”

“Maybe after the party. This week is too busy.”

“Okay.”

---