Page 106 of Beyond the Hate

Chloe huffs. “Fine. Natalia helped me. She’s a whizz in the kitchen. She doesn’t take after me.”

Maya fills up a plate with meats and cheeses and hands it to me. “Eat. You’re going to need it.”

My stomach rumbles at the scent of food. I can’t remember when I last ate. Probably breakfast. Oh, wait. I didn’t have breakfast since Eli normally brings me a muffin in the morning. But not this morning. This morning he…

I stuff a piece of Gouda in my mouth and force those thoughts away. No more thinking about Eli the First Degree Jerk.

Chloe pours whiskey into three shot glasses and hands one to me. “You’re first.”

I sigh. Of course, I am. I don’t fight her. I’ve resigned myself to the hangover I’ll be feeling for at least two days after tonight.

“Ask your question.”

Sophia opens her mouth but Chloe shoves her palm in her face. “Me first.” She smirks at me. “Did Eli have a big dick?”

And so, it begins. I down the shot.

“Darn,” Chloe pouts in disappointment but Sophia elbows her.

“Do you want her passed out drunk or do you want to know how big Eli is?”

Chloe blinks. “Why can’t I want both things?”

I narrow my eyes on Sophia. “You want me passed out drunk?”

“I want you to forget about Eli and what happened today for a little while. And, since you have a brain that never stops thinking, there’s only one way for you to forget what happened.”

Huh. Her motives are actually kind of sweet.

“Nova.” Chloe hands her a glass of prune juice. “You’re next.”

“I get to ask a question this time,” Sophia says and Nova groans. “Did you or did you not know you could escape the chalet the night you got ‘locked in’ with Hudson and created Iliana?”

“I hope you have extra toilet paper in the house,” Nova mutters as she drinks the glass of prune juice.

I bark out a laugh. I didn’t think it would be possible to laugh today. But I should have known better. I should have known my friends wouldn’t let me sit alone in my house with my broken heart. They never let me down. I can always count on them.

No matter what happens in life. I have them.

Chapter 31

“So much for airport security.” ~ Eli

Eli

Caleb steps onto my plane and whistles. “Wow. This is fancy.”

Flynn scans the interior. “Is this standard? Or do you get to customize the interior?”

Hudson sits across from me. He caresses the leather seat. “I’ve traveled in private jets, but I don’t think I’d like to own one.”

Lucas and Flynn sit on either side of him while Caleb sits next to me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask them.

“I don’t know about them, but I’m here to kick your ass,” Caleb says.

“I’m here to watch,” Hudson says.

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