Page 47 of Hidden Echoes

The look of panic in Carter's eyes was priceless. "I don't have to go. Seriously, you can go without me."

Zane patted him on the shoulder. "None of that, it'll be fun. You and Mia are getting along so well that I think a night together is just what we need."

I rolled my eyes. Of course, he would. Zane loved to tease me, and Carter, with his obvious hostility, was the perfect target for a night of subtle torment. I wasn’t sure whether to hate or love this side of him.

“So, where are we going?” I asked, trying to sound indifferent, but curiosity got the better of me.

“Surprise,” Zane replied, his enigmatic smile returning. He glanced at Carter, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Carter let out an audible sigh, muttering something unintelligible. I couldn’t help but laugh. His frustration was so tangible, but at the same time, ridiculously comical.

"I'd rather die," Carter said, looking at Zane, hoping he'd change his mind.

“It’ll be fun,” Zane repeated, a teasing edge in his voice. “Or it’ll be unbearable. Either way, I’ll have fun.”

I sighed, resigned. If there was one thing I’d learned from Zane, it was that when he wanted to have fun at someone else’s expense, no one could escape. Carter was stuck with me, and deep down, I liked that. I could handle a night out if it meant watching Carter stew in his anger and jealousy.

CHAPTER 12

MIA

Zane’s eyes lit up, excitement radiating from himas he waved a glass in my direction. “This is tequila,” he said, his tone practically bursting with enthusiasm, like he was unveiling a hidden treasure.

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a mix of amusement and exasperation. Did he really think I didn’t know what tequila was? Seriously? It was as if he believed I was some naive, sheltered soul.

But I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips as I watched him, so eager, so invested in showing me the world through his eyes.

Little does he know, he’s brought me to a place that belongs to my world.

"Let's have a drink together," he proposed, his smile broad, his excitement infectious.

I glanced at the glass, then back at him, a slight recoil at the corner of my lips. It was sweet, in a way, how he assumed I was unaware of such things. But what he didn’t realize was that, while my life hadn’t been conventional, I’d seen more than my share of bars, parties, and questionable decisions.

And none of that had ever really fazed me. It was my reality, one shaped by a chaos I’d learned to live with, though I wasn’t about to share that with him. Not yet, anyway. To him, I was a mystery, a clean slate, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to erase that illusion just yet.

Zane’s expression softened, as if picking up on something I hadn’t said. Before he could speak, Carter walked over, eyes narrowed, gaze fixed on me like I was the enemy trespassing in his territory. He looked like he could burn me with a single look, and I felt his hostility in the pit of my stomach.

"He’s not the dating type," Carter muttered, leaning in as though offering me some twisted warning, but the way he sounds, it’s more like he’s trying to reassure himself.

I shrugged, a smirk creeping onto my lips. “I’m not either,” I shot back, teasing him just a little, watching his reaction.

Zane, oblivious to the tension, just grinned at me like he always did, unaware of the undercurrents swirling around us. He had no clue about Carter’s feelings—no idea that his friend had some kind of lingering interest in him, and honestly, that bothered me a bit.

"You okay, man?" Zane asked, finally noticing Carter’s frown.

"I have a headache," Carter mumbled, his gaze fixed on the floor, clearly uncomfortable.

Zane’s concern kicked in immediately. "You're going back to the hotel, right?" he asked.

"You wanna come over?" Carter asked.

"Not without Mia," Zane said, unwavering.

Carter scoffed. "Fine. Forget it."

I couldn’t help the small, satisfied smile that tugged at my lips. Carter was not happy about that.

“I don’t get why you have to babysit the girl you once ran over,” Carter sneered, his irritation bubbling over. “Wasn’t it just to check if she was still breathing?”

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