Page 26 of Celestial Combat

“Fuck you, motherfucker.”

Kali exhaled sharply, then turned back to Tony. And in that moment – just for a moment – her expression softened.

She moved to hug him.

His arms wrapped around her without hesitation, holding her close. His broad frame made her look small for the first time all night.I didn’t fucking like it.

“Thanks for the help,” she murmured.

“Anytime.”

Something ugly twisted in my chest.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tony nodded, his gaze flicking to Trevor one last time before he walked away, vanishing into the crowd.

I barely registered Trevor speaking to me. “I need you for something.”

I didn’t answer immediately.

My focus was locked onto Kali.

She crossed her arms, her glare sharp as she stared down her brother. Not me.No, she hadn’t looked me in the eye since all of this happened.

Trevor spoke again. “We’ll talk upstairs.”

I moved ahead, leading the way to the blacked-out office.

But just before I reached the stairs, I glanced back.

Kali wasn’t looking at Trevor anymore.

She was looking at me.

And in her eyes – beneath the frustration, exhaustion and defiance – I saw it.

That flash of something unspoken.

Something dangerous.

Forbidden.

PART 2

FOUR YEARS AGO

Chapter 10

19 years old

Queens, New York City

THE DINING ROOM WAS DROWNING in gold.

Gold-trimmed plates, gold-accented chairs, golden chandeliers spilling warm light over the long mahogany table where my family sat in stiff silence. Even the damn napkins were folded into precise swans.

I swirled the water in my glass, watching the way the candlelight made it glow. Across from me, my father sat at the head of the table, as severe as ever. My mother, poised beside him, dabbed her lips with a napkin, her nails glossy and perfect. And next to me – Trevor.

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