Page 16 of SummerTime Madness
My grin spreads as I push him away, surprising him… is he unaware that our beloved is walking us straight into madness.
Luckily I am more mad than the island itself.
They want to create control, but I want evolution.
Dinner with our parents goes the same way every week with small talk about grades, projects. Tate’s mom beams with excitement every time her son talks about some new plant he’s planted out back for her, while Dad asks me the same question as always.
“How is the process for the Luxor Lab internship going?”
I cough, almost choking on the piece of steak.
“I backed out,” I say dryly, not bothering to look in his direction nor Tate’s.
“But you worked so hard, why now?” Dad asks, looking at me as if I lost my mind likemy mother. I try hard not to focus on the disappointment in his voice, or the way my fingers curl tightly around my fork.
“I just don’t want it.”
“You—”
My dad begins just as he’s interrupted by Jenn’s tender voice.
“Honey, I'm sure she knows what she’s doing.”She quickly intervenes in trying to end the conversation before it escalates.
From the corner of my eye, I watch as he opens his mouth to speak, but instead he excuses himself from the table, leaving us eating in silence.
“Thank you.”
I look over at Jenn, who offers me a warm smile before grabbing her plate and leaving me alone with Tate. But I don’t linger—don’t give him the chance to console me with that smug sarcasm he calls concern.
Instead, I rise, take my plate, and walk away letting him believe this is his victory.
If anything, he should be thanking me for his win.
I head into the kitchen, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Even queens bleed.
But no one sees the cuts when you’re smiling.
Especially when you’re the one holding the knife.
Chapter Three
The Garden
Chase
Like every Thursday night, I drive down to the Suarez lake house, sit through a meal, and sometimes—when no one’s watching—fingerfuck Cordelia in the kitchen just to make Tate taste her.
It’s become a guilty pleasure. A secret punishment.
But what I’m about to do tonight... might finally let Tate give in. If they can both have what they want—maybe I can finally have what I need.
Both of them.
I can get what I want, which is them. My best friend and his stepsister.
At first, it was just Tate and I.
