Cassian Langford stepped out of an interview room, black suit pressed, long coat slung over one arm.
He looked at me as he spoke, but his eyes slid across to Yvaine, then paused on Cade, who stood close beside her.
Cade leaned against Yvaine, draping himself across her shoulder with a limp groan. ‘Yvie,’ he muttered, dragging the vowel, ‘I’m hurting so bad.’
I turned away, suppressing a smile.
‘What are you doing here?’ I threw his question back at him.
‘Car accident,’ Cassian answered, distracted.
His eyes never left Yvaine, who was busy checking Cade for injuries.
Cade pointed at his cheek. ‘Here. Got hit trying to break up the fight.’
Yvaine touched his face carefully, fingertips grazing the spot. ‘Right there?’
‘Yeah.’ He winced. ‘Pretty sure I took a punch. Might’ve been more than one.’
He glanced at Cassian. His voice dropped again. ‘I think I’ve got a headache now. What if it’s a concussion?’
‘We’re going to the hospital,’ Yvaine said quickly. ‘Everything settled here? Can we go?’
‘Yeah,’ Cade answered. ‘We’re done.’
‘Good. I’ve got the car out front.’ Then she turned to me. ‘Mira, you’re coming too.’
I shook my head. ‘I’m fine. Not a scratch. Just take him. He was the one who got hit. Besides, I’ve got to take Priya home.’
Yvaine nodded. ‘Talk to you tomorrow.’
She wrapped her arm around Cade’s waist and helped him limp out.
Halfway to the door, Cade twisted around and shot Cassian a triumphant grin.
Cassian’s jaw flexed.
He yanked at his tie hard enough to jerk his collar.
‘I ordered an Uber,’ I told Priya. ‘Should be here in five minutes.’
Already an introvert, the experience tonight probably hadn’t encouraged her to frequent bars more often.
‘That white-haired twink’s her boyfriend?’ Cassian demanded.
I snorted. ‘Why do you care?’
Cassian’s lips pressed together.
His fingers clenched around the coat in his hand until the fabric warped.
‘Her taste’s gone to shit,’ he muttered. ‘That kid looks like he still gets carded.’
‘He’s better-looking than you. And younger. And definitely has more hair.’
I walked out with Daniel and Priya.
He caught up to us on the steps. ‘I’ll drive you.’
‘It’s not a big deal. You’re not getting a cab here at this hour.’
A car pulled up next to us.
I checked the number, opened the back door, waved Priya in, then turned to Daniel. ‘Get in.’
A horn blared behind us.
A black Maybach had just turned onto this street.
Ashton climbed out, slammed the door, and strode towards me.
I looked at Daniel. ‘Can you see her home?’
‘Sure. Leave it to me.’
‘Text me when you reach home,’ I told Priya.
‘You too,’ I said to Daniel.
‘What about you?’ he asked.
‘I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.’
I met Ashton halfway.
He reached for my hand.
‘What are you doing here?’ I asked.
‘Didn’t like the idea of you walking out of a precinct alone,’ he said. His fingers tightened around mine. ‘Tell me exactly what happened. Someone spiked your drink?’
‘There’s no proof. I didn’t touch the drink, and it got smashed in the fight. Police said there’s nothing to go on.’ Updates are released by novel·fiɾe·net
We’d just reached the Maybach when a voice barked behind us.
‘Ashton! You seriously didn’t see me?’
Cassian was stomping down the pavement.
Ashton slowed his steps. ‘What’re you doing here?’
Cassian’s nostrils flared. ‘Nice. Real nice. I’m just standing around all night while everyone else is pairing off like it’s prom night.’
‘Get to the point.’ Ashton tapped his watch.
‘We haven’t caught up in a while. Let’s grab dinner sometime.’
‘Sure. I’ll check my calendar.’
He opened the passenger door for me.
I got in without glancing back.
Ashton slid in beside me, shut the door, and the engine kicked to life.
The car was quiet, save for the occasional swish of tyres on wet tarmac.
Streetlights flared and vanished across Ashton’s face as we drove.
‘So,’ he said, eyes still on the road. ‘No actual evidence of the server spiking the drink. Just Cade’s word?’
‘Yeah.’ I rubbed my fingers together in my lap. ‘That’s it.’
‘Do you believe him?’
I glanced out the window. ‘I do. Not completely. But on this? Yes.’
‘What reason would he have to lie? He could’ve stayed quiet. Let me deal with it on my own. But he spoke up, knowing it might get him fired. He didn’t do it for me. He did it for Yvaine.’
Ashton hummed. Not quite agreement, not quite disagreement.
‘The server,’ he said. ‘You got a name?’
‘I’ll have someone keep an eye on him.’
‘Fine.’ I leaned my head against the glass. ‘I didn’t touch the drink. Still... I wonder what was in it.’
‘Nothing good,’ he said with conviction and disgust.
‘You think it’s the same person who tried to sabotage me at the Aureate Awards?’
‘It’s possible. But there’s no evidence linking the two. Yet.’
‘That woman, Dubois. Did she confess?’
‘She told the police everything she knew, but she’d never met the person who hired her face to face. And the old man from the surveillance video, he’s out of the country. It’s going to take some time to track him down, with jurisdictional hurdles to clear.’
I breathed out slowly. ‘What kind of enemy hates me that much? One failed attempt wasn’t enough, now they’re doubling down? I was barely back in Skyline a week.’
He reached across the gearshift and laced our fingers together.
‘Whoever it is, I’ll find them.’