Page 15 of Shattered Saint
His change in tone was like whiplash. I didn't know what I was expecting when he got me alone, but it hadn't been that. "That’s none of your business. You don't have the right to question me."
Although I was annoyed with him, it took all my concentration to focus on his face and not the white t-shirt that seemed to showcase his muscles. That, paired with the jeans he was wearing, were my kryptonite.
"That’s where you’re wrong. I can do as I please because now you're on my turf, and we both know you don’t belong here. So, explain why you are here. Would calling your brother get me the answers I want? Does he even know you're here, princess?"
I blinked at him once and then twice. I was momentarily too stunned to speak. "Princess? How dare you—"
He cut me off, probably because he knew I was going to sidestep his original question. "For the last time, why are you here, Bianca?"
His demand sent an unexpected tremble through my body, but I did my best to hide it. Instead, I narrowed my gaze at him and said,"I'm here on a college overnight visit, okay? Nash knows I'm on campus because I'm staying with him."
"But he doesn't know that you're here."
I scoffed. "He has to know I'm here if I'm staying at his apartment."
Easton's jaw clenched and I could see that he was trying not to lose his patience. "You know I meant at this party, not just on campus."
I shrugged."I didn't say that."
He stared at me for a second. "You didn't have to. Your body did. Let's go."
His answer scrambled my brain. He'd been able to read me like that? And what did he mean by let’s go? "Wait, what?"
"I'm taking you back to Nash's place."
Easton turned to walk away, but I grabbed his arm to stop him. Nash wasn't going to be able to get any calls for a while, so Easton wouldn't be able to talk to him in real time anyway.
"Why?"
"You shouldn't be here."
That excuse was half-assed, and it was obvious that his attempt to think of something quick had failed. "There's nothing wrong with me being here. I'm not doing anything I shouldn’t be."
Easton glanced at the cup in my hand before looking back at me. "You're drinking underage."
"So are you," I said without missing a beat. A small smirk appeared on my face when I realized I had him there.
At first, he looked pleased that I'd gotten the last word, then his expression turnedserious.
I spoke before he could. "Some of my friends invited me out, and I'm here to have fun. This is something I rarely, if ever, have gotten to do, and I should be allowed to enjoy it."
Easton looked away, and I wondered what he might be thinking. When he finally turned his head to cast a glance my way, something had shifted in his gaze. "Fine. But you have me stuck to you for as long as we're here."
Conflicting feelings whirled through me as I processed what it meant to have Easton attached to me for the rest of the night. Having an opportunity to be near him again was something I'd thought about repeatedly since the night of the party my parents hosted. On the other hand, I didn't need to be babysat.
I went with the latter. "I don't need a babysitter, Easton. Go on and have fun with your friends, and I'll have fun with mine." I was using the term 'friends' loosely, but he didn't need to know that.
"If you're staying here, then so am I. You don't know much about what goes on here at night, and I don't want to have to deal with explaining to Nash why I didn't stop his sister from doing something stupid when I could have. So, you're stuck with me."
The darkening of his gaze dared me to say something else about this topic. He'd given me the option of going home or staying here with him by my side. I wanted to take the option that would still allow me to have some fun after getting all dressed up for a night out. "Fine, but I do need to find my friends."
"I'm pretty sure they went to the basement."
Of course, they'd left me up here by myself. At least they hadn't left the house. "Okay, then I guess I'm going to explore the basement."
"It's right over there," Easton said as he pointed in the direction. I looked over my shoulder to see where he was pointing, and then he said, "Lead the way."
I did as he said and led us down into the basement. Lucy and her friends were on the dance floor, seemingly having the time of their lives. When she spotted me on the stairs she waved wildly, showcasing just how drunk she was, and I couldn't help but chuckle. I raised my hand, acknowledging her before continuing down the stairs.
