CARLI
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Fuckity-fuck-fuck! Fucking pogo stick and a cock in your mouth!
Shit.
Riding up the elevator to Circe’s room with her now soggy sandwich, I cuss internally. What the ever-loving fuck?
Really, Kato?
Why come find me? I’ve been hiding from my family for years. Yeah, I told Circe I’d been in town dealing with family stuff while she was getting ready to see her racer again, but it was a big fat fucking lie. I’ve been flying back on the red eye to work for the governor every couple days. He didn’t care as long as I made him look like a gem in the media. And Chris, the Governor of Indiana, doesn’t make it easy. It never helps that he has a proclivity for young men—not illegal, but young. Turning him into a polished family man was awkward, but doable.
And telling Circe I was off dealing with family shit was easier than lying to her. I haven’t had sleep in weeks, other than some shut eye on the planes, but who’s counting a nap here or there on cross-country flights?
Seeing Kato? Now? That sucked. Hearing him tell me to shut up so harshly was awful. It actually shut me up for a second, which was a miracle in its own right.
Fuckity-fuck-fuck!
Damn, I’m cursing a lot, and this elevator ride seems to be taking hours. Counting down the floors as it ascends, I think of the last time I was in here with Jamieson Crown.
Goddamn Crown. His roaming hands, his talented tongue—it was hot. With the rough touches and heavy breaths, I fell into his spell. I was so aroused when I left. Fuck, what I wouldn’t let him do to me. To actually find out what could happen between Crown and I would be scrumptious. Even envisioning it now, I might hit the restroom just down from Circe’s closet sized room before I join her.
“Jai is getting a big workout today, that’s for damn sure.” I knew I should have charged it last night. It’s only been a day since I was here, but I feel unsafe in this hospital now. I haven’t seen Kato in years, and as usual, everything about him screamed danger. It always had. Yep, way better to think of that momentary lapse in control than to think of Kato and his sudden appearance.
With a ding from the elevator chiming my arrival, I straighten to my full height, standing a touch taller in my Louis’. If my family wants the princess, I’ll play the part. If they think I’ll just bow and accept my fate, though, they’re fucking wrong.
But.
He hung my sisters over the coals if I don’t do as told. Can I do that to Miori and Kano? The last time I saw them they were cute pre-teens. Now they’re young women. Either way, my sweet twin sisters don’t deserve the position any more than I do. Could they tackle it? No. It would break them. Can I roll with it and mold it to my whims? Do I want to?
Fuck no.
Stepping out of the elevator, I walk toward the private security that awaits outside. “Miss Katana,” the first sentry says in greeting me. He’s a fresh recruit, and as green as they come. I’d break him. He’d be crying in the corner within twenty minutes.
Sweet and adorable, the big lug is not my type. “Charlie,” I say, smiling at him.
“Miss,” the second says. Gregor is ex-Marine, and he scares me a little. I might just pee a tiny bit if he ever talked to me harshly. Yes, he’s sexy in a rugged, damaged way, but the scars on his face gives me nightmares. The skin that puckers around his left eye and runs down his cheek has me wondering what happened. I might be forward and inquisitive, but I’d never ask that particular question of a veteran. Passing him with head nod, I continue on to Circe’s room.
Walking in, I find China and Circe deep in conversation. Hurt feelings still? You betcha. As Circe’s gaze meets mine, that sweet, innocent grin courses across her face. My sweet, lovely friend as always. Turning, China attempts a smile, but it’s so fake, it’s like a newly minted forty-five-dollar bill.
Pulling in my ‘poor me’ attitude and advancing on her with my ‘fuck you, I have bigger balls’ demeanor, my tightly contained resting bitch face is in attendance. No way will you get the better of me, Miss Crown.
“China. Lovely, as always.”
“Always a pleasure, Candi.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
Injecting as much sugar as I can, I grit my teeth and correct her. “Carli. It’s Carli.”
“Right.” She quirks her head sideways, as if she’s amiss with the correction. “Carli.”
Ignoring the need to stab her sweet green eyes out, I advance to the bed and raise the bag. “Fab’s was busy, but I got you the triple cheese deluxe veggie pressed.”
“With a pickle, right?”
Shaking my head, I hand her the bag. “Of course. I know you.” I glare at young China Crown. “Better than most.”
Stealing the bag at the speed of light, Circe has it opened and is shaking out the sandwich into her lap. Watching her do things one-handed is still hilarious, but I’m glad she’s doing better now. It’s like she had to see her racer before her body would allow itself to repair.
Wyatt and her were in a horrific car wreck that took the life of his mother, and nearly cost him his own. The two of them have only been reunited for a few days, but it’s been crucial to them both. I wish it could have happened earlier. The way that China wanted the information held back from Circe, keeping them separated, was cruel. The non-disclosure paperwork that made me stay silent and not tell Circe what state Casper was in made it hard to keep it from her.
Every time I visited, Circe would use everything in her arsenal to worm answers from me. Answers I couldn’t give. China kept Circe in the dark. Did I agree? No. But with the legal means she took to keep it a secret, what choice did I have? With the money the Crowns’ have, I knew that legally she could crush me to smithereens, leaving me penniless. So yeah, I did as I was instructed and kept my best friend in the dark.
Circe now knows the truth, the real truth. Not only did Wyatt tell her what happened in the car, but she knows that China is the one who kept her from knowing Wyatt’s condition.
Biting into the sandwich, Circe mouths a few indescribable words. “Mmm. So, was nu tod?”
Laughing, I taunt her. “Pardon? I couldn’t understand you around the cheese spilling from your open yap.”
Finishing her bite and swallowing the morsel, she tries again. “What’s new today?”
Other than another one of these Crowns twisting someone in knots? Nada. “Nothing. Why?”
“Well, you have that ‘kiss my arse and bite it while you’re at it’ look.”
“I wonder why,” I mutter, pulling up a chair.
“You going to tell me what’s eating you up?” Eating another small bite while I attempt comfort in these wobbly death trap chairs, she trains her eyes on me. “Tell me, Car.”
“Nothing new. Just family drama, boy troubles, shopping regrets, and I lack in the required power to get through the rest of this week unscathed shit.” None of it’s a lie. Everything I say is true.
“Carli,” she says in that tone that tells me she expects more of an explanation. I’m not in the mood for circle share time, though, especially with China evil Crown looking on.
“Well I’m sure you’ll come through just fine, Carrie.” China grins cynically.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” She rises off the bed. “Circe, we’ll finish that conversation later,” she says, turning for the door. “Always a pleasure, Cammi.”
Okay, that’s it. My bitch switch has flipped.
“China, I thought you were the smart one?”
“What’s your problem?” Spinning on her last year Choo’s, moving in my space, I stand up. Toe-to-toe, we’re almost the same height, and I’m wanting to flatten her out on her perfect ass.
“I’m not sure I’m the one with the attitude issue, Mrs. Crown.”
Seeing that it visibly stings her, I want to take it back. No, I don’t want to.
“I’m not Mrs. anything, and you’d be good to remember that I can stop your visits to this hospital with a flick of my wrist.”
Pushing closer to her, we’re nose to nose. “Oh? You didn’t get enough of blocking people with Circe? Need more attention, Princess?”
“Guys.” Circe tries to interject, but we’re both frazzled and spoiling for a fight. She can’t stop this.
“Don’t think I didn’t have investigators look into your past, Ms. Katana. Trust me, I don’t have any issues with stopping you from coming here. My family name still holds sway with the UCLAs Board of Directors.”
I poke her chest. “What family, Crown?” Realizing I’d probably gone one too far was around the same point the words spilled forth. There’s no taking them back, even if I could.
Without a further word, biting back the retort, China nips her lip and steps back.
Fuck, I’m an asshole.
“Circe, I’ll let Casper know you have a visitor. When you want to move rooms, we’ll get the orderlies to do the transfer.” Watching China leave, I feel horrid. Even in my worst moments, I’ve never wanted someone else feeling like shit for something I said.
As the door closes, I’m totally afraid to turn toward my friend. “Carli.” Her tone is menacing. “That was evil.”
“Yeah, I know. Problem is, I can’t take it back.”
“Maybe you should go.” Not that I don’t deserve that, but I’d hoped she’d understand I didn’t mean it.
“Cir—”
“No. I think you should go, Car.” Looking over, I think it’s the most pissed I’ve ever seen her. Even when I kept things from her, she was never this mad.
Fuck.
“Yeah…okay.” Picking up my bag, I slowly walk across the room, trying to think of what I can say to fix this. There’s nothing.
I open the door. “I’m sorry.” Then I close it behind me.
Yeah. This day just went to hell in a handbasket.
Why can’t shit go right?