Page 60 of Lightning Angel

“If he’s begging to be exposed for his crimes, so beit.” Blood boiling in her veins, Alexa stomped toward the kitchen.

“And I’ll handle him invisibly if he dares cross the line with either of you.”

Alexa paused and whirled around, her face nearing slamming into Tristan’s collarbones. He grabbed her arms and steadied her before they collided.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You stayvisible. You promised.”

“Yes, but I also said if the situation occurred—”

“Thisis not that situation,” she cut him off and gently said, “I need you at my side,visible.”

Before she even realized it, he had become her solace. How was that possible? Their proper meeting had been just yesterday.

Had a heart to heart conversation already changed so much between them in the last twenty-four hours?

Tristan’s eyes softened. “Lead the way.”

She offered him a small smile before turning and walking toward the kitchen. Cassie’s giggles floated through the air as they neared, followed by Brandon’s deep laugh. Alexa’s skin crawled at the sound of it.

If he is kissing my sister…Alexa clenched her fists and quickened her pace. She entered the kitchen, and the scenario that greeted her was close to what she expected.

Brandon had Cassie’s back pressed against the counter and he was just about to close the distance between their lips.

How. Dare. He.

“Get away from my sister, you snake!”

Cassie and Brandon jumped apart and snapped their heads to Alexa. Cassie’s eyes lit up. “Lex!” She pushedaway from Brandon and hurried across the kitchen to her.

Alexa met her halfway and fell into her open arms, burying her face in her shoulder as a sudden rush of tears filled her eyes. Her fury toward Brandon melted away as Cassie squeezed her in her embrace. Alexa squeezed back; she had missed her sistersomuch.

“Oh, baby. I’ve missed you so much!” Cassie pulled back to look at her with a contagious grin.

“I’m sure you told each other that every day in the last three days.” Brandon laughed, and Alexa snapped her gaze to him and saw him leaning against the counter with folded arms. When their gazes met, she glared, and he smirked smugly, almost challengingly.

Challenge accepted.

“Are you guys alright?” Cassie’s gaze bounced back and forth between them, a nervous laugh escaping her. “I think I heard you call him—”

“What ishedoing here?”

Brandon narrowed his eyes at the doorway, dropping his arms and standing straight. Alexa followed his gaze and saw Tristan leaning against the doorframe with hands in his pocket, looking as intimidating as he had that morning. He wasn’t glaring back, but the look in his eyes was as sharp as a sword’s edge, almost deadly.

“It’s not your place to ask,” Alexa said, turning back to Brandon with a lift of her chin. Tristan’s presencewasher solace, and her confidence.

“Is that Tristan?” Cassie whispered to her, her eyes wide with surprise as she regarded him. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing him.” She complained.

“I was with him all day.”

“You didn’t go to school?” At Cassie’s question, sheshook her head. “Why?”

“Because of him.” Alexa’s eyes flared at Brandon.

“What?” Brandon feigned innocence, widening his eyes. How pathetic.

“He’s a fraud, sissy!” Alexa blurted out. “He has been deceiving you all this time. He blackmailed me on the day you left, that if I didn’t give him what he wanted, he would release yourcertainpictures all over social media and ruin your reputation!”

“What?” Cassie whispered, her gaze moving from Alexa to Tristan to Brandon, and back to Alexa.

---