Page 166 of Crew
Race started laughing, but the movement caused him pain, and he moaned. He cursed, shaking his head. "Goddamn Alex." He sighed. "Yeah, I'll live."
Jordan and Zellman sat at the table. I was content to rest against the wall. Tabatha and Sunday and a couple other girls were standing around in the kitchen, there if Taz needed something. Some of the athlete guys lingered too, but no one said much of anything.
This was the aftermath of a crew fight--whether it had started as that or not. This was the time when we regrouped. We talked. We had our debriefing, sorting out the hows, whys, and what would happen next.
These meetings always tired me out. The goal was to protect ourselves against future threats, and that usually meant more fighting.
But these guys--the Normals in our world--did not seem tired. Awe, fear, and curiosity all mixed together in their eyes. They were hungry for more. Those of us around the table ignored them.
"You want to clue us in on what that fight was about?" Cross asked.
Race cringed.
Taz looked up. "Sorry." She went right back to cleaning.
Race let out a harsh laugh, hissing. "I might have a broken rib, Taz."
"I know." She didn't stop working though. "But you have a gushing cut here. I need to clean it up before we go to the hospital."
We all cringed at the mention of a hospital.
Hospitals meant questions, and those questions sometimes meant cops. No thanks.
I looked around. None of the people in the kitchen seemed concerned about going to the hospital. They didn't have reason. They weren't considered troubled.
My stomach rolled over.
I didn't want to be here. There were too many people, too many opinions, too many questions, too many of everything. I could feel the pressure pushing down on me.
The room was starting to suffocate me.
I slipped out, trying to go quietly. I didn't want the others to worry, but I had to exit. Once I stepped outside, I breathed in the night air and almost right away, it settled my stomach. I was moving toward the pool when I heard Cross' voice behind me.
"You want to talk now?"
I startled. I hadn't realized he followed me. I turned to find his face half in shadows.
I opened my mouth, about to answer, but then I just looked at him. I really looked at him. Like I had in my bedroom, I felt another veil falling from my eyes. He had stepped into a role he hadn't wanted until now, but I knew it was in him.
He was a leader.
He was just what everyone said he was. He was better than all of us.
And he was so goddamn gorgeous.
I reached up, touching his chin. "Why did it take me so long to accept this?"
He reached for me. "Because my good looks blinded you." He leaned forward, nuzzling my neck. He feathered kisses there, sending tingles through my body.
"You're only human," he added, his hand skimming up my back. "You couldn't see around the sun glare."
I barked out a laugh, which ended on a whimper as his lips continued to explore under my jaw, then down my throat.
I felt my legs actually weaken, and I reached for him--to steady myself and just to touch him.
His arm curved around my back, but then he pulled away. "Not here." His hand grabbed mine. "Come on."
Without a word, I followed him.
