Page 95 of Hidden
Then Julian laid out his plan, and my mouth went dry. Why would I ever want to put poor Miles on the spot like that? I had been wrong—and it was too late to back out of the plan. And even more importantly, why was I suddenly nervous about the prospect of sleeping in the same bed as Miles? But this was much more than my accidental and sleep-deprived sleeping arrangements of the past.
As the night drew on, it was difficult to school my features into indifference. Even as I curled under an afghan on the couch in Damen’s living room and read the same page ofThe Hobbita thousand times, my focus wasn’t able to remain on the book.
Guilt twisted in me, a twinge of anxiety. But under it, was something else.
Julian had said that attention from me would make Miles feelspecial. Was it true?
I glanced at the clock, noting the time. I couldn’t put off the inevitable much longer before it became too late to get a decent night’s sleep. I got to my feet and brushed my hands over the long skirts of my white nightgown. My heart raced in anticipation—Julian had said this was the best way, but my nerves still pulled at me.
I would have to trust him.
Bryce and Damen were playing chess by the fireplace, but neither seemed to be enjoying the game. In fact, they spent more time narrowing their eyes at each other than moving their pieces. I wasn’t sure I approved of all the glaring. It was a strange strategy.
Or maybe they acted this way as a defense mechanism, because neither seemed to be good at chess at all. It was painful to see, and I’d been trying not to watch the whole evening.
If Julian or Titus had been around, I might have challenged one of them. I had the feeling that both men knew what they were doing.
But alas, Julian had a night shift and Titus was…somewhere.
I could have, technically, played with Finn. He was a semi-decent player. But I had avoided talking to him, and he leisurely sat in the corner of the room, fiddling on his laptop. Brayden and Miles, on the other hand, were watching sports on Damen’s flat screen.
And what the crap was that about? I had no idea Finn was staying here, too. Why had no one warned me?
No, I was not pleased with Damen Abernathy at all. Besides ripping up my room, he had also betrayed me. Just because I didn’t want Finn todiedidn’t mean he had to be hovering about.
“Bianca?” It was Brayden who noticed me first. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s time for bed.” I nodded toward the stairs, trying to ignore my pounding heart and sweaty palms.
“Right.” Damen swiped his arm over the chessboard, ending his game in a dramatic tantrum. Then he ignored Bryce’s protest and stood, touching the neck of his crew shirt. He seemed nervous. “I promise your room will be ready by Sunday. If you want, you can—”
“Come on.” I turned to Miles, who’d been sipping on his tea as he watched us. I wasn’t sure what Damen was going on about, but he knew the plan. Was this a last-ditch effort to get on my good side? “We’re going to bed.”
The witch choked and violently coughed before Brayden, after a short pause, began to beat him on the back.
“What are you talking about?” Brayden asked.
“Damen ruined my bedroom, so now I can’t sleep there.” I glared at the man who started this. He didn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. “Julian said I could sleep in Miles’s bed.”
Miles’s face turned redder and his coughing continued.
“Why don’t you sleep in a guest room?” Brayden asked. “Lord knows there’s enough of them. You don’t need to sleepwithsomeone.”
I’d raised my finger in the air to protest before I realized he was right. Why hadn’t I thought of this?
“Well, of course she’s sleeping in a guest room!” Bryce crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. “There’s an empty one near me. Besides, it’ll make me feel better if she’s close.”
“Who cares how you feel?” Damen frowned. Finn was also glanced up from work, shooting the other man a wary look. “You sound like a creeper,” Damen continued. “What do you think is going to get to her in my home?”
Bryce narrowed his eyes, giving the man a pointed look. “It’s not awhat. It’swho.Whopresent in this room is likely to act on impulsive, improper behaviors?”
“You had better not be referring to me,” Damen growled. “I’m not the only impulsive one.”
Finn also glared at Damen.
They were all stupid. But in this instance, I agreed with Damen. Rooming near Bryce wouldn’t work. I’d rather snuggle on a bed of nails and slowly bleed to death.
Besides, who was he to tell me what to do?
