Page 224 of Heartless Sinner

Fifteen of them were from Elodie checking on me before saying she found my phone.

Blair asked if I was okay. Seraphina had wanted to know if I was hooking up with Brooks while Gemma asked if Brooks had murdered my ass.

Looking around the table, I smiled.

I loved my friends, loved our chaotic times together, and hoped I wouldn’t lose that again.

Brooks was still phoneless. I secretly loved that because it meant we were giving each other our undivided attention. It meant he wasn’t seeing news articles about what was happening in the States.

We still had nothing figured out, but for tonight, that was okay. We’d decided to leave our problems at the castle gates, have dinner with our friends, and simply enjoy being together.

“Ladies and gents, we have a problem,” Nico announced. “Another Son has fallen into the dark world of falling for his Fawn.” He shook his head. “Fucking tragic, man.”

“Hater,” Brooks grumbled, dropping his arm from the chair to my shoulders before pulling me closer.

We were out in public, acting like a real couple, but we were also in Calira.

Not in the States. Not in the real world for him.

I had no idea what would happen when he went back because as much as I’d love for him to stay in Calira with me forever, that wasn’t realistic.

When we arrived together, no one asked a million questions.

Nico’s comment was the first mention of Brooks and me reconciling. I loved that they didn’t want to make it awkward between us while we were working things out.

“Maybe next time, select a Fawn you actually like,” Brooks told him.

Nico lifted his wineglass toward us. “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you saying there wasn’t a time when you two couldn’t stand each other?”

Brooks glanced at me, and I fought back a smile.

“That’s exactly why you have to be selective.” Cedric leaned back in his chair while smirking.

“Speaking of that, you three …” This time, Nico motioned his glass toward Cedric, Emeri, and then Cassian before making a wide circle with it. “You need to get your Fawns chosen. It’s the rules. If you guys are making me keep mine, then I’m making you motherfuckers get yours.”

“There’s no one on my radar,” Cedric said. He picked up his phone, his thumb already scrolling, as if suddenly bored with this conversation.

“Aren’t you guys changing some of the rules?” Adelina asked over the rim of her appletini. “Why not just say if you don’t want a Fawn, then you don’t have to get one?”

Cassian leaned over and tapped the top of her head. “Let’s let the Havens make the rules from now on.”

“The Elders would never okay that,” Cedric said. “It’s part of the Son experience. It’s our duty. Unfortunately.”

“Hey!” Nico threw up his arms. “Any of you can gladly have mine.”

“Why do you hate her so much?” Gemma asked him while fussing with her hair.

“She calls me non-fucking-stop,” he answered, slumping back in his chair with a dramatic groan. “She wants to make me cookies all the time like she’s fucking Martha Stewart.”

“You’re complaining about that?” Seraphina asked in disbelief. “That’s your actual issue with her?”

“Among other things.” Nico signaled to the server for another refill.

Seraphina rolled her eyes while muttering something under her breath.

Gemma tossed a crumb of her bread, hitting him in the forehead.

“Men,” Adelina muttered, pointing her fork in his direction before waggling it.