18. Gray #2
A muscle jumps in his cheek. His gaze drops to the table for a fraction of a second before meeting mine again. "Yes."
The confirmation lands like a stone in my gut. "Daniel, what are you doing?"
He leans in even closer, the scent of cold air and something metallic, like anxiety, coming off him in waves. "I'm talking to someone. A contact. They can get into things."
"What kind of things?"
"Databases."
My blood runs cold. "What kind of databases?"
"Jonathan's firm," he says, the name spoken like a curse. "I want to take a look at Mara's bond contract. I wanted to hack into the Academy, but I don't want to risk a blowout—or my sister's career."
I can't stop the words that burst from my lips. "Are you fucking crazy?"
The couple in the next booth glances over. I ignore them. My entire world has narrowed to the man sitting across from me, the man I've trusted with everything for the better part of a decade, the man who is supposed to be the rational one.
"Keep your voice down," he snaps, but there's no real heat in it, just a desperate urgency.
"Keep my voice down?" I hiss, leaning forward to match his posture.
"You're talking about hacking a law firm.
Jonathan's law firm. Do you have any idea what he'd do if he found out?
What he could do to you? To us? To your parents?
That man will make sure he destroys all our careers if he knows what you're up to. "
"I know the risks," he says, his eyes burning with a feverish light I've never seen before. It's not just anger; it's obsession. "But I need to know, Gray. I need to see what he has on her. What that contract says. There might be a loophole, something we can use to protect her."
"Protect her?" I shake my head, a disbelieving laugh escaping me. "You're going to get her killed. Or yourself. This isn't some corporate merger you're untangling, Daniel. This is… this is playing with fire."
"I have to," he insists, his knuckles white where he grips the edge of the table. "I can't just sit there and wait for him to show up. I won't."
The frustration in me boils over, hot and sharp. "What are you not telling me? Was her pack abusing her?"
He is silent.
"We are a fucking pack, Daniel!" The words are louder than I intend, vibrating with a betrayal that cuts deep.
"You, me, Leo. We're supposed to be in this together.
If you're doing something this stupid, this reckless, the least you can do is tell me.
Don't leave me in the dark to find out you're risking everything over a crush. "
His face falls, the fire in his eyes dimming for a second, replaced by a flicker of guilt. He opens his mouth to respond, but he never gets the chance.
"Guys?"
We both turn. Tess is standing by the table, and the sight of her stops the argument dead.
Her face is fallen, all the bright excitement from moments ago drained away, leaving her pale and stricken.
Her shoulders are slumped, and her eyes, usually so full of life, are wide and shimmering with unshed tears.
All our attention snaps to her, the heavy tension between Daniel and me forgotten, replaced by a sudden, sharp concern for her.
"Tess? What is it? What happened?" Daniel asks, his voice instantly softening, the hard edges melting away.
She looks from his face to mine, her lower lip trembling. Then, the dam breaks. A huge, brilliant smile splits her face, and she lets out a squeal of pure joy, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I got it! I got the job!"
The relief that washes over me is so potent it makes me dizzy. "You little monster," I breathe, leaning back against the booth. "You scared the hell out of us."
She's practically vibrating with excitement, sliding back into the booth and grabbing Daniel's arm. "Professor Alden called me! He said the interview was just a formality and they were incredibly impressed. I'm the new TA for Behavioral Dynamics!"
Daniel's smile is genuine, warm, and full of pride. He pulls her into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head. "Tess, that's amazing. I knew you could do it. I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you!" she gushes, her words tumbling out in a rush. "He said there's some paperwork I'll need to fill out, and I have to go into the Academy for a few orientation sessions before the semester starts to get my ID and security clearance, but that's it! It's really happening!"
Brenda arrives with our food, setting down the plates with a clatter. The burgers look incredible, piled high with lettuce and tomato, the bacon perfectly crisp. The smell is mouthwatering, but my appetite is gone, replaced by the churning in my stomach.
Tess digs into her burger with gusto, talking a mile a minute between bites about her plans, about what she'll wear, about how she can't wait to tell Mara and her parents. Daniel listens, nodding, asking all the right questions, being the supportive older brother. But I see it.
I see the way his eyes keep drifting, the way his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes anymore. He's here with Tess, but he's not. He's still back in that dark place, plotting his next move against Jonathan.
I pick at my fries, the salt sharp on my tongue. I look at Daniel, and he meets my gaze over the top of Tess's head. There's no smile now. There's only a hard, resolute look. A silent, clear message that passes between us in the noisy, cluttered diner.
Our conversation isn't over yet. Not by a long shot.