Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Holy shit,” Holly said.
Tanner nodded in agreement but it didn’t look like Alec’s words had been news to him. I was too stunned to say anything. I’d always joked with Holly that I’d love to know someone who could wipe out a few of my less pleasant memories—like when my mother told me I shouldn’t call her ever again or that I was a freak and had ruined her life, or all the drunk, messed-up guys she’d dated back when I was a child. But it was scary to consider that someone could do that—change my memories, steal entire parts of my life so it was like they’d never happened. Alec was watching me as though he knew exactly what was going through my mind. His childhood had been filled with heartbreak just like mine.
The door to the common room swung open and Phil and Devon entered. They glanced tentatively at our table, apparently unsure if they could join us.
“We still have room for more players,” Tanner said. He pointed at the vending machine in the back of the room, off behind the sofas and the flat screen TV. “Get yourselves some provisions!”
“We don’t have any money on us,” Devon said as he walked toward the vending machine.
“You don’t need money for drinks,” Holly said. “They’re free! The vending machine is just for show.”
Phil and Devon got their drinks while Tanner took care of the chairs. He raised his hand and immediately the black folding chairs leaning against the wall beside the vending machine began floating toward us. Phil and Devon watched Tanner’s show with obvious admiration. I rolled my eyes at Tanner, but he just winked and carefully lowered the chairs to the ground beside our table. Devon sat down across from me and Alec’s eyes darted between Devon and me with inquiring intensity. Alec didn’t like Devon very much. They had barely talked two sentences since Devon had joined FEA. As implausible as it was, I suspected that Alec might be jealous of him.
I took Alec’s hand beneath the table and squeezed. A shadow of stubble showed on his jaw. I wanted to press my cheek against it. I loved the prickly feeling, especially when it had rubbed against my inner thighs. His smile widened as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.
“So you’re the toxic guy, right?” Tanner asked as he handed cards to Phil. Only Tanner could say something like that without sounding rude.
A deep flush spread across Phil’s pale face. It was obvious that he wasn’t used to attention, or to hanging out with friends.
He slid off the fingerless black gloves he wore most of the time. There were tiny glands embedded in the spot where his palm met his wrist. They looked like the lacrimal glands we have for tears, only slightly bigger. Maybe it was from nervousness but they were already coated with poison.
“So if I touch it, I’ll fall asleep?” Holly asked, her fingertip an inch from the gland.
Tanner tensed at her side.
“Holly,” I said in warning.
“You’d likely pass out,” Phil said quickly. For his next words, he lowered his eyes. “Or fall into a coma.” He put the gloves back on, his fingers shaking.
“Well, I’m sure Devon could save the day,” Alec said with a forced smile.
Devon shrugged. “I probably could.” Our eyes met and memories crashed over me. Was he thinking of the time he’d saved my life back in Livingston?
“Let’s get this game going. I need to win back my money,” I said with forced cheerfulness.
It was way past midnight when we stopped playing and finally returned to our rooms. More accurately, I only went to my room to change into pajama shorts and a top before I hurried back to Alec’s room. My cheeks were still glowing from the way Holly wiggled her eyebrows at me as I retreated.
I found Alec already sitting on top of the covers on his bed, pulling a shirt over his head. I touched the long scar hidden beneath the dragon tattoo on his right shoulder, halting his movement.
“When you mentioned that Variant who could alter and remove memories, I thought of all the things in my life I’ve wanted to forget. And I wondered if I would ask them to, you know, erase some parts of my life.” I traced the scar as I locked eyes with Alec. “Would you?”
Alec took my hand and kissed my palm, his lips warm against my skin. His gray eyes were serious. With him sitting on the bed and me standing in front of it, we were almost the same height. “No,” he said quietly. “I wouldn’t. The past made me who I am.” That was such an Alec-thing to say.
“But it hurts, remembering. Knowing that our parents didn’t want us because of what we are. That they didn’t care what would happen to us as long as it meant they could get rid of us.”