Read Online Darken (Siege #1) by Angela Fristoe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Angela Fristoe
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and slender, with an outgoing and headstrong personality that drew him to her the instant they met. She never sat back and waited for someone to speak for her. Cora, on the other hand, had been a tiny blond mouse, blending into the background so much he sometimes never even noticed her presence.
Staring at her now, he wanted to still see Cora as that young girl. He didn’t want to think of her as the person responsible for Lela’s death, and he sure as hell didn’t want to see her as a sexy woman whose husky moans left his body aching.
“See you finally managed to shake loose from Hailey,” Noah said as he approached the end of the table.
Gavin grunted and reached out to roll the last few balls into pockets, clearing the surface.
Noah propped his shoulder along the wall, crossing his arms. Already a big guy, the pose made him appear even more bulky. It would be normal if he actually needed to work out, but thanks to the Posthuman Project, working out wasn’t something any of them needed to do.
“You want to talk about it?”
“Fuck no. Hailey’s fine.”
“I’m not talking about Hailey. I’m talking about Cora and this silent battle the two of you are in. I understand you’ve got your issues with her, but you can’t keep raking her over for what happened.” He waited for Gavin to say something, but when he was met with silence, he turned on his heel and went back to Alicia.
Gavin scraped a hand over his face, letting out a sigh of defeat. If only it were that simple. If it was only a matter of blame, he could handle it, maybe one day even get over it. Noah was right; Gavin was in a battle, and it was one he couldn’t win. No matter what he did about Cora, things were gonna get fucked up.
He grabbed his beer and walked over to where she sat with Eve and Josh. When he sat beside her, the three of them briefly glanced at him, and he gave them a terse smile. Eve and Cora went back to talking while Josh was busy giving Gavin a knowing smirk.
Gavin sat there, listening to the two women share memories of high school. Some of the things they talked about were familiar, stories he’d heard from Lela only with a different perspective.
“Do you remember the time Terrance Melton toilet papered the teacher’s lounge?” Eve asked.
“No.” Cora shook her head and squinted as if searching for the memory. “When was that?”
“Eleventh grade. Wait, it might have been when you were in—” Eve’s words were cut off by the chiming of a text message alert. She checked her message, her lips tightening as she read it. “I’ve gotta go. Jamie’s dad got called into work and needs me to pick Jamie up.”
“That sucks,” Cora said, scrunching up her face.
Gavin couldn’t help the slight chuckle that escaped him. Sober Cora never scrunched her nose, and this new beyond tipsy Cora was cute.
“Yeah, that sucks, Evie.” Josh gave an exaggerated pout.
Eva gave Cora a hug then slugged Josh on the arm. “Keep calling me Evie, and I’ll hit you harder than that.”
“All right, no more Evie.” He held up his hands. “Promise.”
“Sure,” she said with mock-belief and grabbed her jacket.
“You’re not driving, are you?” Gavin studied her, trying to determine how intoxicated she was.
“I’m fine. I’ve been nursing my first.” She dropped a bill on the table. “I’ll give you a call next week, Cora, and we can figure out a day to go for lunch.”
She left behind an uncomfortable silence, broken only when Gavin kicked Josh under the table.
“Hey!” Josh leaned down to rub his shin, glaring at Gavin. A brief staring contest ensued until his eyes widened in understanding. “I need to check with Noah about the schedule. I’ll catch you guys later.”
Cora finished her drink and twirled the cocktail straw around the empty glass. Her entire demeanor change once she was alone with Gavin. Her giggles were gone and she avoided his gaze.
“Cora—”
“We shouldn’t talk,” she
Staring at her now, he wanted to still see Cora as that young girl. He didn’t want to think of her as the person responsible for Lela’s death, and he sure as hell didn’t want to see her as a sexy woman whose husky moans left his body aching.
“See you finally managed to shake loose from Hailey,” Noah said as he approached the end of the table.
Gavin grunted and reached out to roll the last few balls into pockets, clearing the surface.
Noah propped his shoulder along the wall, crossing his arms. Already a big guy, the pose made him appear even more bulky. It would be normal if he actually needed to work out, but thanks to the Posthuman Project, working out wasn’t something any of them needed to do.
“You want to talk about it?”
“Fuck no. Hailey’s fine.”
“I’m not talking about Hailey. I’m talking about Cora and this silent battle the two of you are in. I understand you’ve got your issues with her, but you can’t keep raking her over for what happened.” He waited for Gavin to say something, but when he was met with silence, he turned on his heel and went back to Alicia.
Gavin scraped a hand over his face, letting out a sigh of defeat. If only it were that simple. If it was only a matter of blame, he could handle it, maybe one day even get over it. Noah was right; Gavin was in a battle, and it was one he couldn’t win. No matter what he did about Cora, things were gonna get fucked up.
He grabbed his beer and walked over to where she sat with Eve and Josh. When he sat beside her, the three of them briefly glanced at him, and he gave them a terse smile. Eve and Cora went back to talking while Josh was busy giving Gavin a knowing smirk.
Gavin sat there, listening to the two women share memories of high school. Some of the things they talked about were familiar, stories he’d heard from Lela only with a different perspective.
“Do you remember the time Terrance Melton toilet papered the teacher’s lounge?” Eve asked.
“No.” Cora shook her head and squinted as if searching for the memory. “When was that?”
“Eleventh grade. Wait, it might have been when you were in—” Eve’s words were cut off by the chiming of a text message alert. She checked her message, her lips tightening as she read it. “I’ve gotta go. Jamie’s dad got called into work and needs me to pick Jamie up.”
“That sucks,” Cora said, scrunching up her face.
Gavin couldn’t help the slight chuckle that escaped him. Sober Cora never scrunched her nose, and this new beyond tipsy Cora was cute.
“Yeah, that sucks, Evie.” Josh gave an exaggerated pout.
Eva gave Cora a hug then slugged Josh on the arm. “Keep calling me Evie, and I’ll hit you harder than that.”
“All right, no more Evie.” He held up his hands. “Promise.”
“Sure,” she said with mock-belief and grabbed her jacket.
“You’re not driving, are you?” Gavin studied her, trying to determine how intoxicated she was.
“I’m fine. I’ve been nursing my first.” She dropped a bill on the table. “I’ll give you a call next week, Cora, and we can figure out a day to go for lunch.”
She left behind an uncomfortable silence, broken only when Gavin kicked Josh under the table.
“Hey!” Josh leaned down to rub his shin, glaring at Gavin. A brief staring contest ensued until his eyes widened in understanding. “I need to check with Noah about the schedule. I’ll catch you guys later.”
Cora finished her drink and twirled the cocktail straw around the empty glass. Her entire demeanor change once she was alone with Gavin. Her giggles were gone and she avoided his gaze.
“Cora—”
“We shouldn’t talk,” she
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