Page 14 of Balance

Goddammit. Threatening Declan Dubois probably wasn’t my best idea.

“What if she falls, and I need to help her up?” I offered, shoving my hands behind my back. It would be best not to give him any ideas.

Declan didn’t respond, only continued to stare at me in that same unnerving way.

I couldn’t make any promises—fae were entirely too literal and it was terrifying to deal with them on a normal day. But this was the first time I’d seen Declan in a while, and my first time witnessing him acting like afather.

Fae men were crazy about their women.

I might actually die. Panic clouded my thoughts, and Bryce’s grin grew wider. I had to think my way out of this. He couldn’t just expect me to say ‘okay.’

“What if I’vealreadytouched her?” There was that too!

Gregory covered his face with his hand, and Bryce’s grin morphed into a disapproving frown.

“What?” Bryce asked. “When?”

My skin heated. “None of your business. Why are you all grilling me? I’m here for Gregory. I have work to do. Why are you here?”

Gregory waved his hand, eying me suspiciously. “Your work can wait. Why don’t you elaborate on your previous declaration?”

“That I’m here for you?” My heart was thundering and an awkwardness I hadn’t felt since high school began to wash over me.

Howdid I get into this situation? I was being good! I was just doing my job, damnit.

“Not that.” Gregory, for the first time in my life, turned narrowed eyes at me. “This touching business.”

“Never mind.” I pulled at my tie, desperately trying to ignore the line of sweat traveling down my spine. “Why are you all meeting here? Did I miss something?” I glanced at Declan again, this time adding the most important piece of this conversation. “Bianca is supposed to be here soon.”

“What’s she doing on campus?” Bryce interjected, shooting me a distrustful look. “I thought she was looking for clues.”

Wherever would he get that idea? That was literally the dumbest thing I’d ever heard. “She’s not looking for clues! She’s sad! She’s been moping around since Miles left. That’s why I asked her to meet me here. I’m taking her to meet Julian. She needs to get out of the house.”

“Sad?” Bryce raised his eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure she’s not sad. She’s pissed. That’s why she’s in his room and rooting through his books. She’s trying to find a sign of where he’s gone. Mark my words, she’s going to punch him.”

“I think I know her better than you.” How dare he. “Bianca isn’t going to hit anyone.” At least not yet.

In the past, Mu wouldn’t have hesitated to smack Tu for doing something foolhardy. But Bianca wasn’t like Mu, at least not yet, and her and Miles’s relationship had a different dynamic this time.

I knew, in part, that was why Miles had left. I was reaching the end of my rope. It was becoming harder for me to do both her role and mine, and Miles needed a controller. But—as always—instead of talking about his insecurities and fears with Bianca, he’d fallen into his old habits and ran away.

There was no way I could tell Bianca why he’d left. This was something that would have to come from him.

“Just wait and see,” Bryce said, rolling his shoulders. “You’re too focused on flirting with her to see the obvious.”

“And what’s that?” I crossed my arms. How had this conversation, once again, turned against me?

“Hanah is right,” Bryce responded. “You’re all underestimating her. Which makes your lot, minus Miles, no better than Finn. No wonder she doesn’t respect you.”

“What in the world are you talking about?” I asked, offended. “And why Miles?”

“When we were dealing with the spirits in Edward Cole’s old house,” Bryce said. “Miles was the only person who was okay with Bianca using her abilities. You all wanted to hold her back.”

“Besides the basics, shecan’tuse her abilities,” I protested. “Not fully.”

Not while this bond existed between her and Kiania. I might be taking the heat off of her, but we’d never explored this sort of connection before.

“Sure she can.” Bryce waved his hand in the air, nonchalance heavy around him. “I bet you she can do a lot more than you expect.That’swhy Miles ran away. She’s stronger than he is right now. He knows that, and is having trouble accepting it.”