Page 69 of Burn Bright

“Gods and mortal lady,” Eliot announces, “I hereby sanction tonight as a secret family affair. What happens within these four walls on this foggy night is to be protected and never misused. By Cobalt decree, we all promise one another. Say aye if spoken true.”

“Aye,” Beckett smiles.

“Aye.” Tom pumps a fist in the air.

“Yes,” Charlie agrees.

I nod, more tensed as all my brothers focus on me. “Aye.”

They look to Harriet. She shifts her weight, her eyes darting up to me. “Aye, I guess?” She hands me the wine bottle, then asks in a whisper, “Are we playing the escape game or…?”

“I think they’re just trying to bond with me,” I murmur back. They’re trying to reach me. I’m floating in the night, driftingfarther and farther away into darkness, and they’re reeling me back in.

Part of me aches for them to succeed. The other part is terrified if they ever do.

I down a bigger swig. My muscles try to constrict.

Eliot hops off the book tower, then flips open the Zippo, a flame in hand. He’s been spending most of his time auditioning for new plays in the city. “I tried to do the jobless wandering routine like Charlie, but it’s beneath me,” he told me last night after he said he might be cast inThe Mousetrap, an Agatha Christie murder mystery. So I’m not surprised he’s treating this outing together like a rehearsal.

Harriet tentatively picks up another vial. “Why does he look like he’s one step away from sacrificing a virgin?”

“Because he’s Eliot,” I say as if that explains everything. Honestly, I’m smiling so wide now that my face starts hurting.

Eliot spins on Harriet. “Is there a virgin in this room to be sacrificed, mortal lady?” He must’ve heard her.

She’s scowling. “You tell me.”

“Gladly.”

16

BEN COBALT

Eliot raises and lowers his brows with a gleam in his eyes. Surprise freezes Harriet for a beat. Maybe she thought they’d be more tight-lipped about their lives, but she basically just took an oath to not spill anything outside of this room. Eliot gestures an arm out to Beckett on the sofa. “Virgin?”

“You’re many years too late,” Beckett says, cigarette burning between his fingers. He brings it to his lips.

“Charlie?” Eliot flicks his Zippo closed, then back open. “How virginal are you, brother?”

“Not at all.” He’s still irritated. I hear it in his voice, and he’s scrutinizing the map on the antique desk from afar.

“Care to elaborate?” Eliot prods. “The people want to know.”

“Youwant to know,” Charlie rephrases, “and you will never.”

“Challenge accepted, dear brother,” Eliot grins, and at this, Charlie bends toward Beckett to whisper in his ear. He whispers back, ignoring Eliot, who’s telling Harriet, “If sex were a competition, I’m fairly certain I’d claim the victory.” He motions toward Tom. “Virgin?”

“Nope.” Tom flips through a book while standing on the chair. “Our only virginal hope is our baby brother and his girlfriend.”

“We’re not dating,” Harriet clarifies first. “Friends.” She emphasizes, pointing between us.

I nod once in agreement, but it’s hard not to study her reactions. Would she want more? My cock twitches at the thought.Fuck.

I take a hearty swig to drown the arousal. Afterward, Eliot plucks the wine bottle from my grip and asks, “You’re friends who fuck? Or non-fucking friends?”

“The latter,” I say while flush bathes Harriet’s cheeks. I’m very used to the constant prying, so it’s not really fazing me. But just so she knows, I tell her, “You don’t have to share if you’ve slept with anyone before.”

“Thanks.” Harriet moves the candy in her mouth while she assesses this situation. “But it’s not a big bad secret.” She places the half-filled vial on the scale as she tells Eliot, “Not a virgin.”