Tray kissed my temple and held me closer. “I have no intention of following Ryan’s orders tonight. Because, unlike you, I’m not afraid of that cunt or her meager threats. She can kiss my ass.”
Dash ran his fingers through his hair, his posture still one of defeat and so unlike the Dash Charming I’d known for years. “I’m glad you’re here,” he said after a beat. “And that you met Ella. She deserves someone like you.”
“Wrong, she deserves someone better than me. But I’m lucky she puts up with me anyway.”
I rolled my eyes and nudged him with my elbow. “Whatever, Nacht. I barely tolerate you.”
He chuckled, his amusement heating our bond. “Just barely.”
“It’s true,” I said with a shrug.
Dash stood grinning at us. “I should have known you weren’t playing into Ryan’s game, but you had me convinced otherwise. Man, she’s going to be livid when she realizes you fucked her over.”
“Like I care,” Tray drawled. “As I said, she doesn’t scare me.”
“I can see that.” Dash cleared his throat and erected his spine. “Well, anyway, I’m glad you’re here. And, Ella, I’m sorry. I know that means shit in the grand scheme of things, that I owe you a hell of a lot more than a measly apology, but all I can do is try.”
“Which is why you told her about Ryan’s plans tonight,” Tray added.
Dash nodded. “I didn’t…” He swallowed, grimacing. “I didn’t want to see that night repeated. And I knew this would be much worse because she never looked at me the way she looks at you. The kind of destruction Ryan is, or was, planning… it’s the kind of thing that really fucks someone up.”
He let that sit between the three of us.
The soft beat of the ballroom vibrated beneath my heels, the rhythm matching the subdued one of my pulse.
“Charlie’s leaving has softened you,” Tray finally said.
Dash lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know about softened, but it’s forced me to put a few things into perspective. That guy was a real dick.”
“So are you,” Tray pointed out.
“I am,” he agreed. “But I’m working on fixing that.”
Three months ago, I’d have called bullshit. But I couldn’t deny his behavior had changed since Charlie left. And the way he’d come to me tonight? That suggested sincerity in his actions.
I don’t think we can show this to the school, I told Tray, swallowing.
That’d been our original plan—we’d make him confess that Ryan encouraged him to torment me, then put him and Ryan on blast together. While he still technically deserved it, I didn’t see the point in punishing a guy who was clearly already punishing himself and trying to change at the same time.
I know, he whispered back to me. I turned off the feed before joining you in the hall.
“Well…” Dash cleared his throat again. “I’ll, uh, let you two enjoy the rest of your night.”
He took a step, but Tray moved into his path. “Just so we’re clear, the only reason I’ve not kicked your ass for hurting Ella is because I know she wouldn’t approve. I also didn’t want to take the opportunity away from her, should she want to beat you the way you deserve. But if you breathe a word of any of this to Ryan before we have a chance to finish this game, I will destroy you in ways you can’t even imagine.”
Power radiated from my mate. Dash wouldn’t see it, but I had no doubt he could feel it. And the widening of his eyes confirmed my suspicion. “I don’t know what you have planned for Ryan, but I won’t stand in your way. And I won’t breathe a word of any of this to her.”
“See that you don’t,” Tray murmured, his voice low and lethal. “Because I’ll know if you do. And you will regret it.” He allowed that threat to linger between them before returning to my side. “Continue on your path, Charming. It’s the right one.”
That almost sounded like a prophecy, but I knew from talking to Tray that Midnight Fae weren’t seers. However, apparently that kind of fae did exist—the Fortune Fae.
I shivered as Tray circled my waist with his arm.
We watched as Dash left, his shoulders caving yet again. It was so strange to see him appear weak after ruling the academy for so long. “Do you think he’s truly going to change?” I wondered out loud.
“I think he’s already changing,” Tray said, holding me close. “It’s not how I anticipated things to evolve after removing Charlie from the equation, but I can’t say I’m disappointed by it.”
“Neither am I,” I admitted. “But I don’t think the others are going to be so easy.”