" 'What makes you think you can speak to me?'" Cassie said in a passable if mocking imitation of Four's voice. "Oh, I don't know, the fact that you butted in and interrupted our conversation. Jerk."

She'd dropped her hand below the tabletop earlier in the conversation, resting it on Kon's thigh. She gave his leg a squeeze -- she knew how much of that was true, and how very literal some parts of it had been.