Adler | The Monarch & The Heirs BOOK 2.

Caught | A THIRTY TWO

A/N: Dedicated to -KLOESKLARITY
and jokicutchjcu

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Cassandra was glad she'd decided to sleep in late for today at the expense of having her mother going mental on her for skipping.

These days, she'd enjoyed the peaceful mornings now the woman had taken up jogging with uncle Jason.

Dressed sloppily in an oversized hoodie, Cassandra skipped into the kitchen and poured herself a two-person large servings of cereal.

In the midst of taking a scoop, a voice strolled in. "So your cousin's gay."

Cassandra coughed, nearly lodging her spoon full of flakes in her throat. Once clearing her windpipe, she set her eyes on the boy who waltzed in without a care in the world. His hair had those defining waves from tossing in pillows and also visible was the habit of sleeping in just plain bottoms. From his chest to his torso was completely bare.

"M-My cousin? What, Ewen?" Cassandra questioned once processing the abrupt statement.

Mark nodded. "Not that I have any problem with that lot but a heads up would've been nice."

"What gives you the idea Ewen's bent?"

"I kinda got lost and wandered into his bedroom so I asked for directions. Then he just like, stood staring right at me for five seconds. Blinked, then pointed."

Cassandra cracked up when Mark mimicked her cousin's zombie-like stare. It was too accurate, she was near doubling over as she struggled to compose herself.

"He's not gay— well, I've never been sure what he is but he acts that way towards everyone." Cassandra explained.

"Oh." Mark's tone sounded partly disappointed. "And here I thought it was just my overall chiseled pecks and sexiness. But I guess that makes things less awkward."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. Sure, Mark was far from being scrawny but he had nothing on the likes of built such as McCoy's fine set of washboard sturdy abs. That wasn't to say the boy in front of her didn't have a body worthy to marvel from his elegantly wide shoulders and those trips rock climbing toned his biceps up nicely.

"Cassy?"

At the call, only then did Cassandra realise she was staring. No, more like, checking him out. Her best friend.

"Everything alright?" He asked.

She casted her eyes away. "Did you call your parents yet?"

Cassandra hadn't known where the tactic to bluntly change topics came from but he thankfully answered. "I'll do it later. Mum wouldn't be up yet and dad's still in Beijing, that puts his time-zone way too early to hear from me just to check in."

"Mark, I think it's a little different when you run off to a completely different part of the country without a single notice." Cassandra countered.

"Those guys would've grassed to your mum if I did. I wanted to surprise you."

Surprise had been an understatement. Opening her door to see none other than Mark Kingston standing there had her thrown back in panic she truly was dreaming. Even now, it seemed her brain still hadn't grasped he was sitting right in front of her, eyes raking over his physique again.

"Well, make sure to do it before my mum does it herself." Cassandra warned.

"Yes, ma'am." Mark mock saluted, unsurprisingly not taking her as seriously as she wanted.