Maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess at all.
But, sadly, fate was a bitch who loved drama.
Brad made it clear he’d been shooting his shot with Elaine often and without reciprocation, so there was no hope for them.
“She’s cold as ice, no matter what I do. She hasn’t responded to my moves since she got Kingston in her sights.”
As much as I wanted to sympathize with him over why Elaine wasn’t looking for love in all the right places, I sat there silently instead. Trying not to let my anger get the best of me.
If the goal of his sessions had been to work up my aggression, Brad would’ve done great. He spent the majority of our time together pissing me off.
I just didn’t get todo anythingwith that energy.
When we finally entered the ring, Vivian focused on her movements and form more than she focused on me, despite having plenty of ammunition to get under my skin withherpending nuptials. Plenty of opportunities to give me a reason to strike back.
As I wondered what she was up to, Josh called out from the sidelines, “Hey, Everly! Your skepticism is showing.”
I tried to control my face and my emotions, but could he blame me? Viviannotjumping at the chance to bait me was suspicious as fuck.
We danced around each other, bouncing on our toes, circling the ring, and practicing our swings for the last twenty minutes while Josh and Brad egged us on from their corners.
With little to show for our efforts, it left me confused and thrown, especially when she packed up her belongings and left without a word.
Shaking myself out of it, I refocused.
The universe was bound to right itself, and I’d meant it when I saidover my dead bodyat the idea of Elaine pretending to live out her wildest delusions with Kingston. That went double for Vivian, whose claws actually were stuck in Max through their history, families, and secrets he couldn’t share.
Eventually, she’d revert to her usual bitchy behavior, so I’d get my chance to go toe-to-toe with her before this was all over.
No use stressing about it.
Not when I knewexactlyhow it would all play out.
I also had no need to fight with her when I needed to be fightingfor him.
Keeping that in mind, I left the room, refusing to think about her, her weirdly passive behavior, and hernever-going-to-happenfuture with Max again.
At the start ofSuccessiontraining, Paul looped around me, assessing me as if I were a soldier signing up to fight. “When the Obstacle Course begins, you’ll be racing against the clock.”
“You know, when you circle me like a vulture, it’s hard to focus on the looming threat of the Obstacle Course.”
He stopped, but he didn’t smile. “My sessions focus on your ability to make quick, decisive choices under pressure.”
I skirted my gaze away from his, sure I should’ve known that but having spent the first two days slightly distracted.
Clearing his throat, he drew my eyes back to him. “Do you think you can handle that, Quinn?”
“Yes,” I blurted before thinking about it. “I think I can.”
“The Obstacle Course is a series of tests. You’ll make your way through it and collect what you need to complete the Scavenger Hunt.” He pointed across the lake to the back lawnof Winchester Hall, the fraternity house inside the high-walled grounds. “The Final Trial spans across Camelot Court, and it’s important that you take each step in the right order.”
That was new information.
Unless he’d already mentioned it.
I cursed myself. “What happens if I don’t?”
“You won’t be able to solve the final clue.”
