“I’m listening,” I said, daring someone to walk around the corner, to interrupt this. In this moment, I didn’t care. It was a gamble I was willing to take.
He tipped his head toward me and let his lips trace along the edge of my jaw. “When a man does this, it means he doesn’t want other women.” He tilted his head and kissed the side of my mouth, his thumb trailing along my neck until it slid into my hair. “When a man does this”—he let his lips hang against mine, his breath mingling with my own—“it means a man is showing you what he wants.” He pulled my face to his, and for a moment I was lost. Like a powerful flood, this kiss would change the landscape of my life forever. This wasn’t just a kiss. It was the reordering of my world.
His eyes flicked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. Then he stepped around me, casually raking a hand through his hair as he strode down the hall once more. I sucked in a breath as the sound of heels clattering met my ears moments before three girls rounded the corner behind me. I half turned to see them, to watch Rush vanish around the corner, before heading into the lavatory.
Shep informed me that it was tradition for the third years to close the party down, and so he couldn’t leave until all the other students left. Upon seeing how tired I was by midnight, he kissed the top of my head and told me I didn’t have to wait with him.
Thankful, I nodded and stole from the ballroom, feet aching and head buzzing with the memory of Rush’s kiss. I staggered into the common room, ready to collapse in my bed.
The first thing I noticed was Rush, sitting wide-legged on the massive leather couch facing the fire, one arm draped on the armrest, the other stretched across the back, behind Scarlett, who leaned against him, her eyes closed. Prescott was slouched on the smaller couch, feet propped up on the table, arms crossed at his chest. Their bowties were undone, missing. Rush had removed his collar and unbuttoned the top of his shirt.
He glanced up at me as I entered, his eyes lingering. A faint snore rose from Prescott, and I realized he was asleep.Scarlett didn’t move, other than steady, even breaths. I stopped and stared a moment at them, at her. What would her parents do, if they knew she wassleepingin the presence of two boys, unaccompanied?
I blinked, attempting to hide how much pain was coursing through my body at the sight of them, and snaked around the tables, composing myself to walk by Rush without another glance. He might be acting, but this was pushing it.
As I strode past the couch, where Rush’s arm rested, my eyes flicked down to his rolled-up sleeve, the veins ridged along his skin.
Stop that, I chided myself. He had a woman draped against him.
A brush of skin against my arm halted my steps.
I looked back down. The back of Rush’s fingers had slipped off the armrest of the couch, and his knuckles traced up the edge of my wrist.
Lightning danced down my every nerve.
Our eyes met.
His hand didn’t move, and the flames inside me roared to life.
I was breathing through parted lips. I tensed to move, but his two longest fingers hooked through mine and suddenly my eyes were squeezed shut, my entire body balancing on the points where his firm grip held me.
When I opened my eyes again, Scarlett shifted against Rush and his fingers slipped down, away. Her tiara teetered from her head to the floor behind the couch.
I caught it.
The rubies glittered.
And an idea took shape. A last desperate hope. It didn’t take much force to pry one small ruby loose. “See you tomorrow,Rush.” I set the tiara back on the couch beside Scarlett and pocketed the small gem.
CHAPTER 44
The morning of the race dawned slowly. I stared at the dark ceiling until the black shadows turned to gray and finally to a warm gold. My body ached when I sat up. I cupped my face in my hands and leaned forward, considering staying in bed all day. Eventually, inevitably, I discarded my nightclothes and put on my riding uniform.
When Vanya finally got out of bed, she gave me a quiet hug but said little as she dressed, even less as the day wore on and night crept in. I did not share with her what Rush had told me. There was no point in causing her that worry. I would win. I had to.
At one hour to midnight, there was no more time to delay.
When Vanya finished lacing up her boots, she caught me staring at her with a small frown and a pinched brow.
“Oh, Ari, I’m so sorry. This isn’t fair.” She stood and crossed her arms over her chest. “But you’re going to win.”
I smiled weakly, grateful for her belief in me. My things were scattered around this room that I had shared with Vanya for months now. The end-of-year race wasn’t even that far away. Only a handful of weeks, but there was a grave waiting for Rush’sdragon at the end of the race tonight, unless I could think of something, and fast. I pressed the heels of my hands to my forehead, not ready to think about what tomorrow might look like.
We parted ways at the exit to the common room.
“See you soon,” she said with another quick hug. She turned away to swipe at her eyes, hoping I wouldn’t notice.
Myth’s claws clicked on the stone of his den as he tapped around in nervous circles.
