He smiles.
I snap my eyes shut. Warm fingers press against mine.
Winter murmurs something. I nod, eyes squeezed shut.
Lyrical’s voice drifts past me as they walk to class.
I realize my clothes are wet—urine. Tears streak my cheeks. My chest feels like it’s on fire. I flee toward my condo, stumble, slam to the ground, and smear wet soil across my face.
I get up, vision blurring, and run.
Inside, I collapse on the carpet. Numbness swallows me whole.
His voice echoes in my mind.“I did this for us. You are my world. How can you betray me? I love you, Paige. I love you, and I’m never going to let you go.”
The stench of black pepper and cigarette smoke fills my nostrils. I empty my stomach onto the floor.
“I did this for us. So we can be together… get married.”
I cover my ears, curl into myself, whispering over and over, “He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead.”
The ringing in my ears swells. The room spins. Vomit and tears blur together. My senses fade. Darkness swallows me whole.
Irvin
Tonight, Keanu and I are at the American Billionaire Club, having our joint bachelor party. I lean against the polished leather in the private booth, and cigar smoke, mingled with a trace of vanilla, hangs in the air.
Snow sits across from me, and Jameson sits next to him, downing liquor. A stripper straddles Jameson’s lap, and a smile spreads across his face.
“I met the girl I’m supposed to marry.” Jameson sets his crystal glass down on the walnut table.
Snow downs the shot. “Who is she?”
“Raven. She’s a sophomore. I don’t want anything to do with her, and she doesn’t want anything with me either—when I was at her house last night, she dumped juice all over my head.”
I cock an eyebrow. “What fucked-up shit did you say to her?”
He rolls his eyes. “I told her I wanted threesomes, and this marriage is what it is—arranged. I’ll pass her around like the whore she is.” He torches the end of the cigar, puffing on it andblowing cloudy smoke from the corner of his mouth. “I’m not over Bailey’s death.”
Keanu and I study Snow’s behavior. Snow’s fingers claw at his crystal glass, clearly ignoring Jameson’s response. Snow hates that Jameson was in love with Bailey before her death.
The atmosphere is awkward, soaked with tension. Reggae music drifts in the background, rattling the leather lounge chairs. We sit in silence for several seconds.
Keanu pats me on the back. “I can’t believe you’re getting married.”
I bite into my lobster sliders. “What about you? I thought marriage wasn’t for you.”
“My father’s given me no choice but to get married, and he told me that if I don’t take over as CFO, he’ll cut me off completely.”
Snow cocks his eyebrow, leaning back in the leather seat. “What about Flynn? I thought he was going to get it.”
“Flynn is irresponsible with money, and we recently found out he has a gambling problem. So I told my father that if he wants me to run the business, then I’ll choose whom I want to marry.”
I tried that with my father, and it didn’t work out for me, but I’m not worried. Everything is set up, going to plan.
“Does Lilac know she’s marrying you? Because Winter hasn’t mentioned anything about it,” Keanu shoots back.
I shake my head. “No, not yet. But I already set up the small ceremony. It’s going to be intimate.” I pour myself a glass of whiskey, jaw tightening, and glance at Snow. “Don’t tell Lyrical—she’ll ruin the surprise.”
